Siwell Middle School Receives Grant to Teach Character-Building Skills
The Jackson Public School District is proud to announce that Siwell Middle School was recently selected to receive a $47,919.42 educational grant to implement a program that will help the school promote various types of character-building skills.
"It's not enough anymore to teach kids how to share, be responsible and raise their hands before speaking in class," said Chinelo Evans, Chief Academic Officer of Middle Schools. "Students need to learn how to take initiative, plan ahead and mediate conflicts if they want to make it far in the real world."
"The Leader in Me" is a school-wide program developed by Franklin Covey, a Utah-based company that sells various educational and self-improvement materials. The program's mission is to empower students by having schools adopt a common language and culture that promotes seven familiar habits: be proactive, set goals, prioritize, listen before speaking, work with others, resolve conflicts and live a balanced life.
Siwell Middle School will become one of nearly 2,500 schools across the world to implement "Leader in Me" and the first in the Jackson Public School District to do it on a school-wide level.
The program won't affect curriculum; rather the school will develop a culture that encourages students to better themselves both inside and outside the classroom.