'Leader in Me' program expands after state funds $450,000 Stronger Connections grant

Amanda Fogel, a school counselor at Southeast and Grange Schools, presented the district’s early implementation of FranklinCovey’s "Leader in Me" curriculum, describing staff training, weekly lessons focused on Habit 1 (be proactive) and Habit 2 (begin with the end in mind), student projects, lighthouse leadership teams, and a measurable results assessment (MRA) used as a baseline.

Fogel described weekly 25‑minute sessions for junior high and high school students, a sequence of grade‑level lessons, and work on mission statements, short‑ and long‑term goals, and self‑regulation strategies. She cited early culture changes and examples of student work used to guide further implementation.

At the end of the meeting, Kevin Derby reported the district received full state funding of a Stronger Connections grant totaling roughly $450,000 to support districtwide implementation and family engagement. Derby said the grant covers the remainder of this year plus two full years and will fund five in‑district trainers to help sustain the program beyond the grant term.

Board members asked about pacing, gender‑split groupings for certain sessions (used to focus conversations) and how Southeast’s partial implementation will align with district rollout. The district said Southeast will be slightly ahead but will be folded into a coordinated district plan.

Next steps: staff will share formal grant paperwork when available, schedule in‑district trainer sessions and coordinate implementation timelines across schools.