Boulder Bluff Elementary

The whole student body of Boulder Bluff Elementary crowded into the school’s multipurpose room Tuesday afternoon for what everyone – including teachers – thought was a special visit by The NED Show.

However, the school’s administration had something else in mind.

After getting students to put down the celebratory noisemakers that were given to them prior to the gathering, Principal Andrea Salters told the school that she had good news and bad news.

The bad news: the school was not gathered to see The NED Show. This was met with some brief upset from the crowd – but Salters promised this meet up would be worth their while.

“You guys are going to be so excited about the good news you are about to hear,” she told everyone.

The good news: Boulder Bluff Elementary has been named a Lighthouse School, a benchmark recognition for Leader In Me schools like Boulder Bluff Elementary.

Boulder Bluff Elementary has been a Leader In Me school for more than two years. A Leader In Me school implements “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," a school transformation model centered around building leadership among students and staff.

Salters praised her students for doing a good job for implementing The 7 Habits and showing the school that they are great leaders.

She told her students that because of their hard work, “I am happy to announce that we have received our Lighthouse status and we are now a Franklin Covey Leader In Me Lighthouse School.”

The news was greeted with a loud chorus of noisemakers from the students.

The concept of a Leader In Me school is implemented in multiple ways, including following a leadership model that teaches students to set, track and achieve their goals; learning and applying the leadership principles in school staff work; and giving students leadership roles at school.

Becoming a Lighthouse School recognizes that a school has produced outstanding results in school and student outcomes by implementing The 7 Habits. Leader In Me schools maintain their Lighthouse Certification for two years, and then may recertify to maintain the certification.

Salters thanked her Lighthouse team, led by Assistant Principal Jennifer Rutledge, “for doing such a phenomenal job in getting us to this point."

“You could not have done this without them,” Salters said, “but most importantly, we could not have achieved this accomplishment without the work that you all have done as great leaders.”

Rutledge echoed similar thoughts.

“Your teachers have worked hard and I want everyone to take today to appreciate your hard work and how far Boulder Bluff has come to be a Leader In Me Lighthouse School,” she said. “It’s because of your goals and your leadership and the jobs you have taken on and the pride you have taken in this school over the last two and half years that has got us here.”

St. Stephen Elementary and Mount Holly Elementary have previously been named Leader In Me Lighthouse Schools. Devon Forest Elementary and Sangaree Elementary are also Leader In Me schools.

Monica Kreber
kreberm@bcsdschools.net