History of LEAD
What started as a small support group of students with learning disabilities, meeting occasionally after school with a high school counselor, soon became an accredited class. Originally taught by Cheyenne Mountain High School counselor, Stan Lambros and learning disabilities specialist Alan Pocock. Mr. Pocock, affectionately known as “The Man” by LEAD students, has directed the LEAD program since 1997.

LEAD is made up of college bound students with a wide range of documented learning disabilities and AD/HD. LEAD students learn to appreciate their strengths and understand their weaknesses. During class time, these students learn about their disabilities, often using their own test scores and assessments as curriculum. They become educated about their legal rights as students with disabilities, they learn how to actively participate in their own I.E.P or 504, and they learn the skill of self-advocation. The course covers achievement testing and interpretation, IQ, ADHD, educational evaluations, dyslexia, the I.E.P./504 process, self-determination, self-advocacy and additional categories related to mild learning disabilites. In adddition, students become familiar with books and materials by LD experts such as Mel Levine, Sally Shaywitz and Rick Lavoie. Mr. Pocock makes certain that every LEAD student leaves high school with the confidence and skills to advocate for themselves, both in college and in life.

One day a week, advanced LEAD students travel to nearby elementary and junior high schools where they serve as role models and buddies to other children struggling with learning disabilities and AD/HD. LEAD students teach them to be proud of their differences. Spending time with these “cool” teenagers with disabilities, reassures the children that they are not alone in their struggle.

In the past five years, the size of LEAD has more then tripled. Like many other classes and programs at Cheyenne Mountain High School, teacher consent is required for admission. All appropriate candidates are required to interview with the instructor.

Nationally Recognized
In 2001 LEAD was recognized as an exemplar site by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The "Self-Determination Technical Assistance Centers Project" recognized four school programs in the nation that promote self-determination in students with disabilities. In addition, LEAD was awarded a four year grant from the Self-Determination Project. To learn more visit: http://www.uncc.edu/sdsp/home.asp

The National Center for Learning Disabilities has launched an online Parent Center to help parents navigate the special education system and successfully advocate for their children. “Tools for the High School Student with Learning Disabilities” tells how the LEAD program at Cheyenne Mountain High School was critical to one student’s success, both in high school and college. The parent Center also features a wealth of information about parenting, advocacy, testing, IDEA and Response To Intervention. Read the article at: www.ncld.org/content/view/960/456121

LEAD was recognized in the March 2002 issue of Intervention magazine and the February 2007 national Smart Kids With LD newsletter. Rick Lavoie wrote an article on LEAD in his 2005 Tales from the Road series. In addition, an essay on LEAD titled "Teaching Self-Advocacy Gives Students with Disabilities a Tool for Life" appears in Chapter two of a recently published text book for general education teachers. The book, by Diane Pedrotty Bryant, Deborah D. Smith, and Brian R. Bryant is titled "Teaching Students With Special Needs in Inclusive Classrooms."

LEAD Founder and director, Al Pocock, was recently awarded the 2007 American Star of Teaching Award by the U.S. Department of Education for his innovative teaching strategies and raising student academic achievement. Cheyenne Mountain High School was one of only 37 Blue Ribbon Schools invited to present at the No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Conference. Mr Pocock was selected to present on the importance of teaching self-advocacy and self-knowledge to teenagers with learning disabilities to representatives from the department of education and other blue ribbon attendees.

Presentations
A unique aspect of LEAD is the formal presentations by LEAD students to parents, educators and learning disabilities professionals. Through personal testimonies and power point slides, these presentations serve to educate others about the social, emotional and academic difficulties high school students with learning disabilities encounter. As a result of innumerable presentations, thousands of people now have a better understanding of how to help students with LD and AD/HD succeed in the classroom and at home. LEAD students have worked tirelessly to dispel the myth that students with learning disabilities are “lazy, crazy and stupid”. In addition to innumerable local and state presentations, the group has participated in The International Learning Disabilities Conference in Washington DC (1998), New York (2001), Denver (2002), Atlanta, Georgia (2004) and Jacksonville, Florida (2006). more

LEAD’s Success
A recent article in Schwablearning.org stated that a 1999 report indicated that 14 % of all youth in the country 18 years old and over had not graduated from high school. An estimated 36 percent of those high school dropouts were students with learning disabilities. LEAD’s success can be measured not only in a 100% high school graduation rate , but although the percentage of students with learning disabilities enrolled in public and independent four-year colleges and universities was 2.4 percent in 2000, 90% of LEAD students have gone on to college.

Bring LEAD to Your School
A question often asked by teacher and parents is, “Is LEAD only offered to students at your high school?” All students with learning disabilities and ADHD should be taught the skills of self-advocacy, the power of self-knowledge, and their rights as students with learning disabilities. For these reasons, replication of programs similar to LEAD in other high schools is one of the the goals of the LEAD Foundation. LEAD has helped to start similar programs in Vail, Breckenridge, and Colorado Springs, Colorado, as well as Oakdale high school in California.

If you are interested in scheduling a LEAD presentation or starting a program in your school, contact Al Pocock at: pocock@cmsd.k12.co.us. If you would like to receive program brochures in the mail to share with your school or other parents, email your request to Salle at: sallehill@comcast.net. Please include your mailing address and the number of brochures you would like.