Klager Opens Up to Community Representatives on Leadership Day

Klager Elementary held its first Leadership Day last Wednesday morning, opening its doors to representatives of community organizations and governmental bodies. All of the students and staff of the school gathered in the gym while each class presented what they had learned about leadership over the course of the year through the Leader-in-Me program. Classes sang songs, signed songs, performed a chant, acted out skits, showed videos they’d made, explained their favorite leadership habits, and showed off posters. After all of the grades presented, the Kiwanis K-Kids club, composed of thirty-one of the 4th graders, talked about K-Kids and described the projects they’ve worked on so far this year.

The Leader in Me is a “whole school transformation model” which strives to empower students with the skills they need to thrive in the 21st century through the intersection of Leadership, Culture and Academics. Skills include teamwork, empathy, communication, multitasking, professional manners and more. It is currently implemented in 2,000+ schools worldwide. Central to the program are the seven habits students are taught, 1. be proactive, 2.begin with the end in mind. 3. put first things first, 4. think win-win, 5. seek first to understand, then to be understood, 6. synergize and 7. sharpen the saw.

After the assembly in the gym, guests were taken on a tour of the building where they were invited into three classrooms to meet with students and view their leadership notebooks and then were treated to a popcorn snack.

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.