“We like to say, ‘It’s a great day at Windham,’” Windham Elementary School Principal Chris Mitten said, addressing the Leader In Me Day visitors. “I’m so proud of our students. They did all of this. They had help from their sponsors, but literally all of this day has been planned and put together by these children.”
Mitten’s remarks brought an end to the school’s inaugural Leader In Me Day, which was held on Feb. 28.
Leader In Me is a program that teaches the students the importance of seven habits in an effort to make them better leaders and people. The seven habits are be proactive, begin with the end in mind, put first things first, think win-win, seek first to understand then to be understood, synergize and sharpen the saw.
“They’re universal truths that students and adults can use to become better citizens and ultimately leaders in our society,” Mitten said about the habits.
City officials, Daleville City Schools officials, parents and many others visited the school for the inaugural event. These visitors were greeted on the way into the school and during the presentation in the lunchroom, which explained the habits.
After that, members of the school’s Leader In Me Lighthouse Team took the visitors on a tour of the school where students presented their goals, what they’ve learned and information about the different clubs at the school.
The tours ended in the gymnasium with presentations by a student speaker, the Pre-K-2nd Grade Cheer Club, the 3rd-6th grade Cheer Club and the school’s choir. Following these, members of the Lighthouse Team answered questions from the audience regarding the program.
Mitten said he was happy with the turnout for the event and even happier to show off how the Leader In Me program has changed the school. He highlighted a couple of changes he’s seen as principal.
“It’s created a common language for our students and faculty to be able to work through issues and have understanding,” Mitten said. “It also gives students the opportunity to grow and take ownership of their own learning as well as the school. It’s really helped to make a big difference.”
He thanked the community for its support of the school.
“We can’t do what we do as a school without support from the community and the leadership here (in Daleville),” Mitten said. “It’s important for the students that their parents were here in force to not only support but celebrate all the hard work they’ve (the students) put in to demonstrating what leadership is about to them.”
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