Did you know that Knox Central is a Leader in Me high school? Among the first high schools to be selected for the initiative, the Leader in Me is a school and teenage version of popular Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey. Using the same habits as written about for adults, Knox Central has turned them into action for students and the teachers, at the school.
2018-2019 will mark the second year of Leader in Me at Knox Central and the school already has a list of accomplishments for both students and teachers thanks to participation in the program. At right, you will read the highlights of some of those achievements.
The leadership team meets throughout the year to make plans for activities, identify areas of improvement and growth, and to discuss how they are growing as a school and as leaders.
Knox Central High School implemented the LEAD initiative during the 2017-2018 academic year. • KCHS was the first and only high school in the state of Kentucky to implement the LEAD initiative during the 2017-2018 academic year.
• The LEAD initiative is based around the work of Dr. Stephen Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. The goal is to instill these timeless principles of leadership into each of our students so they can thrive in 21st century higher education or work environments.
• In a high school, these habits can be lived out in so many ways (leading a team or club, leading a small group or book study, leading their class, or student council, being a team captain, leading their club meeting, etc.)
• Faculty & staff model and apply these behaviors to their life and classroom after receiving the same training that many major companies in business and industry take their employees through.
• Frost states, “When we (faculty, staff, students, administration) internalize these habits we begin to operate at our highest level of performance resulting in huge dividends as a school!”
• Even though the LEAD initiative only started in 2017-2018, Knox Central High School has been developing leaders for many years now.
• In a little over 2 years, Knox Central High School has created five new instructional leaders as principals or asst. principals both in and outside the KC School District (Julie Osborne – Asst. KC; Eric Hubbard – Principal Central Elem; Keith Broughton – Principal Lay Elem; Brad Lawson – asst. principal Corbin Middle School; & Catrina McDermott – Principal Pineville Independent Schools).
• The leadership development does not stop there. In the recent “grow your own” program for inspiring leaders, ½ of the class was made up of KCHS employees!
• Also during the 17-18 academic year, Mr. Frost completed the Leadership Institute for School Principals sponsored by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and Mr. Frost and Asst. Principal Julie Osborne participated in the National Institute for School Leadership (NISL); an Executive Leadership Development for School Leaders. During the 18-19 academic year, 2 additional staff (Josh Trosper, & Jackie Thompson) will be attending.
• “Though developing leaders and losing them has it’s challenges” Mr. Frost said, I am still very pleased to see our faculty excel and continuing to grow and develop their leadership skills!”