Elmore Leadership: A Signature Program at The Country School

At The Country School, we strive to empower young people to reach their highest, not only in school but also in life.

There are many lines in our School Mission Statement that inspire me, both as a parent and an educator. But that particular sentence, the final line in our school’s guiding document, gets at the heart of what I think we most want for our students.

Which is why I am thrilled to announce the establishment of the Elmore Leadership Program. Named for longtime Country School trustee Robert W. (Bill) Elmore, the aim of the Elmore Leadership Program is to develop our students into civic-minded citizens who will become tomorrow's leaders - individuals committed to practicing The Country School's core values of kindness, respect, and responsibility.

Through a carefully crafted series of activities, programs, and experiences, the Elmore Leadership Program instills in students strong motivational and analytical skills. All students, from PreSchool-Grade 8, learn the power of teamwork, collaboration, empathetic listening, and appreciative inquiry by taking turns leading and letting others lead, maximizing the talents and backgrounds of all members of a team.

STEAM, Outdoor Education adventures, public speaking opportunities, MacLane Poetry recitations, musical and dramatic performances, athletic team responsibilities, and service learning initiatives are all part of the Elmore Leadership Program. Assessments, self-reflection, and feedback are also important components of the leadership learning process, taking place year by year in an atmosphere that allows for mistakes, growth, and resilience.

Our program recognizes that at each grade level, students will develop leadership skills in different ways and at different times. Through our five-year continuum of school-wide yearly themes (Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibility, Empathy, and Self Control – or CARES*), a young student might begin as a silent leader, setting examples for others, but then become more outspoken in a later grade once confident in his/her leadership ability.

Older and younger students are paired together for peer-to-peer experiences that include Reading Buddies, cross grade level activities, and other opportunities that call for leadership and development. The Elmore Leadership Program culminates in the Capstone Independent Study Project in 8th Grade, launching our young leaders on to secondary school.

Through the Elmore Leadership Program, we welcome visitors to campus who share with students their experiences as leaders. Recently, students in Grades 4-8 heard from the inaugural Elmore Leadership speaker, recently retired Madison 1st Selectman Fillmore McPherson. During his visit, Mr. McPherson shared his thoughts about leadership as well as stories from his years in the Navy and local government. Students, in turn, displayed leadership, with one 8th Grader eloquently and confidently introducing our speaker, a second 8th Grader graciously thanking him at the conclusion of his talk, and a handful of students, some as young as 4th Grade, asking earnest, thoughtful questions of our guest.

We believe so strongly in our leadership program, that when parents see their child’s report card, they will notice a section devoted to leadership. This is not to be a “graded” assessment, but more of a narrative explaining the ways in which their child is developing as a leader. Our hope is that by pointing out, and then reflecting back on, these experiences and stories, all of us will become more conscious of what it means to be a leader. And ultimately, we all will be empowered to “reach our highest, not only in school but also in life.”

At The Country School, our students learn that they can make a difference in the world. Pulitzer-Prize winning leadership scholar James MacGregor Burns wrote, "The call for leaders is one of the keynotes of our time." Through our focused curriculum and a community and culture that support their efforts, Country School students are well-equipped to answer that call.

The Elmore Leadership Initiative was created in honor of longtime Country School trustee Bill Elmore, an educator, lawyer, and organizational development consultant who modeled a form of leadership based on listening, teamwork, and appreciative inquiry. When Mr. Elmore passed away in 2009, a committee was formed to honor his legacy and create a framework for teaching students the leadership skills he embraced and exhibited in his daily life. The Elmore Leadership Program grew from those discussions.

* Principles and Practices of Responsive Classroom. Center for Responsive Schools, Inc. 2015. Web. 13 October 2015.

Learn more about leadership and The Country School's other signature programs at http://www.thecountryschool.org/signature-programs