The Horizon Prep Lioncast: Classical Education in San Diego and Rancho Santa Fe, California

We talk with several of the graduating seniors of Horizon Prep's Class of 2018.  We talk about their best memories from their years of High School at HP, some of the struggles they experienced, and what they would say to prospective high school students considering attending Horizon Prep. This is our last podcast of the school year and our last ever episode with Melissa Smith. Be sure to thank her this week for her years of service at Horizon Prep. We will see you next year!  --- What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Courtney Palumbo spoke at the recent Horizon Prep Parent Teacher Fellowship meeting for the third and final message in our series on "Difficult Conversations".  Courtney is the Head of School at Regents School of Charlottesville. She founded the school in 2010 with just seven students and has grown it into a thriving classical Christian school. The title for the meeting was "My Kids Hate Each Other (and I have my days too)" with the topic being Peacemaking and how to teach to teach our children to be peacemakers at home and at school. — What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.        

Chris Walls is the new Athletic Director of Horizon Prep. He joins us to talk about the vision for the sports program at the school and what we are doing to make it a reality. We talk about the plans for the sports field on the back side of the campus, including new tennis courts, football goal posts, and possibly a running track. We also talk about the individual sports at HP and how each one is currently doing and their plans for the future. — What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

We talk with Heidi Grosbeck and Heather Downing about Fifth Grade at Horizon Prep. — What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

A few weeks ago we talked briefly with Pastor Nate Smith about the topic "I spoiled my kids. Now what?". Now we get to hear the full message from the recent Horizon Prep PTF meeting with the same title. Learn what the Bible says about spoiling our kids, how we can show genuine love to our kids, and practical tips for demonstrating this in our families. — Don't forget to sign up for the Spirit Run Parents 5k/10k. The run is on March 29th, 2018 at 9:00 am. Sign-ups are open now at ncathleticwear.com/horizonprep — What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Carly Cosentino and Bruce Gearhart stop by to talk about the latest HP musical production, The Music Man Jr. The show is performed entirely by 3rd to 8th graders, plus one 12th grader that joined the cast. Showtimes are: March 15: 7:00pm March 16: 7:00pm March 17: 2:00pm and 7:00pm March 18: 3:00pm Tickets are available at horizonprep.simpletix.com — What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

