Shady Shores Elementary Named a Leader in Me Lighthouse School by FranklinCovey Education

Lake Dallas ISD is proud to announce that Shady Shores Elementary has been certified as a Leader in  Me Lighthouse School by FranklinCovey Education. This certification is evidence that the school has produced outstanding  results in school and student outcomes, and because of the extraordinary impact the school is having on staff, students,  parents, and the greater community. 

Leader in Me Lighthouse Schools 

Lighthouse Certification is a highly regarded standard that is attainable by every Leader in Me School. It is a global standard of  excellence and quality for implementation of Leader in Me and recognizes outstanding achievement in the areas of leadership,  culture and academics. These schools have developed a strong leadership system and serve as great examples to their  community. They have experienced significant measurable results, aligned to their goals, through implementation of the  principles and practices in Leader in Me.  

“We’re thrilled to recognize Shady Shores Elementary as a Leader in Me Lighthouse School,” said Sean Covey, President, Franklin Covey  Education. “Schools who achieve Lighthouse Certification are great examples of a strong leadership process, and of what it  means to be a Leader in Me school. This school has experienced extraordinary results by implementing the principles and  practices related to Leader in Me, and we’re honored to partner with them and to celebrate the success they’re experiencing.” 

Leader in Me Lighthouse School Certification Criteria 

Schools typically apply for Lighthouse Certification three to five years after they begin the Leader in Me process. Based on the  best practices of high performing Leader in Me Schools, FranklinCovey Education designed the Lighthouse Rubric to establish  high standards for quality and school outcomes. Schools use the rubric to measure outcomes in three areas: teaching  leadership principles, creating a leadership culture, and aligning academic systems. The Lighthouse Certification is earned by  schools that demonstrate the following:  

• The principal, school administration, and staff engage in ongoing learning and develop as leaders, while  championing leadership for the school. 

• Leadership principles are effectively taught to all students through direct lessons, integrated approaches, and staff  processing. Students are able to think critically about, and apply, leadership principles. 

• Families and the school partner together in learning about The 7 Habits and leadership principles through effective  communication and mutual respect. 

• The school community is able to see leadership in the physical environment, hear leadership through a common  language, and feel leadership through a culture of caring, relationships, and affirmation. 

• Leadership is shared with students through a variety of leadership roles. Student voice leads to innovations within  the school. 

• Schoolwide, classroom, family, and community leadership events provide authentic environments to celebrate  leadership, build culture, and allow students to practice leadership skills.

• The school utilizes the 4DX® process (The 4 Disciplines of Execution) to identify and track progress toward Wildly  Important Goals® (WIGs) for the school, classroom, and staff. 

• Students lead their own learning with the skills to assess their needs, set appropriate goals, and carry out action  plans. They track progress toward goals in Leadership Notebooks and share these notebooks with adults in  Student-Led Conferences. 

• Teacher planning and reflection, trusting relationships, and student-led learning combine to create environments  for highly engaged learning. 

Shady Shores Elementary will maintain its Lighthouse Certification for two years and will continue to foster its growth and proficiency  in exemplifying a leadership culture and principles. At the end of the two years the school will recertify its Lighthouse  Certification through a virtual self-assessment, describing and celebrating its growth and accomplishments since its original  Lighthouse designation, followed by an on-site re-certification. This evaluation process continues every four years.  

Leader in Me 

Leader in Me is an evidence-based PK-12 process, developed in partnership with educators, designed to build perseverance  and leadership in students, create a high-trust culture, and help improve academic achievement. It equips educators, students,  and families with the leadership and life skills needed to thrive, adapt, and contribute in a dynamic world. At the core of the  Leader in Me process is the belief that every child has unique strengths and the ability to be a leader. 

Leader in Me unites students, staff, and families around a shared vision of preparing students with essential skills that are vital to thrive in today’s ever-changing, fast paced environment, including: self-awareness, critical thinking, initiative,  discipline, goal achievement, time management, relationship building, respect, communication, problem-solving,  teamwork, collaboration, contribution, and self-directed learning. 

Grounded in proven leadership principles and aligned with educational research, Leader in Me integrates leadership  development into everyday school experience. Key components include student goal setting, leadership roles, student-led  conferences, leadership environments, and leadership events. The process includes FranklinCovey’s bestselling leadership  content, including The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People™ and The 4 Disciplines of Execution™, which schools across the  world use to address critical challenges such as reducing chronic absenteeism, strengthening student behavior and  engagement, and improving academic performance. 

Since its official launch, more than 8,000 public, private, and charter schools across 70 plus countries have adopted Leader in  Me. Over 800 Leader in Me Schools have achieved the distinguished Lighthouse Certification, 40 of which have received the  Leader in Me Legacy Award. Leader in Me continues to have a significant, measurable impact on schools all over the world and  in the lives of millions of students, parents, teachers, and administrators. To learn more about the process, visit  www.leaderinme.org.