KYLE — Elm Grove Elementary School is a candidate for Legacy School status in the Leader in Me program — staff, parents and students hosted a Legacy Showcase on Friday, Jan. 10 at the campus.
The Leader in Me program was started in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1999 at A.B. Combs Elementary School. According to the Leader in Me website, it was led by the principal, Dr. Muriel Summers, in order to turn around her failing school. Inspired in part by Franklin Covey’s book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” Summers implemented ideas from the book, as well as other “educational best practices.”
Within a few years, A.B. Combs experienced a significant turnaround and the school was named the #1 Magnet School in America, the website stated. A. B. Combs reported improved academic achievement, increased enrollment, soaring parent and teacher satisfaction and higher levels of student self-confidence.
After seeing Summers’ success, other schools followed her lead and implemented many of the same ideas. At the request of Summers and other educators, Covey organized the process and created the Leader in Me program.
“Founded on the belief that everyone has the potential to lead, Leader in Me is a comprehensive PK–12 framework that nurtures student leadership, fosters a culture of trust and boosts academic success,” reads the Leader In Me website. “This proven approach empowers students, educators and families with essential leadership and life skills, preparing them to excel.”
One of Elm Grove Elementary’s fourth grade teachers, Alyssa Isam, said that the school was the first in Hays County to join the Leader in Me program in 2011. Isam has been teaching at Elm Grove for approximately 10 years and is one of the coordinators on the staff level for the Leader in Me Program.
In 2015, the school received a Lighthouse Certification in the program, which is a designation given when the school achieves all nine criteria, including teaching leadership principles to all students. The Leader in Me website stated that the designation will be held for two years and then the school will have to recertify its Lighthouse School status.
“I can’t even explain to you the leadership skills that these kids get to learn at such a young level. It really does instill in them. The statistics show it. Looking at our kids from Elm Grove, who have gone through the whole program, [they]are leading our middle school Fine Arts. They’re leading our middle school sports,” said Isam. “Then, when you get to the high school level, it brought tears to our eyes this year, looking at our band. The Johnson [High School] Band is being run by Elm Grove leaders. The football team is the Elm Grove leaders; the dance team is all [being led by Elm Grove leaders]. There really are three or four big leaders on those high school things and they truly are all coming from Elm Grove. So, it really, I just have chills. It really is amazing.”
Elm Grove Elementary is now seeking Legacy School status. This is the highest achievement for a school in the Leader In Me program. According to the website, this designation is only available to schools who maintain their Lighthouse School designation for a minimum of eight years, exhibit innovation and keep up with the Lighthouse criteria and make a “distinctive contribution” to the education community. There are only 21 Legacy Schools in the world, said Isam.
At its Legacy Check on Friday, Jan. 10, the school showcased its Leader in Me spirit by presenting videos of a student’s typical day and former students sharing testimonies of their time in the program. During the assembly on Friday morning, current students were presented with awards for leadership and being good stewards of their school building, as well as for turning in their volunteer hours.
“It’s our former principals, our former parents, former students [who] are all going to greet them and give them that feeling of ‘we are Elm Grove’,” said Isam. “We’re all in different endeavors now, but look at us that we can all come back with one simple invitation.”
Elm Grove staff anticipates a decision regarding its Legacy application in approximately four to six weeks.
To learn more about the Leader In Me program, visit www.leaderinme.org.