GCISD students learn how to lead

Ask any student at Timberline Elementary School to describe how they are leading, and you get a quick answer.

Students serve as greeters, keep track of time to know when to go to different activities, tidy classrooms and even pick up around the outside of the school. Everyone has a leadership role.

Emily Ihrig, 9, is on the sanitation crew in her classroom and on the grounds crew outside.

“I love my jobs,” Emily said. “I wouldn’t want to trade them.”

Timberline is one of 16 Dallas-Fort Worth area schools participating in Leader In Me, a school-centered program from FranklinCovey based on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. From “Being Proactive” and “Beginning with the end in mind” to “Sharpen the Saw,” these kids are learning to be planners and achievers.

The hallways, classrooms and other common areas are covered with posters and reminders of the habits.

Principal June Ritchlin said, “It’s all over the building. It’s part of our culture.”

Earlier this month, Timberline was a “Spotlight School” for Leader In Me as educators gathered in Dallas for a symposium. Students gave tours to interested teachers and administrators who visited the school as part of the conference.

Timberline began the program in October of 2012, and it now saturates just about everything that happens at school.

In addition to every student having a job to show leadership, the campus also has a goal to improve student writing and a goal for every child to have a student-led parent-teacher conference.

Students use iPads, called digital data notebooks, to keep track of their progress at school, set goals to improve in various subjects and share their victories.

They can use that information to show their parents during conferences how they are progressing toward academic goals.

“When we have a student-led parent conference, we don’t forget,” said third-grader Elizabeth Olvera. “You can grab your notebook, and show them here’s what we got at the beginning of the year. We’re explaining to our parents, and our teachers are there to help us.”

Ritchlin calls those conferences “the coolest thing ever.” Students take responsibility for their learning and gain confidence by setting goals and making progress.

“Goal setting is something everyone needs to do to get where they want to be,” Ritchlin said.

Students and teachers have gone beyond the campus goals as classrooms and individual kids have set their own goals.

One of the seven habits is “Synergize: Together We’re Better.”

Fifth-grader Victor Dela Cruz said they practice teamwork by solving complex puzzles together.

Victor said, “One brain is not as good as two. It gets frustrating sometimes, but you can work it out.”

The school has a Lighthouse Team, a group of 16 student—four from each grade, second through fifth—who get additional training in leadership and opportunities to serve as school tour guides, speak at board meetings and more.

Science teacher Melissa Johnson sponsors the group. Students practice shaking hands and making eye contact. They have opportunities to talk about the school to adults, but their remarks are not scripted.

Johnson said, “Nothing I could ever write could compare to what comes from their hearts.”

Emily and Elizabeth said they enjoy being part of the Lighthouse team and learning about leadership.

Emily said, “When you’re a leader, it helps you in grades and in life.”

This story was originally published February 17, 2016 at 3:36 PM with the headline "GCISD students learn how to lead."