This is Tehama: Catch a Ride on Leila Dumore’s Learning Adventure at Evergreen Institute of Excellence

Meeting administrator and teacher Leila Dumore at the Evergreen Institute of Excellence is like meeting Ms. Frizzle of The Magic School Bus. Not only does Mrs. Dumore have a fun fashion flair, but she also has a dazzling smile and her eyes flash with adventure at the mention of “learning.” Her mind jumps on that magic school bus, and she invites you to join her.

Dumore began teaching with the Evergreen Union School District in 1994 as a 7th-grade science teacher. Her passion for learning next became an asset to Evergreen’s existing homeschool program and later helped create a non-classroom-based charter school. This charter opened in 2015 as the Evergreen Institute of Excellence (EIE) located on the Evergreen Middle School campus. EIE is a K-12 personalized learning public charter, an umbrella program for homeschooling families within the Evergreen Union School District.

The program has grown from 34 children to its current full capacity of 135 students. Upon enrollment, each student is paired with a facilitator or supervising teacher. With six full-time supervising teachers available, each family will likely find their perfect match.

EIE helps students answer three important questions: Who am I? Where am I headed? How am I going to get there? Partnerships among the students, their parents, supervising teachers, the school and local businesses all help build problem-solving and advocacy skills, helping to create well-rounded individuals.

On-site electives, sports and tutoring are just a few of the services offered. A recent development is EIE’s High School to College Program. Dumore explains, “At no cost to them, concurrent enrollment allows our students to attend Shasta College and to discover the possibilities for their future. We provide guidance and support for the students’ success through transportation, navigating college requirements and programs, and monitoring their progress.”

Jacob Johansing and Alexandria Montes are two Class of 2019 graduates who made good use of this popular program.

Jacob found EIE when he moved from Trinity County to this area in his junior year. The High School to College Program meshed well with his parents’ desire for him to use high school electives to gain vocational skills. These skills, they believed, would help him gain a living wage job upon high school graduation. Jacob pursued an Equipment Operator and Maintenance certificate from Shasta College and by graduation was only one class shy of the certificate requirement. This was significant, as he just started working toward this goal in his junior year. Jacob will continue his education at Shasta College this fall, finishing that last certificate class and then pursuing his passion for art by majoring in Studio Arts.

Alexandria also started at EIE her junior year. Alexandria’s goal is to become a pediatrician, so she focused on completing her high school requirements early to advance her education quickly. With many years of college ahead, she wanted to chip away at her general education requirements for an Associate Degree transfer. Alexandria earned the California Golden Seal of Merit for her excellence in academics.

Families everywhere, homeschooled or not, should be able to utilize concurrent enrollment opportunities for their children. Many high schools offer similar programs. Tehama County families will find concurrent enrollment programs at Calvary Christian Academy, Tehama eLearning Academy and other area high schools. Neighboring counties have similar programs with area community colleges.

If these learning adventures are beckoning your family, consider adding your name to the EIE waiting list. Dumore and the staff would love to share their passion for learning with your student. Dumore adds, “I love being able to offer an innovative program that doesn’t take the one-size-fits-all approach. We have kids like Jacob and Alexandria, who are ‘knocking it out of the park’ because they were able to discover their passions and take ownership of their education.” The next thing you might hear her say is, “All aboard who’s going aboard. There’s something exciting and I can’t wait to show you!”

The ancient word “Tehama” once meant a place where rivers could be crossed. With our county’s rich currents of history, happenings and hope, this is our crossing place today — where we meet to celebrate our beautiful Tehama County.