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Thomas Jefferson Leadership Academy reports enrollment gain and leadership-focused curriculum in first year
Summary
Thomas Jefferson Leadership Academy reported a 9% enrollment increase in year one as a parent-choice school and described schoolwide leadership practices, after-school programs (15% participation) and plans for leadership portfolios and community partnerships.
Emily Carlson, principal at Thomas Jefferson Leadership Academy, told the Bentonville School District board the school’s first year as a parent-choice campus is showing measurable growth and classroom-level changes tied to a leadership model.
"An educational environment where our students get real time practice and living out principles such as integrity, initiative, and service," Carlson said when describing the school’s approach. She told the board the school had a 9% enrollment increase this year and that updated branding, classroom leadership roles, and morning mission moments are woven through instruction.
The school has introduced after-school offerings and partnerships — with Upstart Athletics (soccer), Larson’s Language Center (Spanish) and a bike club partnered with Bentonville Moves Coalition — that reached roughly 15% of students in the first semester. Carlson said the district applied for a grant to reduce fees for families and expand scholarships to improve access.
Classroom practices include mission statements and "wildly important goals" teachers and students track with lead measures and regular progress checks. Carlson also described schoolwide leadership positions (about 20% of students have schoolwide roles now) and said leadership portfolios — student binders that track goals, participation and awards — will begin next semester to let students present progress at conferences.
Why it matters: the model aims to make leadership part of daily instruction at every grade level and links students to community partners and workplace exposure (bank visits, job-expo events with Walmart, campus visits with local leaders). Carlson invited families to schedule tours; she said the school hopes to expand parent-choice participation by an additional 10 percentage points next year but recognized capacity limits may slow growth.
Next steps: Carlson said the school will roll out a January communication plan to publicize progress and continue building community partnerships for expanded hands-on experiences.
