Leader in Me Spotlight: Kristan & Josh Van Houten

Why iLEAD?  

As parents of four iLEAD Learners: Pre K, 1st, 4th and 5th, we wake up each morning with the relief that our learners have found their tribe. They feel challenged, supported, smart, loved, nurtured and valued. We know every day will be a good day because they are learning to fail, learning the skills to control their own happiness, pursue their educational and personal passions. What a joy!

We remember the dinner table homework battles, the tears on the way to school, and the disappointed faces at the pickup line. We remember the parent-teacher emails that always ended with, “I just have too many kids to focus on him, advanced work won’t begin for a few more years” and the pile of same-looking worksheets that didn’t challenge our little guy that he said he also finished in class. He remembers the schools; the bullying, the switching from one class to another then from one school to another, and finally one district to another…with the same results. By first grade he hated school — first grade! We remember my daughter and her fear for her safety in kindergarten. The calls from the nurse because she faked sick so I would come pick her up. These memories of our first experiences with school are the only WHY we need.  

What a change. When we came to iLEAD we knew within minutes of exiting the pickup line –seeing School Director Lynn Boop’s smiling face reminding us to turn right out of the driveway, and the squeals of excitement coming from the back seat-that we had found a new kind of happy. We enjoyed hearing about the different hands-on experiences our learners were having each day. At our first presentation of learning, I cried. What amazing things our kids can accomplish when they are told they can do and be anything. What we didn’t know was that we too, would learn this truth and as adults would find our new purpose.

My background is in community relations and office management, and Josh came from 15 years as a sheriff’s deputy serving as a school resource officer. We fell so in love with the changes iLEAD had made in our learners’ lives that we just had to be more involved. Using the “7 Habits” principals and “Love and Logic” at home has helped us to grow our relationship with our children, each other, and our friends and extended family.

Looking back, we never thought we would both be part of the iLEAD family as employees but what we’ve realized is we are both just modeling pursuing passions for our children. We too have found our tribe. Some of our very best friends are many of you reading this right now. I have been on staff for four years and Josh for two, and we are truly looking forward to being here when we have a school in every community. I am a member of the marketing team and am the community outreach coordinator for the Antelope Valley area. Josh is part of our facilities team for iLEAD Schools Development and helps develop and implement our safety plans and trainings. We are an ALL IN, iLEAD family and we couldn’t be happier to be a small part of this paradigm shift in education!

One word to describe me – Charismatic

One word to describe Josh – Industrious