Madison Elementary School staff celebrate receiving Lighthouse School status at their open house on Monday. (Photo by Gwen Sour)

PARKERSBURG — At an open house Monday, Madison Elementary School announced it has been certified as a Leader in Me Lighthouse School by FranklinCovey Education. The recognition recognized the school’s work in developing leadership skills in staff and students. According to Principal Valissa Porter, the certification proves that Madison Elementary excels in fostering leadership skills and demonstrates the exceptional impact the school has on staff, students, parents and the larger community.
“We want our students to become leaders and be able to use these skills in the future. That is our main goal.” Porter said, Leader in Me is an evidence-based PK-12 model developed in collaboration with educators. It is designed to build student resilience and leadership skills, create a culture of trust, and help improve academic achievement. The model aims to equip students, educators, and families with the leadership and life skills needed to succeed, adapt, and contribute in a dynamic world. Leader in Me unites students, staff, and families with the shared goal of equipping students with skills for college, career, and life.
“We are honored to be certified as a Leader in Me Lighthouse School. We have achieved amazing results over the past nine years by implementing the Leader in Me model at our school,” said Porter.
“Our past and present staff, students and parents have all worked together to help us achieve this school goal. We have seen so much growth in our students through their leadership roles in the school and our great school culture and we expect to see even better results over time,” Porter said. She invited all of last year’s fifth-graders, parents, staff and students to attend the school board meeting on August 27 at 6 p.m. at Madison School. “to be recognized for their efforts.”
FranklinCovey Education developed the Lighthouse Rubric to set high standards for quality and, ultimately, school outcomes. Schools use the Lighthouse Rubric to measure results in teaching leadership principles, creating a leadership culture, and aligning academic systems. Schools also measure their success in relation to their school. Lighthouse schools serve as role models for their community and other schools.
“We are very pleased to recognize Madison Elementary as a Leader in Me Lighthouse School. Schools that receive this Lighthouse certification are great examples of a strong leadership model and what it means to be a Leader in Me school,”
Sean Covey, President of FranklinCovey Education, said: “This school has achieved incredible results by implementing Leader in Me principles and practices, and we are excited and honored to be their partner and celebrate the success they are experiencing.”
Madison Elementary will maintain its Lighthouse certification for two years and will continue to promote its growth and competency in embodying a leadership culture and principles. At the end of the two years, the school will renew its Lighthouse certification through a virtual self-evaluation that will describe and celebrate its growth and accomplishments since its original Lighthouse designation. Gwen Sour can be reached at [email protected].