Pine Hills shines with Lighthouse recognition

When Pine Hills Elementary School’s fifth-graders were in prekindergarten, school leaders introduced The Leader in Me education model. And now, just days away from moving on to middle school, the students learned that their building earned the prestigious Lighthouse status for achieving outstanding results and student outcomes due, in part, to implementation of the leadership standards.

“We are thrilled to recognize Pine Hills Elementary as a Leader in Me Lighthouse School. Schools that achieve the Lighthouse milestone are great examples of a strong leadership model, process, and of what it means to be a Leader in Me school,” said Sean Covey, president, FranklinCovey Education.

The Leader in Me is a whole-school set of transformational education standards that empower students with leadership and life skills. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a key component of the overall Leader in Me process and is a synthesis of responsibility, vision, integrity, teamwork, collaboration and renewal. Attaining Lighthouse status is evidence that a high standard has been met by the school when applying The Leader in Me and approximately 300 schools, in the United States and around the world, have achieved this benchmark.

“Our students, staff, families and Pine Hills community have worked so hard for this recognition. The benefits of Leader in Me extend beyond test scores but can also be seen when students interact with each other and our staff,” said Principal Tia Corniel.

In May, a Leader in Me review team evaluated Pine Hills Elementary to assess the program’s implementation and results. The team looked at student self-confidence, initiative, responsibility, creativity, self-direction, leadership, problem solving and communication. Evidence of those ideals - combined with teacher, student and family engagement and academic results - were recorded in a school-specific report that serves as a celebration of strengths and a starting point for increased growth and innovation.

“Here at Pine Hills Elementary we truly live Leader in Me, inside and outside of the classroom. The review team recognized that and we cannot wait to set more goals for continuous improvement,” added Corniel.

Keeping Lighthouse certification requires Pine Hills Elementary School to undergo additional review every two years.

The mission of the City School District of Albany is to work in partnership with our diverse community to engage every learner in a robust educational program designed to provide the knowledge and skills necessary for success. The district serves more than 9,300 students in 18 elementary, middle and high schools. In addition to neighborhood schools, the district includes several magnet schools and programs, as well as other innovative academic opportunities for students, including four themed academies at Albany High School.