Dear Families,
I would like to welcome all of you to Pea Ridge Intermediate School! We have an exciting year planned for students! We believe that one of the most important things we can do as a school is to develop the whole child. In fact, the heart of our mission statement involves preparing students to become future leaders: "The mission of Pea Ridge Intermediate School is to provide a safe and positive learning community while preparing students to be successful in the 21st century. We strive to create innovative thinkers who will become the future leaders of our world."
In order to do this, we must provide not only an academic foundation, but also a foundation of personal skills which will enable students to experience success regardless of where their academic strengths lie. As the principal of Pea Ridge Intermediate School, I am passionate about providing a school environment where each child feels secure academically and emotionally so their growth and development are enriched by being here.
This year we will launch a new program called "The Leader in Me." This program for children is based on Stephen Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" with which many people may already be familiar. Through his 7 Habits, Mr. Covey reminds us to stay focused on "what matters most." Throughout the year, students will be taught seven life skills, or habits, that have the potential to alter their futures. In order to be effective, most people need to experience a paradigm shift, a realization that their common practices and reactions to situations can be changed, and new life principles can be cultivated that will pave the way for future successes. It is our hope that instilling these principles in students at a young age will help them to grow strong roots that will give them an advantage in life.
Often, parents ask how they can be involved in their child's education, especially as children grow older and their academic responsibilities become more difficult. Recognizing that an integral part of your child's development is his or her ability to navigate through life's challenges, one important way for you, as parents, to be involved every day is to support our 7 Habits endeavor by modeling these principles and encouraging your child to stay on the path of "what matters most." We will explicitly teach these habits to your children, but we covet your support. For your consideration, here are the timeless principles inherent in the 7 Habits:
• Habit 1: Be Proactive -- responsibility, choice, accountability, initiative, resourcefulness
• Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind -- vision, commitment, purpose
• Habit 3: Put First Things First -- focus, integrity, discipline, prioritization
• Habit 4: Think Win-Win -- mutual benefit, fairness, abundance
• Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood -- respect, mutual understanding, empathy, courage
• Habit 6: Synergize -- creativity, cooperation, diversity, humility
• Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw -- renewal, continuous improvement, balance
One of the first things that students and parents will notice when they enter the building is that we have new decorations on the walls. These are motivational quotations that are meant to encourage students to incorporate their newly-learned leadership skills into the decisions they make and the actions they display each day. Our teachers submitted ideas for possible quotes and then narrowed down their ideas as favorites were selected. My favorite is Stephen Covey's own: "Live life in crescendo!" Crescendo is a musical term that refers to a gradual increase in intensity. To me, it's a perfect analogy for learning the habits, incorporating them into our daily decisions, and subsequently experiencing the intense, positive results that will be gleaned from a purposeful life.
In addition to launching student leadership this year, we will continue to pursue a strong academic curriculum. Regardless of the current perceptions and misperceptions of the Common Core standards, or which standardized assessment might be the best, the staff in the Pea Ridge School District is one of the strongest in the state. Our teachers understand not only the potentially shifting standards, but also the details of curriculum and the intricacies of providing instruction that will meet students' needs and help them to grow academically. We will continue to focus on project-based learning, to grow in the area of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math taught as interdisciplinary projects), and to emphasize the 21st century skills of collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking.
In closing, I would like to leave you with two leadership quotes which will not appear in our hallways. Because we are never too old to change our paradigms, perhaps these will be meaningful to you as you raise your children or even continue on your own life's path.
"You are influenced by your genes, by your upbringing, and by your environment, but you are not determined by them." -- Stephen Covey
"Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny." -- Samuel Smiles
Respectfully,
Sarah Stokes, principalPea Ridge Intermediate School
Community on 08/05/2015