You love your kids. You want to give them good things. But what if we go too far? What if we've spoiled our kids? Now what? Pastor Nate Smith will be talking about this at our PTF meeting on March 8th at 8:45 in the Lion's Den on the Horizon Prep campus. In today's episode, Pastor Smith gives a preview of his Thursday talk and answers some questions spoiling our kids. He talks about what the Bible says about spoiling our kids and how we can undo some of the mistakes we may have made as parents. He also talks about the reaction we can expect from our kids and how to work through it with them. This is the second part of our three-part PTF meeting series: "Difficult Conversations". Don't miss it!  — What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Melina Fischer and Corey Reschke stop by to talk about Fourth Grade at Horizon Prep.  They talk about how they came to the school and what each student can look forward to in Fourth Grade. Among the things discussed are the Fourth Grade exclusive events, how long homework should take each night, and how we as parents can best set them up for success as they prepare to enter Fourth Grade. — What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Kaitlyn Cook and Hannah Botsford join us to talk about Third Grade at Horizon Prep. Among the topics covered, they talk about homework, special Third Grade distinctive events, and how to tell if your student is ready for Third Grade. Both Kaitlyn and Hannah talk about the importance of reading proficiency in Third Grade. They say "The students have been learning to read. Now they will be reading to learn" — What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Stephanie Malme and Stacy Schafer join us to talk about Second Grade at Horizon Prep. Stacy is a longtime teacher at HP, in her first year as Second Grade teacher. Stephanie has taught Second Grade for many years now. Stephanie and Stacy talk about the special events for Second Grade, what parents should expect with their student's homework load and how this year can be such a pivotal year in a Second Grader's life. — What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Dianne Tag and Laiah Blue stop in to talk about First Grade at Horizon Prep. Dianne and Laiah have both been at Horizon Prep for many years. Before she became a First Grade teacher, Laiah was a running and athletics coach at the school. Amoung the topic we discuss: What can parents and students expect from First Grade at Horizon Prep? What is the homework load like? What field trips do First Grade go on? How can we as parents set our kids up for success? — What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Mary Flo Ridley will be the speaker at our PTF meeting on Thursday, January 25th. The meeting starts at 8:45 in the Lion's Den Gym on the Horizon Prep campus. Admission is free and all are invited. We are starting a three-part series entitled "Difficult Conversations". For many parents, the most difficult conversation they can have with their kids is the "Birds and the Bees". Mary Flo talks with Will about the best age to have "The Talk" with your kids, how to do it without embarrassment for the parent or the child, and how to approach it if you've made mistakes in your life that you don't want your children to repeat. Mary Flo says "It's not about you and your past. It's about your children and their future". Don't forget: PTF Meeting on Thursday, January 25th at 8:45 am — What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Tamara Cupples and Lindsey Cunningham stop by to talk about the Kindergarten program at Horizon Prep. We talk about how to tell when your child is ready for Kindergarten, the fun events Kindergarten gets to do, and how to set up your new Kindergarten student for success. — What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Dr. Konsmo and the directors of the Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric Schools give a sneak peek at what's ahead in 2018. Matt Davis is the Director of the Schools of Logic and Rhetoric. Abby Mayall is the Director of the School of Grammar. They let us know what 2018 holds for their grade levels. Dr. Konsmo is the Head of Schools for Horizon Prep. He gives us a glimpse into the future of what HP is looking toward in the new year. — What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Maggie McMahon joins us to talk about the Grammar and Logic School music programs. This is the first year at Horizon Prep for Mrs. McMahon and she is already making an impact on the lives of the students. We talk about the character students can develop through music and band, such as bravery, patience, striving for excellence and the importance of teamwork. You can see Maggie at work every Monday and Friday, right after drop-off at Praise and Worship with the Kindergarten through 5th Graders. It's only about 10-12 minutes and you'll be out of there by 8:45. — What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Susan Ferrari joins us to talk about the options available for families seeking financial aid or assistance with tuition. There are options available from short term help for families going through an emergency to a special award for high school students that demonstrate a remarkable level of leadership among their peers, and other options in between. --- What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

This Thursday, November 30th is the Horizon Prep Christmas Boutique!  Jodi Battle joins us with a sneak preview of the vendors and some gift ideas for your family members. --- What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Andrea Needham joins us to talk about the College application process and how Horizon Prep comes alongside the students and the families and helps them in the process. --- What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Today we talk about building confidence in the students at Horizon Prep through the Musical Theatre program. Bruce Gearhart is the director of The Music Man Jr., the latest production from the Horizon Prep Musical Theatre department. Bruce talks about the show and how the students can be a part of it, as well as the benefits they can expect by working in a musical theatre production. --- What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Mark and Jeff Coons are brothers with kids who are students at Horizon Prep. This year the School of Rhetoric has started an Investment Club with $100,000 of real money donated to the school for this purpose. That seed money will be invested by the members of the Investment Club. Mark and Jeff will offer guidance, but the decisions will be made by the students. Half of the profits generated will go back into the fund. The other half will go toward needs of the school, with the students having a voice toward where it is spent. For more information on the investment club contact Susan Ferrari at sferrari@horizonprep.org. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Part Two of our recent PTF Meeting with the new Head of Schools, Dr. Erik Konsmo. If you missed Part One, check out Episode 072 of the Horizon Prep Lioncast. It's a more casual chat with Dr. Konsmo, talking about his background and what he's like away from school. On this episode, Dr. Konsmo talks about the kind of administrator he wants to be, using the example of Nehemiah. Dr. Konsmo explains how Nehemiah was a man of prayer, a man of vision, a man of unity, a man with high expectations for his people and their ethics, a man of focus, and a man of celebration. Dr. Konsmo relates all those qualities to Horizon Prep and how Nehemiah is an example for him to follow as an administrator working as to the Lord. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Dr. Erik Konsmo was the speaker at our first PTF meeting of the year. This is part one of the PTF meeting. Part two will air next week. Dr. Konsmo and Will Hicks opened the meeting with a brief Q and A seesion about Dr. Konsmo. They talked about his educational background, his doctorate, his hobbies, and the competitive streak he and his family share. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Fatima Grismer and Kim Wang join us this week to talk about their story as Horizon Prep parents who left the school for different reasons and then came back.   They had different reasons for leaving, but they were both happy to return.   What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Last week was the first ever HP Mother/Son Challenge at Horizon Prep. Mothers and their sons spend the afternoon playing dodgeball, laser tag, and running an obstacle course on the sports fields behind HP. Melissa Smith took the microphone out of the studio to see if the mothers and sons were having fun. Spoiler alert: They had fun. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Will and Melissa talk about the upcoming events at Horizon Prep for the Fall. Among them: September 28: Mother/Son Afternoon October 1: Annual Impact Fund Campaign begins October 12: All School PTF Meeting with Dr. Konsmo October 20: Family Fun(d) Night What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.  

