The community is invited to join state Assemblyman Dante Acosta at Santa Clarita Valley International, a tuition-free public charter school, to celebrate a $5,000 educational grant awarded to SCVi by the Barona Band of Mission Indians on Monday, November 27 at 10 a.m.

The funds will be used to purchase new equipment and tools for Learners at SCVi to use in the school’s Makery.

“Gifts like this are so important to advance our work here at iLEAD,” said Amber Raskin, who co-founded iLEAD Schools 10 years ago with veteran educator and principal Dawn Evenson.

“At SCVi alone, our Learners are doing everything from building a ‘Tiny House’ for a homeless veteran to becoming glider and aircraft pilots,” Raskin said. “Our Learners continue to excel in a wide variety of academic, artistic and entrepreneurial pursuits.”

“When we applied for the Barona Education Grant program, Assemblymember Acosta immediately endorsed and spoke up for us,” Evensen said. “We could not have done this without his support.”

iLEAD Schools maintains a unique emphasis on using methods that foster Learners’ social-emotional development. A cornerstone of SCVi’s educational philosophy involves Project-Based Learning, an innovative, research-based method of instruction that requires students to tackle deeply engaging projects about real-world issues. They use critical thought, inquiry and synthesis to create solutions and present their findings to their peers.

For Learners in upper grades, an academic and college counselor works hand in hand with each student to create a plan to help them succeed academically, emotionally and socially. SCVi is the only school in the Santa Clarita Valley to offer the rigorous International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for Learners in their junior or senior year of high school.

SCVi also offers Innovation Studios, a unique opportunity for Learners from sixth through 12th grades that leverages technological and human resources to create a hybrid learning environment.

The school offers a high-quality arts and theatre program for all grade levels (including transitional kindergarten), and recently welcomed veteran educator and critically acclaimed actor Ian Johnston to direct iLEAD’s International Baccalaureate theatre program. iLEAD also announced a partnership with the International Schools Theatre Association, which Johnston will oversee.

Sports are offered from kindergarten through 12th grade, with Upper School teams participating in the CIF Omega League. The young athletes can play basketball, soccer, flag football, volleyball, cross-country, softball, baseball, golf, and equestrian teams.

Renowned coach Ken Erenberg recently joined the SCVi team as athletic director, coming from his most recent position at the now-closed Albert Einstein Academy. Erenberg has won 492 games as a head coach in his career to date, including nine high school titles, and has been named Coach of the Year 11 times by organizations including the Omega, Alpha, and Delphic Leagues and the Gold Coast Conference.

PARENTS: Registering your child at SCVi is quick and easy: simply visit https://ileadsantaclarita.org/intent-to-enroll/ and fill out the form. You’ll receive an email from the SCVi registrar with further instructions. After accepting your spot, complete the registration process by either uploading your documents online or walking them into the SCVi main office at 28060 Hasley Canyon Road in Castaic. Staff are onsite all year to answer your questions, give tours, and accept your registration forms.

SCVi is located at 28060 Hasley Canyon Road, Castaic 91384.