Students Taking the Lead at Cross Creek Elementary Event

WINTERSVILLE -- Students will be in charge during Cross Creek Elementary School's Family Leadership Night on Sept. 23.

The event will be held from 3-6 p.m., and kids will guide their parents around the building, visiting their classrooms and demonstrating the leadership skills they have been practicing at school as part of the Leader in Me initiative. Parents will also attend a Student Success Seminar while the students will take part in some fun learning activities.

"They will share with their families their WIG's, or Wildly Important Goals, that they’re working on. There will be a class-wide goal as well as personal academic goals, and that's all included in their leadership portfolios. They also share their leadership roles within the classroom and throughout the school, if they have a leadership role in the building other than just in their classroom," said school counselor Brittany Shank. "They will share artwork, examples of work, celebrations they have had achieved, which can include Shout Outs, Leader of the Week tickets, good grades, and test scores. They can share all of this with their caregiver."

Shank said it slightly differs from last year's inaugural event and was much more immersive, while students will also share their Leader in Me portfolios with their loved ones. Organizers anticipate even more people to attend, saying about 120 families took part in the first leadership night with about 200 expected this time.

"It's going to be more in-depth this year and there will be more activities and more things to share," she added, saying a Book Fair, raffle and activities in the related arts rooms were also set.

Gina Miclea, S.T.A.R.T. coordinator and literacy coach, said each grade level will have a scheduled time for parents to meet with the teacher for the seminar, which will include academic expectations and goals, testing information and the roles of teachers and parents, as well as resources to support the students in their academic journey.

Kindergarten will meet from 3:15-3:45 p.m.; first grade from 3:45-4:15 p.m.; second grade from 4:15-4:45 p.m.; third grade from 4:45-5:15 p.m.; and fourth grade from 5:15-5:45 p.m.

"During that time, the classrooms will not be available for visits by students and parents in hopes that the parents will be joining us for the seminar," Miclea commented. "While the parents are in the Student Success Seminar, we will have activities for the students."

The effort corresponds with the ongoing Leader in Me initiative that Cross Creek has been part of for about four years. It was created by the Utah-based group FranklinCovey and adopted by more than 5,000 schools worldwide.

Leader in Me is a comprehensive educational framework for grades PreK-12 that integrates leadership, culture and success both in school and at home. The program is rooted in the principles of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" and helps students take ownership of their learning, make proactive choices and contribute positively to their communities.

Since its implementation, CCE students have been emboldened to better themselves by setting goals and becoming leaders, conducting roles throughout their class and school such as becoming office messengers or older classmates reading to younger peers.

Shank said the school staff has also created a class family initiative which adheres to CCE's instructional framework.

"They've created a mission statement as a class and what they want to work on all year, and how they want to be known," Shank said, while Miclea interjected it included established roles, goals and procedures.

Shank added that since its implementation, Leader in Me had made great strides at Cross Creek with greatly improved attendance and students were taking control of their learning.

"It's more meaningful to them because they are tracking it and it has probably added structure, so we've seen a really big impact from it," she noted.

"With the students, some of the teachers have set the academic goals, but this year we hope to have the students set some of their own personal WIG's," said Miclea.

Other plans are to establish a student lighthouse team, and kids will apply and then be chosen by their peers to represent their class. The members will act a voice for their class and provide input in school matters, while older students may be in charge of attendance checks and ensure their peers come to school.

"It's just giving the students more of a voice. You’re never too young to be a leader and everyone is capable of that," Miclea concluded.