Jamie Urbina joins to us to talk about his job as Director of Marketing at Horizon Prep. Jamie shares the story of Horizon Prep in two directions; Outward, to the local community who may not know much about the school, and Inward, to help build community among those who have students at the school. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

The Arrowsmith Program at Horizon Prep. Arrowsmith is a remarkable program. Families are selling their homes and moving to San Diego to enroll at Horizon Prep so their kids can be a part of the Arrowsmith Program. Arrowsmith is a program for sharp children that have a specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, or dysgraphia. Horizon Prep is one of two schools in California that offer the Arrowsmith program. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Coach Rich Nicolosi joins us to talk about the new eight-man tackle football program at Horizon Prep. Coach Nicolosi talks about the genesis of the program from no students, no equipment, and no money, to a full team with top of the line helmets and pads. Coach Nicolosi and Will talk about many aspects of the program including the steps taken to minimize the risk of injury, how classroom sessions can make the students better football players, and the role of the booster club in coming alongside the multiple athletic programs to set the students up for success. If sports at HP are meaningful to you, and you would like to help or join the HP Booster Club call Melissa Smith at (858) 756-5599 or email her at MSmith@horizonprep.org. Tell her you heard episode 066 of the podcast and you want to lend a hand. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

The school directors join us for a short conversation about the classes they watch over. They talk about the plan for the upcoming school year, new teachers in their department, and what students can look forward to this year. Abby Mayall is the Director of the School of Grammar, Matt Davis is the Director of the Schools of Logic and Rhetoric, and Cathy Towner is the Director of Early Education. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Introducing the new Horizon Prep Head of Schools, Dr. Erik Konsmo! Welcome back to school, HP! Dr. Erik Konsmo joins us to introduce himself and let us know a bit about him, his family, and his background. Dr. Konsmo and Will talk about vision for the school, short term and long term goals, and Dr. Konsmo's thoughts on a theme for the school year. Be sure to make time to see Dr. Konsmo and say hi. He's looking forward to meeting everyone. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Carly Gammel is the first person to graduate from the School of Rhetoric at Horizon Prep. She started at HP in Preschool and has been a fixture on campus every year since. Well, except for Third Grade. She mentions that in her talk with Will. Carly talks about her experiences at HP, from the good to the bad, and she gives advice to students in the School of Logic who are thinking about their plans for High School. This is the last episode of the 2016-2017 school year. Will and Melissa will be back with all new episodes when school is back in session at the end of August. The first day of school is August 22nd. Have a great Summer! What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.   A personal note from Will Hicks: If you have found value in the podcast this year, would you do me a favor? Would you go to iTunes and leave a review? It's the main way I hear feedback on the podcast from people not named Abby or Melissa. If there was a certain episode you really enjoyed I'd love to hear about it. Thank you very much. -Will

