Forts Pond Elementary achieves Lighthouse School status

In a schoolwide assembly held at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, December 19, 2016, under the pretense of gathering for Lead Rally activities, Forts Pond Elementary School Principal Michelle L. Smith told students, staff, parents and others in attendance that Forts Pond Elementary is the district’s latest FranklinCovey The Leader in Me™ program Lighthouse School status achiever.

There are currently about 250 schools worldwide who have received Lighthouse Status including schools in Canada, Indonesia and the United States. Forts Pond is Lexington County School District One’s fifth Lighthouse School.

The Leader in Me program is a three-year-long process of self-evaluation and implementation of the leadership model with students, staff, parents and community. In order to achieve this impressive goal, FPES had to put a Lighthouse Team in place, create a leadership environment, teach and reinforce the 7 Habits, work together collaboratively, have students in meaningful leadership roles, involve parents, create and hold leadership events, use student data through leadership notebooks and other leadership tools, and show measurable results.

Members of a Lighthouse Review team spent the day at FPES on December 7, 2016, where they met with and interviewed parents, students and staff, toured the school, visited classrooms and reviewed data with students.

FPES has 599 students in prekindergarten through grade 5. About 79.8 percent of the students receive free or reduced price meals. The school is located at 7350 Fish Hatchery Road in Pelion, S.C.

Saxe Gotha Elementary earned Lighthouse School status on April 19, 2013, Lake Murray Elementary on May 21, 2013, Oak Grove Elementary on March 24, 2014, and White Knoll Elementary on March 26, 2014.