Primary school students will learn soft skills to better succeed in life through the Leader in Me at Pea Ridge Primary School.
Principal Aaron Gaffigan is beginning his third year at Pea Ridge Primary as principal and has been with the district for 12 years. All teachers went through training for the Leader in Me.
"If you don't believe in it, you're not going to get your kids to believe in it," Gaffigan said.
Lead teacher Tracy Hager has helped lead the initiative for the program this is project based learning based on Stephen Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People."
Signs and art displaying the habits and encouraging the character qualities will be evident throughout the school.
"Hopefully, this will build leadership in the children ... teaching them to be accountable for their own actions and work," Gaffigan said, adding that students will eventually learn to keep their own data notebooks keeping track of their work.
A truffela tree labeled "Greatness happens here" will be in the cafeteria as a way of recognizing students for modeling leadership skills.
"The first two weeks of school, we will intensively teach the seven habits," Hager said. After that, teachers will focus on one habit a month until they get through all seven habits, which include:
1. Be proactive (personal responsibility)
2. Begin with the end in mind (personal vision)
3. Put first things first (personal management, prioritize)
4. Think win win (mutual benefit)
5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood (empathetic communication)
6. Synergize (creative of cooperation)
7. Sharpen the saw (daily self-renewal)
"As summer winds down, be aware that students coming back to school, will be tired the first couple of weeks," Gaffigan said. Parents can help by being sure children are well rested, have a good breakfast either at home or school and leave home on a positive note.
Doors at Pea Ridge Primary open for car riders at 7:30 and breakfast is served at 7:30 a.m. Students are dismissed at 3:15 p.m.
"Please follow the traffic flow," Gaffigan said, advising parents that they will not be allowed to turn left onto Weston Street.
State law prohibits use of tobacco on school property, which includes in cars in line. Cell phone use is prohibited while operating a vehicle on school property.
Community on 08/05/2015