West Side Elementary School Principal Mike RichWhat is Leader in Me?
The Leader in Me is a whole-school transformation model that acts like the operating system of a computer — it improves performance of all other programs. The model is meant to produce transformational results such as higher academic achievement, fewer discipline problems, and increased engagement among teachers and parents. The Leader in Me equips students with the self-confidence and skills they need to thrive in the 21st century economy.Source: theleaderinme.org
West Side Elementary School is a newly named “Leader in Me School.”
In order to spread leadership, the school is partnering with Westside Elementary in Lafayette, La. The partner school is in need of school supplies due to the recent flooding in Louisiana, and in true “leader” fashion, the Rossville students are stepping up.
“Our students’ parents had just bought school supplies for their children and they went out and got these items too,” said Principal Mike Rich.
The 51 boxes on the way to Louisiana include notebook paper, pencils, binders, crayons, markers, colored pencils, folders, scissors and glue sticks.
Louisiana’s Westside Elementary School Principal Lisa Thomas told Rich her students certainly need the items.
“We did not want to give water bottles and food items because Red Cross gives that,” Rich said of the decision to host a school supply drive instead, organized by the local school’s approximately 75 fifth-graders. “We wanted to give items that kids in first grade would need. My fifth-graders came up with the idea, and their social studies teacher, Mr. Parker, and his students created posters for the whole school. We got donations from every grade level.”
Rich explained that “Leader in Me” comes from Dr. Stephen R. Covey’s book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,” which Covey then broke down into a curriculum for elementary-age kids called “The Leader in Me.”
“…What really got our teachers started [is] by reading ‘The Leader in Me’ by Covey. The teachers thought it would be a great fit for students and families,” Rich said.
The curriculum is being integrated thanks to an $80,000 grant for training and supplies through leaderinme.org.
The seven “habits” are: 1. Be proactive; 2. Begin with the end in mind; 3. Put first things first; 4. Think win-win; 5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood; 6. Synergize; 7. Sharpen the saw.
“All kids come up with their own classroom [Leader in Me] ideas. Teachers ask students to think about their goals and what kind of grades they hope to make this school year,” said Rich.