At a recent PTF meeting we were joined by Julie Lynn, a deputy district attorney with the Family Protection Unit of San Diego. Her topic was "Internet Crimes Against Children and Cyber Bullying Prevention" We hold this PTF meeting on Internet Safety regularly. It is always one of the highest attended meetings of the year. This is the first time it has been made available for download afterward. Please feel free to share it with your non-HP friends who have children. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Heather Downing and Heidi Groesbeck stopped by to talk about Fifth Grade at Horizon Prep. In Fifth Grade one of the main points of emphasis is the student taking responsibility for their homework and their assignments. Ms. Downing says "We want to grade what the student can do, not what their mom can do". The responsibility is on the student, not the parent. They say one way parents can help their student take responsibility is by changing the way homework is done at home. Instead of telling them to do their homework, ask them "When are you going to do your homewoek?" If you'd like to earn a free dress pass for yourself or your student, go to iTunes and write a review for the podcast. It'll take you literally 20 seconds. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Pastor Bob Botsford joined us recently for the final PTF meeting of the 2016-2017 school year. He led a question-and-answer panel made up of Bonnie Botsford, Abby Mayall, Matt Davis, Susan Ferrari, and Dr. Kush. During the meeting Pastor Bob and the panel answered questions about a variety of topics, including a status update on the hiring process for the next headmaster of HP, as well as questions about the new football program, the makeup of the church board, why our middle schoolers have so many different classes, and many others. If you enjoyed this episode you should be sure to listen to episode 058. Dr. Kush sits down with Will Hicks and Shane Wetmore to discuss the future of the school without him. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Amy Caster and Corey Reschke join us to talk about the Fourth Grade at Horizon Prep. Amy and Corey have worked together for years now. Their chemistry in obvious in their conversation. In addition to talking about the math and reading programs in Fourth Grade, there were several other interesting things Amy and Corey discussed. For many of their students, Fourth Grade is the beginning of independence and self-reliance. The students are responsible for taking notes during class and recording the homework assignments. There is still plenty of communication between the parents and the teachers, but the teachers let the parents know: It's time for the student to take responsibility. This Thursday at 9:00 in the 300 Room on the Horizon Church campus is our end-of-year question and answer forum with Pastor Bob. To submit a question, be sure to send it in ahead of time to msmith@horizonprep.org. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes. After you leave a review on iTunes be sure to talk to Mrs. Mayall or Mr. Davis for a free dress pass.

Dr. Kush joins Shane Wetmore and Will Hicks to talk about his upcoming retirement and what that means for Horizon Prep. He also talks about the upcoming reorganization of department heads and how that will look in the next school year. This is a special episode of the podcast. Let us know what you think of it by emailing HPLioncast@gmail.com Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Kaitlyn Cook and Erin Rose join us to discuss Third Grade at Horizon Prep. They discuss the math and reading programs in Third Grade and let parents know how much homework they should expect for their third grader. Kaitlyn talks about the studying the medieval period for history and how that included a section on chivalry for the boys. The boys started racing each other to the door so they could be the one to open it for the girls. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Jessica Bradford and Stephanie Malme join us to talk about Second Grade at Horizon Prep. Jessica and Stephanie have great chemistry with each other. You can tell they sincerely enjoy working with each other and working with their students. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

It's Easter Break at Horizon Prep and the campus is quiet. Before everyone cleared out, Melissa took the microphone out and talked to some of the faculty and students about their favorite Easter memories and traditions. What is your favorite Easter memory? Let us know at HPLioncast@gmail.com. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

