Spotlight: Deerfield Elementary - Novi, Michigan

Students teaching the 7 Habits.

Deerfield Elementary is a K-4 school in Novi, Michigan.  All of the Novi School District K-6 schools are Leader in Me Schools and they are all hosting Leadership Days entitled "A Day in the Life of a Novi Student."   On March 4, 2015 Deerfield held it's first Leadership Day.  A representative from The Novi Education Foundation spoke at Deerfield's Leadership Day and talked about why they have selected The Leader in Me as one of the programs that they support.

My sister, a former elementary teacher and I were happy to attend. A number of parents were in attendance and were very supportive of The Leader in Me. One father spoke about how he had learned the 7 Habits at his company many years ago and that he felt compelled to attend the Leadership Day to show his appreciation for the school teaching the habits to his three children.

Zachary and his mom.

One mother I met was Clarissa Porter who has sons Jonathan and Zachary at Deerfield.  She said that her children do use the 7 Habits language at home and sometimes remind her about how they can work together. She is very pleased that her children attend a Leader in Me school and she wanted to attend the Leadership Day. Zachary was handsomely dressed in his jacket and tie to serve as a greeter for Leadership Day.

We were impressed with the 7 Habits Songs.

Synergy Activity in Cabin Time.

One of the activities we enjoyed seeing was "Cabin Time".  Each K-4 student is assigned to a "cabin" made up of a mixture of K-4 students.  The students remain in the same cabin throughout their years at Deerfield. The cabins meet with their adult leader to learn more about the 7 Habits.  We observed the students doing an activity to practice Synergy. The task required the children to work together to get a gummy worm into a candy life saver by only using paper clips. The students eventually determined that it took several children working together to stretch the candy life saver while another child maneuvered the candy worm inside.

Michigan Leader Reports

 

Third graders teaching my sister, Kay, about their goals.

During our visits to the classroom, we were able to talk to many students.  These third graders were eager to tell us about their goals and teach us about the 7 Habits.

The 7 Habits Tree.

Proud to share his Leadership Notebook.

This was my sister's first visit to a Leader in Me school.  She taught elementary grades for her entire career.  She was very impressed with the Deerfield students' ownership for their behavior and for their learning. We talked for hours about the warm spirit and positive attitude of every teacher and student we met at Deerfield Elementary School.

Principal:  Julie Bedford
Deerfield Web Site: http://www.novi.k12.mi.us/df/
Deerfield Face Book:https://www.facebook.com/DeerfieldElem

Spotlight: Silver Springs Elementary - Northville, Michigan

Silver Springs Elementary is part of the Northville School District where every elementary is a Leader in Me School. Silver Springs is proud to have earned the designation as the 62nd Franklin Covey Lighthouse School in the world.  As a symbol of this milestone, a lovely lighthouse stands outside their main entrance. The lighthouse gives a hint as to the interior of the school which is beautifully decorated and was buzzing with student leaders on their third Leadership Day, March 5, 2015. There was electricity in the air!

The students were very articulate and confident.  This is the first school where more than one student greeted me and included these welcoming words, "May I take your coat?" and "How is your day going so far?"

Leadership Notebook sharing

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MC's for Leadership Day

The theme for the Leadership Day was "The Power to Lead!". Our student Masters of Ceremonies were decked out as super heroes as were many of our guides. Everything about the staff, students and the day was very polished.  

1st-2nd Grade SOAR lesson

Our first classroom visit was "Soar Time" where the students learn about the 7 Habits.  The lesson, for the day, was on Habit 1 "Be Proactive." The 1st-2nd grade teacher used a bottle of coke and a bottle of water to teach the difference between reactive and proactive responses. The children seemed to be very clear on the language of proactivity.   When the teacher presented this comment, "My mother forgot to pack my library book." the children were very quick to point out that it is the student's responsibility not the mother's to take care of packing backpacks.




The students have been given opportunities to lead school assemblies during the year and these photographs, along with many others, were given to Leadership Day attendees on a flash drive. As I walked to my car I thought, "How could anyone attend this Leadership Day and not want to do "The Leader in Me" at their school?"  Silver Springs is a fantastic example of teaching leadership. 

Student Led Assembly

Student Led Assembly

Student Led Assembly

Principal:  Mrs. Melissa Hunt
Silver Spring website: http://silversprings.northvilleschools.org/

Spotlight: Lakewood Elementary - White Lake, Michigan

Leaders selected by the students. 

I attended Lakewood Elementary's first Leadership Day on January 16, 2015. The students were great hosts.  The children were the primary speakers at the microphone. They sang, took us on a tour of their school and taught us about their data notebooks.  Lakewood is part of the Huron Valley School District which now has four Leader in Me schools.

Students performing on Leadership Day.

Students apply for jobs around the school.

Why would you be on the cover?

Students wear their shirts proudly.

"Everyone Learning, Everyone Growing, Everyone Leading"
Principal: Jill Brower
WebSite: http://www.hvs.org/schools/elementaryschools/lakewood

Spotlight: Beaumont Elementary - Waterford, Michigan

Beaumont Elementary, a K-5 school in Waterford, Michigan has an amazing story. Beaumont earned the status of the first Lighthouse School in Michigan.

I really enjoyed attending their Leadership Day in 2011.  A student was the MC for the entire day. Their staff is very committed and I have watched them present at national conferences. I have attached my notes from Leadership Day I attended:  http://files.ogschool.org/misc/Beaumont_School_Leadership_Day.pdf

A ribbon cutting by Principal Jan McCartan symbolized a new beginning.

I hope that you will see the movie made about Beaumont School dramatizing the school's metamorphosis. The movie shows how the teachers at one time were wearing black shirts and worked only to union contract minutes. The parents, staff and students speak about how The Leader in Me has helped change their school to the engaged happy place it is today.

The staff brightened up the school.

Current students and graduates of Beaumont talk with confidence about The Leader in Me.

Theme: - "Together We Lead"
Principal:  Jan McCartan

Their website is very well organized with photographs of their transformation and ideas to share with other schools.  Website: http://www.beaumonttogetherwelead.com