District receives $200,000 grant to revitalize Leader in Me program
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Summary
Swain County Schools said it received a two-year $200,000 grant from the Dogwood organization with Franklin Covey and a local partner to rebuild the Leader in Me program; district leaders said it could save $50,000–$60,000 a year in local budget costs while a lighthouse-team will assess program authenticity before future decisions.
The Swain County Schools Board of Education heard that the district has received a $200,000 grant to rebuild its Leader in Me program over the next two years.
"This $200,000 gives us the next 2 years to do that, to rebuild the program, to pay for everything that it costs, to have the rights to Leader in Me and then at the end of that make a final decision about whether or not Leader in Me needs to be part of Swain County Schools anymore," Speaker 2 said. The grant was described as coming through the Dogwood organization in partnership with Franklin Covey and a community partner, the Great Smoky Mountain Railway.
Board members were told the district has been part of Leader in Me for more than a decade but that the program had "lost its vitality" and needed an authentic relaunch. Speaker 2 said the grant funds would free up local budget money and estimated savings of roughly $50,000–$60,000 per budget year until 2028 if the revitalization proceeds.
The district will assemble a team of lighthouse leaders from schools to implement the program work and will review progress at the end of the grant period to determine whether to continue participation.
