Leader in Me Spotlight: Christy Monroe

Why iLEAD?  I’m sure the reason behind choosing iLEAD over traditional school is the same as many other families; my children are really something special! We were a family that was actively involved in school. Ryan and Celina participated in school sports, cultural dance performances, and had good relationships with their teachers and peers.

When they were in the 2nd and 4th grade the culture changed and all of a sudden they weren’t enjoying school anymore. There was no connection with their teachers. They had limited friends. When volunteering I felt the shift in the pulse of the school environment for myself. It was undeniably time to move on.

My sister shared information about this new charter school that had open enrollment. There was a parent information night; in a meeting room of a local bank! Come to find out they didn’t have a location yet. Yikes! My mommy senses were tingling… So we attended this information night and that’s where the magic began. After the introduction from Director Lynn Boop, facilitators from the first iLEAD school, SCVi, presented. They explained daily life at their campus and presented various projects that their learners collaborated on. They were warm, inviting, personal, informative, and very invested in their learners and their school.

I remember leaving that meeting so energized and excited. It felt right! From that night forward we have been an iLEAD family, now in our 6th year. Ryan and Celina are thriving in 8th and 10th grade, have flourished into young leaders, and last year I joined the iLEAD team as the office manager. I am so happy to say that choosing iLEAD was one of the best decisions my husband and I made for our children and ultimately our family. Now I am proud to say that I am one of those staff members who make it a point to be warm, inviting, personal, informative, and invested in ALL of our children!