We're taking a trip through Grammar School on the podcast right now. Two weeks ago we talked with Abby Mayall and got an overview of the entire School of Grammar. Last week we talked with the Kindergarten teachers and this week we sit down with Suzanne MacInnis and Dianne Tag of First Grade. Suzanne and Dianne share the best parts of being a First Grade teacher and the hardest parts. The best part is seeing the students grow up and mature, and then watching as they get older and find success in their lives. Dianne says one of the hardest part of their jobs is saying goodbye at the end of the school year. They have to send them off for the summer and into the next grade, and it can be difficult to let go. They also talk about academic expectations for incoming First Graders, daily and weekly homework requirements, and how they prepare the First Graders for success in Second Grade. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Lindsey Martinez and Tamera Cupples join us as we take a trip around the Grammar side of the campus. Lindsey and Tamera are the lead teachers for the Kindergarten classes at Horizon Prep and they sat down with Will to talk about how great the Kindergarten students are. Other topics covered include the best thing about being a Kindergarten teacher, how they are able to challenge the more advanced students in their class, and one simple thing parents can do to help set their students up for success. (It's be on time and let them unpack their own backpack.) Congratulations to the two parents who earned a free dress pass for their students! You can earn one also by leaving a review on iTunes of the Horizon Prep Lioncast. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Abby Mayall is the Director of the School of Grammar at Horizon Prep and she joins us this week to talk about what has happened so far this year in Kindergarten through 5th Grade. The Grammar grades have been busy, and still have a lot to do before the end of the school year. Abby also talks about the Classical Education model that is the basis of Horizon Prep's educational philosophy, and what that really means. She talks about the three schools that make up the Classical model at Horizon Prep. The School of Grammar is from Kindergarten through 5th Grade, the School of Logic is 6th through 8th Grade, and the School of Rhetoric is from 9th through 12th Grade. You can remember the order of the schools by remembering they are in alphabetical order: Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric. Although she hasn't been on in a while, Abby is a fairly frequent guest on the podcast. You can hear more from her on Episodes 1, 10, and 23. She also pops in on random episodes once in a while, like on Episode 13. That's what they call an “uncredited cameo”. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

UPDATED: Mrs. Mayall has Podcast Review Free Dress Passes printed up and ready to go! Leave a written review (not just the stars) and let Mrs. Mayall know. She's rarin' to give those free dress passes away! Lisa Jander joined us again at this months PTF meeting to talk about practical things you can do today to improve the relationship between your family and technology. One of the tips Lisa shared is to think about buying a cell phone in the same way you think about buying their first car. “You're going to make sure the car is equipped with safety features like anti-lock brakes and airbags” Lisa says we should treat the cell phone in the same way. “If you want this phone, we're going to make sure it's equipped with the appropriate safety features”. Recently, having your teenager sign a “Cell Phone Contract” was a popular idea. Instead of writing a contract and making your kid sign it, Lisa says to have THEM write an agreement that you will agree to. That way any restrictions are their idea and they will have more buy-in with the rules. Near the end of this episode Lisa mentions a C.O.A.S.T. worksheet, a tool for two people in the family to spend time together with zero technology. C.O.A.S.T. stands for: Creative Cooking Ordinary Occurrence Awesome Activity Selfless Service Talk Time To learn more from Lisa Jander, go to DatersEd.com. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

This is Episode 50 of the Horizon Prep Lioncast! Celebrate with us by writing a review on iTunes and letting people know what you enjoy about the podcast! For Episode 50 we're joined by Michelle Castiglione and Dr. Jorge Munoz to talk about the Logic and Rhetoric Science program. For Michelle the best part of being a science teacher is when a student gets that "Aha!" moment and it all comes together for them. For Dr. Munoz the best part is being able to invest in the student and help to build the whole student through discipline, accountability, and responsibility.  Dr. Munoz says "The point is not to break them. The point is to stretch them to their potential" Dr. Jeff Pratt joined us for the second half of the episode to discuss how HP handles the topic of evolution. Dr. Pratt says “We teach about Evolution because Evolution is actually not science. Evolution is a worldview". What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Carly Cosentino and Andrea Needham join us to talk about the Math program in the Schools of Logic and Rhetoric.  Both Carly and Andrea have a love of math. Math was always Carly's favorite subject as a child. Andrea was inspired to love math by her high school math teacher who "made it come alive". Andrea encouraged parents not to force their children through the math program faster than they can handle. She said that kids who rush through math "just to check a box" tend to have holes in their math knowledge that become obvious as they continue in higher math such as Physics or Chemistry. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear from on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Lisa Jander joined us at the most recent PTF meeting to talk about how our kid's brains work and what is going on with the chemicals inside them. This PTF meeting is part one of a three part series. Part two is the one-night only screening of the movie Screenagers at the La Paloma movie theatre in Encinitas. The movie will be shown March 2nd at 7:00 pm. La Paloma is located at 471 S Coast Hwy 101, in Encinitas, CA. Part three in the series will be at the next PTF meeting, on March 9th. It will be held in the Lion's Den gym on the Horizon Prep campus at 8:30 am. All three of these meetings are free and open to the public. You're more than welcome to bring a friend, even if they don't attend Horizon Prep. What did you think of this episode? Who would you like to hear on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

