Are You Ready?

Cooler weather...
Your favorite sweater...
Thinking of pumpkins and a new pair of boots...
Back to school...

I believe that if we take some time to plan ahead, going back to school can be a positive memory in the future as well.   Think about how much time we spend sleeping and the benefit of having a great mattress.  How about how we feed our bodies and how it relates to our health and longevity?  An education will last you a lifetime, it will take you places far beyond not having an education.  The same is true for all of these examples; what you can get out of it is directly relative to what you are willing to invest into it.

1.  Get Organized
Use your calendar to help you define a homework schedule that you can stick to.
Print out your syllabus for each course and check things off the list daily.
Keep your teacher contact information close by.
Prepare your mind to find solutions to challenges as they come up.

2.  Set Goals
What do you want to accomplish?
When do you want to accomplish this goal?
What reward will you receive when you meet this goal?
Will you be ahead of your calendar?
Can you graduate early?

3.  Stay Focused
Refrain from distractions while reading by turning your devices off.
Do you have the option to customize your education allowing you greater focus?
Try to think about one subject, one day at a time, this will help you prevent feeling overwhelmed.
Go to bed earlier, wake up earlier, finish school work earlier.

When fall approaches next year my hope for you is that going back to school will be on the happy list just like cooler weather, my favorite sweater, pumpkins, and a new pair of boots are for me.

Back to School

You have heard it said that there are times in life when we have bow our heads and go back to the proverbial drawing board. I like to think of these times as a an opportunity to go back to school.  In doing so, we need to go back with a humble soul and an open mind allowing us to capture the essence of life's lesson, otherwise a lesson lost is one we will have to learn again and again.

Many times we all get stuck in the rut, not the good ruts on the track that help carry your speed in the turns, the ruts that bring us down, the cross ruts if you will,  testing our patience.  It is so hard to not fall into the victim role of "woe is me" and instead realize that sometimes you do need to go back and relearn something whether of not you think you deserve what is happening in your life, right now.

I am proud of my son, Michael.  Adversity strikes once, twice, three times, and more and it gets harder and harder to deal with it and truly understand it.  We have raised our two children, now grown adults, to not be victims of their circumstances.  It has become our motto, "this is how we roll", because we have learned as a family to support one another and roll with life.  You fall off the horse, you dust yourself off, you get back on and ride again better and stronger.

Last weekend, Michael raced a local race offering a nice purse for the pro class at Perris Raceway.  This was his opportunity to go back to school ... it is humbling, character building, and most of all it is fun.  Sometimes going back to the school of life is just what we need ... no matter the circumstance.

Be the Dream

In a world full of distractions it is a challenge to keep the dream front and center.  Whether you are a racer, a career driven individual, a dreamer, or a student looking to graduate, your dream needs to become your goal in order to become your reality.  You need to be the dream.  Live it, see it, taste it, and want it bad enough that whatever it takes YOU make it happen, no excuses, no blame game.

"How can this happen?", you say?  "It is overwhelming!"  "Where do I start?" One of the most self defeating responses would be, "Only people with money and people in high places can achieve such success!" It is no secret that whatever we think and whatever we profess with our words becomes our reality, a self fulfilling prophecy.  First you must change your thoughts and your attitude will follow suit. 

Having a dream become a reality starts with YOU and no one else.  Start by taking the distractions away, turn it all off until you can hear the calmness of your soul.  There you can start to believe in the God given talent that you have and make the sacrifices that will push you to the dream that is waiting for you.  It will take hard work and dedication. That is not a problem since you already have everything you need to make this dream become real, and then you will be the dream! 

For more information about On Track School, please visit: www.ontrackschool.com or call Andrea Leib at 909-374-8851.  

Reaching Out

In the world we live in today, communication can take so many avenues in order to reach the goal of getting the help or direction you need from those you have come to trust and count on.  In our world of distance learning we have found that we must remind our students that although it is important to reach out, it is also important to utilize all the methods of communication available to them.

Since there are many ways to reach our team of dedicated teachers I feel students get stuck on one way, the way that they are most comfortable or accustomed to communicating.  Our teachers provide their email, personal cell for texting,  twitter account, facebook account, personal home phone, and address.  There is never a reason to not reach one of our staff based on this, however there are those students and there always will be that need to be reminded that there are other ways to get the job done. In other words, if at first you don't succeed; try, try, again...

