East Elementary Earns Certification as Leader in Me Lighthouse School
Launch the media gallery 1 playerJenks East Elementary has been certified and named as a Leader in Me Lighthouse School by FranklinCovey Education. This recognition serves as proof of East Elementary producing outstanding results in school and student outcomes by implementing the Leader in Me process with fidelity and excellence. The certification also demonstrates the extraordinary impact the school is having on staff, students, parents, and the greater community.
Leader in Me is an evidence-based PK-12 model, developed in partnership with educators, designed to build perseverance and leadership in students, create a high-trust culture, and help improve academic achievement. This model equips students, educators, and families with the leadership and life skills needed to thrive, adapt, and contribute to a dynamic world.
With Leader in Me, students learn to become self-aware, interdependent, take initiative, plan ahead, set and track goals, complete homework, prioritize their time, be considerate of others, communicate effectively, resolve conflicts, find creative solutions, value differences, live a balanced life, and contribute to society.
“Jenks East Elementary is proud and excited to be recognized as a Leader In Me Lighthouse School,” stated Ryan Glaze, Site Principal at East Elementary. “Our partnership with Franklin Covey and integration of the 7 Habits, as well as components of the leadership model, have helped to shape and develop important paradigms about the capacity and value of leadership among our students and families.”
Lighthouse Certification is a highly regarded standard set by FranklinCovey Education that is attainable by every Leader in Me school. As it is a significant benchmark, applying for this certification typically occurs three to five years after a school begins the Leader in Me process.
“In the work we have been doing over the last few years, we have seen the effects of students' elevated voice in decision-making and leadership through service-learning and goal attainment,” Glaze observed. “Our students have developed valuable skills that have helped them to achieve both academically and personally. We can't wait to see how those skills continue to shape their lives and future successes. We are honored to be recognized as leaders in this work and are thankful for the way it has benefited our school community.”
FranklinCovey Education has designed the Lighthouse Rubric which schools use to measure outcomes in three areas: teaching leadership principles, creating a leadership culture, and aligning academic systems. Schools also measure their success as it relates to their unique school. Lighthouse Schools serve as exemplars to their community and to other schools.
“We are thrilled to recognize Jenks East Elementary as a Leader in Me Lighthouse School,” said Sean Covey, President, FranklinCovey Education. “Schools who achieve this Lighthouse Certification are great examples of a strong leadership model, and of what it means to be a Leader in Me school. East Elementary has experienced incredible results by implementing the principles and practices related to Leader in Me. We are so pleased and honored to be their partner and to celebrate the success they are experiencing.”
Since its official launch nearly a decade ago, more than 5,000 public, private, and charter schools across 50 countries have adopted the Leader in Me process, while nearly 600 schools have achieved the prestigious Lighthouse Certification by demonstrating the following:
- The principal, school administration and staff engage in ongoing learning and develop as leaders, while championing leadership for the school.
- Leadership principles are effectively taught to all students through direct lessons, integrated approaches, and staff modeling. Students can think critically about and apply leadership principles.
- Families and the school partner together in learning about the 7 Habits and leadership principles through effective communication and mutual respect.
- The school community can see leadership in the physical environment, hear leadership through a common language, and feel leadership through a culture of caring, relationships, and affirmation.
- Leadership is shared with students through a variety of leadership roles and student voice leads to innovations within the school.
- Schoolwide, classroom, family and community leadership events provide authentic environments to celebrate leadership, build culture, and allow students to practice leadership skills.
- The school utilizes the 4DX® process to identify and track progress toward Wildly Important Goals (WIGs) for the school, classroom, and staff.
- Students lead their own learning with the skills to assess their needs, set appropriate goals, and carry out action plans. They track progress toward goals in Leadership Notebooks and share these notebooks with adults in student-led conferences.
- Teacher planning and reflection, trusting relationships, and student-led learning combine to create environments for highly engaged learning.
Jenks East Elementary will maintain its Lighthouse Certification for two years and will continue to foster its growth and proficiency in exemplifying a leadership culture and principles. At the end of the two years the school will re-certify its Lighthouse Certification through a virtual self-assessment, describing and celebrating its growth and accomplishments since its original Lighthouse designation.