Monday is President's Day and the rest of the week is off also, so Melissa and Will took the microphones out of the luxurious Lioncast Studio to see how much the faculty know about the U.S. Presidents. Did you know that Presidents Day was originally recognized as Washington's Birthday? At that time, Washington was the only individual recognized with his own holiday. President's Day is now intended to celebrate all Presidents, not just Washington and Lincoln. Now we have two other federal holidays dedicated to individuals. Can you name them? While Will and Melissa were out they stopped in on Ms Reschke and Ms Downing and got to hear Fourth Grade flawlessly recite the 45 U.S. Presidents, in order. Did you know that although Donald Trump is our 45th President, he's only the 44th person to hold the job? Grover Cleveland was both the 22nd and 24th President of these United States. Can you name the future Presidents who signed the Declaration of Independence? The answer is at the end of this episode. This is the only place to get that information. Who would you like to hear on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.  

Alicia Ferrera and Marcos Trejo join us to talk about the Horizon Prep Arts and Music programs. This is part 4 in our Logic and Rhetoric series. If kids can practice their music just 5-10 minutes every single day, Marcos says parents won't have to worry about them wanting to practice more. They'll begin to enjoy it and naturally practice more. It might sound like a dying cat in your house when they begin, but they WILL improve. Who would you like to hear from? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.  

This is the third installment in our "Logic and Rhetoric" series. Greg Thornquest teaches 6th grade Ancient Civilizations and 8th grade American History in the School of Logic. Chris Maiocca teaches 9th grade World History and 11th grade Early American History in the School of Rhetoric. Greg talks about how he originally wanted to be a teacher for third grade, and third grade specifically. Chris and Greg talk about some of the most important qualities for an incoming student to have: Communication skills, curiosity, and a desire to learn the stories within the history. If you'd like to hear more from Chris Maiocca, check out episode 014. Who would you like to hear from? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.

This is Week Two of our series on the Logic and Rhetoric schools here at Horizon Prep. Week One (#043) was an overview of Logic and Rhetoric and what's on the horizon for both schools. This week we talk with two of the English teachers to find out more about the English program at HP. Ellen Bennett and Tony Groesbeck joined Will to talk about English and books, and what makes a good book "good". During the conversation one of the things Tony said was "A classic book is one that teaches you into lean into life and learn more and think more about life, vs a candy book that pulls you out and distracts you from life". This episode is a little longer than normal. What are your thoughts on the length of the podcast? Is brevity the soul of wit? Or is it The More, The Merrier? Let us know what you think at hplioncast@gmail.com or in a review on iTunes.     

Matt Davis joined us to talk about what's going on in the Schools of Logic and Rhetoric. Matt is the director for all the HP students in 6th-8th grade and 9th-12th. One of the things Matt talks about is establishing traditions for the high school age students. Each year the incoming 9th Grade class buys an Orange tree, fertilizer, and any needed supplies and plants the tree in a planter that sits outside the Hub area. As they go through the next four years of school they're responsible for the care and upkeep of that tree until they graduate. So as they progress through school the students see the tree grow along with them. If you'd like to hear more from Matt Davis on the School of Logic you can listen to Episode 002. If you'd like to hear more from Matt about the School of Rhetoric, check out episode 007. Who would you like to hear on the podcast? Send us an email at hplioncast@gmail.com or leave us a review on iTunes.