Whatever the circumstance, where there is a will there is always a way.  This has become my motto and has contributed to the overall success of On Track School's growth since 2003.  Such is it in life, when you need help you must reach out.  If there isn't help on the other side, reach out again.

For more information about On Track School please visit; www.ontrackschool.com or call 888-325-0879 and ask for Director Andrea Leib, M. Ed.

You Get What You Give...

When it comes to life in general, it is my experience that what you give away comes back to you many times over.  However, the purpose of giving must come from the heart and not the fact that if you give you will be blessed in order to truly experience it for yourself. 

When we take a step of faith into the unknown and we just believe in the unseen and hold on to our convictions that it will be so, without the negativity that tempts us into asking questions and entertaining doubts we allow ourselves the opportunity to reap the benefits of what we are willing to give. 

The On Track scholarship fund, On Track's continued growth, and the calls from concerned parents facing the decision to home school their children so they could have the opportunity to pursue their dreams, are also examples of what we are willing to give.  After almost 8 years of building a private school with the goal of service to others I have some important people to thank.  

On Track Learning Coaches are dedicated beyond my expectations and they have given much of their time to set up our best school year, which begins on Monday, August 28th.  I would also like to thank Trey Canard, Blake Wharton, Davi Millsaps, Ian Trettel , Michael Leib, Pantzsaggin, for their donations to our ebay store which has helped us raise $800 toward our scholarship program.  Finally, a special thank you to the parents who call in and share their stories and are willing to sacrifice even more than they already have in order to provide a quality education.  

For more information about On Track School, visit us at 

www.ontrackschool.com 

Congratulations to On Track Star; Wanda Ezell

Mrs. Wanda Ezell has been with On Track since 2007 and we are so very proud to have her on our team. She is not only a dedicated Learning Coach, our very own curriculum specialist, assistant to Mrs. Andrea, she is also a good friend to us all.

Mrs. Wanda lives in North Carolina with her husband who serves in the US Army and three children who also attend On Track. Mrs. Wanda and her girls are all part of a bluegrass band, “Pinkgrass Girls”, and as a family they travel to various festivals and performances throughout the year.  You can check out their music on their facebook page or you can come see them live at the talent show at Loretta Lynn’s on August 5, 2011.

Andrea:  “As On Track School grows into our 9^th year I am very blessed to have Mrs. Wanda as such an integral part of our growth and development. We are a team of teachers who at the core care about bringing the best possible virtual education to students who choose to follow their dreams. 

Wanda: “I like to say that On Track has become a huge blessing to me and my family.  Working with On Track allows me the freedom I need to be able to support the girls and continue my career. I enjoy working with students from all over the United States as well as other parts of the world.  It is very refreshing to work with young people who are focused on their dreams and still understand the importance of getting a good education.”

For more information on customized learning solutions for grades 3-12, high school diploma programs, as well as college credit, please visit www.stayontrack.net or contact Director Andrea Leib at andrea@stayontrack.net 888-325-0879 or 909-374-8851.

Scholarship Opportunity 2011

Every year at Loretta Lynn's during the AMA Motocross Amateur National's we look over our requests for scholarships and choose a student who will be the recipient of an On Track education. It becomes a difficult task since in doing so we know that too many students will not be able to attend due to the cost of a private school education.  There have been too many times when parents have explained that they cannot afford new motorcycles let alone an education.  Although this is depressing it is the reality of our sport which leaves parents to try to home school their children on their own.  This becomes a real challenge without the support of qualified teachers and an accredited curriculum. 

In our attempt to help raise funds for our scholarship fund we are selling donated items on ebay at our On Track School page and thank many of our graduates and industry leaders who clearly understand this reality; Trey Canard, Blake Wharton, Davi Millsaps, Ian Trettel, Michael Leib, and Pole Position.

If you are interested in applying for an On Track scholarship please submit your essay to Andrea Leib, Director of On Track; andrea@stayontrack.net and include the following:

1. Why do you deserve this opportunity?

2. How committed are you to setting goals and reaching them?

3. How important is it to be a team player on and off the track?

4. List 2 references, non-family/friend that we may contact.

On Track is a private virtual school that allows students the opportunity to pursue their personal interests in sports, the arts, as well as continue on their personal journey of life, without compromising their education.  For more information please visit www.stayontrack.net or call 888-325-0879.