Central Rayne named ‘Lighthouse Award’ school

The city of Rayne’s school system includes three schools who participate in the Leader In Me learning program, a 21st century leadership and life skills process that enables students to not only learn, but lead inside and outside the confines of their school.
Rayne is unique in that all three of these schools (only four in Louisiana) have been named “Lighthouse Schools.”. The latest honoree is Central Rayne Kindergarten.
Central Rayne Principal Christy Higginbotham was recently contacted by The Franklin Covey Co. of the school’s recognition.
“We are honored to become a Leader in Me Lighthouse School,” stated Higginbotham when she learned of the school’s honor. “We have seen such amazing results from implementing The Leader in Me process at our school. DIBELS and AIMSweb scores have increased, the attendance rate is up, and there has been a reduction in behavior referrals.”
Higginbotham continued, “This process not only has had a significant impact on students, but has impacted families and the entire community of Rayne. We expect to see even greater results over time.”
This recognition comes because the school has achieved outstanding results in school and student outcomes, by implementing The Leader in Me process with fidelity. It is also because of the extraordinary impact the school is having on staff, students, parents, and the community.
Sean Covey, Education Practice Leader, Franklin Covey, said, “We are thrilled to recognize Central Rayne Kindergarten as a Leader in Me Lighthouse School. Schools who achieve the Lighthouse Milestone are great examples of a strong leadership model and of what it means to be a Leader in Me school. This school has experienced transformational results by implementing the paradigms and practices related to The Leader in Me. We are so pleased to celebrate the success they are experiencing.”
The Leader in Me is Franklin Covey’s whole school transformation process. It teaches 21st century leadership and life skills to K-12 students and creates a culture of student empowerment, based on the idea that every child can be a leader.
The Leader in Me framework helps students learn how to become self-reliant; manage their emotions; set and track goals; do their homework; prioritize their time; increase interpersonal skills, such as resolve conflicts and interact well with others; as well as help develop the skills and self-confidence to lead their lives and succeed. 
The Leader in Me utilizes a number of leadership and educational models and processes, including The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People; The Four Imperatives of Great Leaders; The 4 Disciplines of Execution; and social-emotional learning and organizational quality models from past and current thought leaders. Content from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a key component of the overall Leader in Me process. The 7 Habits is a synthesis of universal, timeless principles of personal and interpersonal effectiveness, such as, responsibility, vision, integrity, teamwork, collaboration, and renewal, which are secular in nature and common to all people and cultures. Additionally, training on establishing a vision for the school, goal setting, data tracking, and personal accountability systems are also included.
The complete list of the school’s 7 Habits are:
1. Be Proactive (you are in charge); 2. Begin with the End in Mind; 3. Put First Things First; 4. Think Win-Win; 5. Seek First to Understand Then to be Understood; 6. Synergize; 7. Sharpen The Saw.
The Lighthouse Milestone is a highly regarded standard set by Franklin Covey that is attainable by every Leader in Me School. The attainment of the Lighthouse Milestone represents a significant benchmark, and it is evidence that a high standard has been met by a school. Applying for the Lighthouse Milestone typically occurs three to five years after a school begins The Leader in Me process. There are currently only four Lighthouse Schools in the state of Louisiana.
Becoming a Leader in Me Lighthouse School is a recognition that schools earn because they have produced outstanding results in school and student outcomes, and have demonstrated the following:
Since its official launch six years ago, nearly 2,000 public, private, charter and magnet schools across 35 countries have adopted The Leader in Me. Educators continue to offer feedback on best practices, which provides continuous improvement and refinement of the process.
At the start of the 2014-2015 school year, Martin Petitjean Elementary was named not only Rayne’s first “Lighthouse” school, but the first in the state of Louisiana. Later in February of this year, Rayne Catholic Elementary was acknowledged and received the distinguished award, the third school in the state.
Congratulations to the students, staf and faculty for a job well done.

By Lisa Soileaux
Rayne Acadian-Tribune