Friendly Staff

Our staff are here to help. They are ready to help you pursue your goals by engaging you in the classroom and throughout the school. They will greet you with a smile, a fist bump, or a hug. However we say hi – you will know that we are glad to have you at LEAD.

Support

You will receive kind words, encouragement, and specific teaching to help you reach your goals. Staff are willing to talk to you and answer questions throughout the day. We also have a licensed counselor on staff for you to speak with if you are having an issue that is not school or classroom related.

Fun Class Assignments

Our teachers specially design a curriculum for you. They come up with creative ideas to make the Virginia Standards of Learning fun!

Classroom set-up

You can expect to have about 10-12 other students in your

class, but you will be broken into grade level groups throughout the day. By breaking into smaller groups, you will be with fewer students which will help you get the instruction and attention that you need.

The classrooms are all very large and are broken into smaller rooms. This allows you and your grade level group to have your own separate area for learning.

Expectations

Staff are going to look for your potential and strengths and identify goals you can achieve. Since we always look for your strengths, we will know what you are capable of, which means that we will have high expectations for you.

Incentives

If you follow directions and complete your classwork, our staff will have so many fun things planned for you! Staff plan field trips, fun games for the classroom, classroom pizza parties, and school wide games. We also have our ROAR Store so that you can purchase fun items with tickets you earn. We want to encourage you to meet your goals and we do that by giving you incentives.

Routine

Every day we follow the same routine in the classroom and throughout the school. Students may arrive at school around 8:15 a.m. and are discharged at 2:35 p.m. Our students follow an even/odd schedule throughout the week and participate in classes on a fixed schedule.

Schedule

We utilize a block schedule for all of our programs, with the exception of our Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities Programs (ID/MD) and our ABA program. Students have Life Skills/Social Skills lessons each morning and participate in 3, 1.5 hour block courses.

Students in the ID, MD, and ABA program are on customized schedules to meet their academic and behavioral needs.

High School

Our high school program participates in an on-line learning program called OdysseyWare. The on-line instruction is supplemented with direct instruction from the licensed teaching staff in the program. Technology in the high school classroom has really helped the students engage with the curriculum in a familiar format.

Safety

You can expect a safe school environment. Students are held to high expectations to promote a

safe environment and staff are trained to ensure that the classroom and school are a safe environment for skill development and learning. All students are searched via metal detectors prior to entering the building for the safety of all.

Freedom

At LEAD you will have the freedom to be yourself. Most students that attend The LEAD Center are unique. They have different strengths and varied interests. We celebrate those differences and encourage each student to find his or her voice within their school career, in their community, and for their life. It’s okay to be YOU at LEAD.