34 / matters magazine / school 2018 I t’s rare to get 100% buy-in from a group of people. Everyone has their own opinion, loy- alties and viewpoints shaped by experience. Yet that’s exactly what happened at Clinton School when the staff voted in the Leader in Me program. The school's interest in this program be- gan about three years ago when a group of teachers read the book, Leader in Me, as part of a professional learning committee. Based on the seven habits from Stephen Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Ef- fective People, it was developed by a principal and teachers at A.B. Combs Leadership Magnet Elemen- tary School in Raleigh, North Carolina. At the time, the school was failing, but after a few years with this program it experienced a complete turnaround to being ultimately named the #1 Magnet School in the U.S. – twice. Although Clinton School is by no means a failing school, it has had its challenges with being listed as a focus or “at-risk” school by the state. Having taken steps to close its achievement gap, the teachers were attracted by the Leader in Me model in which stu- dents learn how to become self-reliant, manage their emotions, set and track goals, do their homework, prioritize their time, increase interpersonal skills – such as resolving conflicts and interacting well with others – and develop the skills and self-confidence to successfully lead their lives. The book resonated so strongly with the teachers that they shared it with other staff members. That got everyone talking and the excitement ran so high that Clinton’s principal, Ann Bodnar, decided it was time to explore the program in earnest. She ordered books for the rest of the staff, toured other Leader in Me schools, held seminars for PTA members, and discussed the mechanics of implementation with her staff. When it came time to take an anonymous computer vote to adopt the program, the Clinton Making Leadership a Habit Clinton School gives students the tools to become leaders BY ELLEN DONKER L-R: Joann Harrigan (school nurse), Principal Ann Bodnar, Assistant Principal Sandra Smith, Katie Costello (math coach) and Jan Wasserman (first-grade teacher)