Harlan Kirgan
Highland Elementary is one of four St. Landry Parish elementary schools selected for a leadership program intended to transform schools by instilling leadership skills into students.
The pilot program through the St. Landry Parish-Evangeline United Way and the United Way of Acadian was announced at Thursday’s meeting of the St. Landry Parish School Board.
The other elementary schools to participate are North and Grolee in Opelousas and Lawtell Elementary.
The four schools will be the first in the parish to implement The Leader in Me, a whole school transformation model that empowers students with the skills they need to thrive in the 21st century.
The program is based on the Stephen Covey book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.”
Leadership is taught directly to students, but more significantly, integrated seamlessly with everyday lessons across all curricular area, according a United Way news release.
Ginger LeCompte, executive director of the St. Landry-Evangeline United Way, said, “While we have traditionally focused on conventional measurements for classroom success, we have often either ignored, or at least reduced our attention on the most important condition for learning – the culture of the school.”
She added, “When we create a culture that says every child is capable and every child is a leader, and then prove it with an environment that projects positive and practical ways to apply that philosophy, the student is transformed. The Leader in Me provides a methodical approach to creating that culture. This paradigm truly alters the school community, and by extension, the entire parish.”
St. Landry Parish Superintendent, Patrick Jenkins said, “This partnership with United Way for The Leader in Me aligns with our district’s mission to provide high quality instruction while working collaboratively with families and communities to maximize every student’s potential.”
He added, “We are so excited to have the United Way’s financial and logistical support that will enable us to implement such a powerful program.”
Margaret Trahan, CEO/president United Way of Acadiana said, “United Way of Acadiana has implemented this program in 35 schools, and we are excited to share our experience and provide logistical support for this project. In our role as a partner, and as neighbors, we have a common interest in seeing all Acadiana schools flourish and produce the best students and leaders possible. The Leader in Me has proven to be a win-win for our communities.”
Lorie LeDoux, Highland Elementary principal, said, “I expect us to have a complete turnaround. Miraculous things are going to happen and you going to be reading about Highland Elementary in great ways. We are very excited. I’ve been wanting this program for the last four years and when we had the opportunity, I seized it.”
Highland, North and Grolee are D schools in the state accountability system. Lawtell is a C school.
Nine St. Landry Parish schools applied for the program.
The application and selection process was competitive in the sense that all nine schools that applied were worthy, according to LeCompte, but funding for only four schools is available at this time. Selection was based on the degree and level of demonstrated commitment by the school administrators and staff and the level of need for significant improvement in challenging areas such as academic proficiency, behavior or attendance.
At least half of the initial funding for this project is available because of the generosity of Keith and Ginger Myers and family, through the Myers Family Foundation.
“Our interest and engagement in St. Landry Parish aligns with the interest and mission of the St. Landry-Evangeline United Way in making a positive difference in our community. We look forward to this partnership,” Keith Myers said.
Already a serious investor in Leader in Me in the region, the William C. Schumacher Family Foundation has also committed half the funding for these four schools. The combined generosity of both foundations establishes the necessary resources for full implementation over the next five years in these chosen schools.
Myers added, “We are confident that when the results of this first year or two of implementation are provided, others will join our efforts.”
LeCompte said the goal is to have 90 percent of the parish schools involved in the leadership program.
Trahan said, “Everything works better if Leader in Me becomes the foundation for that school.”
She added, “Imagine students that are empowered to be leaders. who take responsibility for their own learning, who set goals for themselves and then work to achieve those goals, who understand that things like homework have to come before they go out to play...”