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Middletown highlights 'Leader in Me' student leadership program after first year; staff training, student ambassadors expand
Summary
District leaders and student ambassadors described the first-year rollout of Leader in Me across Middletown schools, reporting 700 staff trained, student leadership roles in all secondary buildings, and plans to deepen practice in year two.
District leaders and student ambassadors presented the first-year results of the Middletown Leader in Me program at the Aug. 14 Board of Education meeting, describing classroom changes, leadership roles for scholars, and plans for broader community engagement.
Tiffany Hall and Nicole Tagni, district leaders for the initiative, told the board that more than 700 staff members had participated in foundational Leader in Me training and that scholar leadership roles had been introduced in all secondary buildings. "Year 1 of Leader in Me at Middletown City Schools has been about planting seeds of leadership, ownership, and possibility, and already we're seeing them take root," the presentation said. The program uses the "7 habits" framework to build student ownership and social-emotional skills.
Four student Lighthouse ambassadors spoke to the board about their experiences. Abby Fabian of Monhagen Middle School said, "I'm looking forward to the results of our district working together to make this place a better school for us all." Drew Moore described personal growth: "As a member of the Lighthouse team, I've learned how to speak up confidently and think outside of the box." Student presenters said they had led projects to strengthen student–teacher relationships, improve assignment awareness using the student portal, and boost school culture.
The district said it has begun measuring progress with an MRA survey to collect feedback from scholars, staff and families, and will expand to "Core 2" next year to deepen leadership practices. Administration plans to integrate the 7 habits into clubs, athletics and family workshops; coaches and advisors will receive training to bring leadership practices into team settings. The board and superintendent confirmed a plan to offer community members professional development opportunities to build a shared leadership language across schools and families.
Board members praised the program and encouraged continued student involvement. President Estrada said he hopes student ambassadors connect with the new student board representatives being sworn in before the school year to increase student input to district decision-making.
The district posted contact information during the presentation for community members interested in joining lighthouse teams (lighthouse@ecscm.org).
