Cavite School of St. Mark Partners with Franklin Covey Philippines to Launch 'Leader in Me' Program, Cultivating Principled Leadership from Preschool Up
- The Counsellor
- 7 days ago
- 13 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
A New Chapter in Leadership Development at CSSM
Cavite School of St. Mark (CSSM) is embarking on a significant initiative designed to further enhance the development of its students, announcing a strategic partnership with Franklin Covey Philippines. This collaboration marks the upcoming implementation of the globally recognized 'Leader in Me' (LiM) program, set to commence at the beginning of the School Year 2025-2026. Franklin Covey Philippines is the local partner for FranklinCovey Co., a respected global firm known for its expertise in leadership development across various sectors, including education.
The 'Leader in Me' program is a comprehensive framework designed for educational institutions from preschool through high school (PK-12). Its introduction at CSSM aims to intentionally cultivate essential leadership skills and strengthen character development in every Markian student, starting from the earliest preschool years and extending throughout their entire educational journey at the school. This initiative underscores a commitment to nurturing the "whole child," addressing not just academic prowess but also crucial life competencies.
This partnership represents a proactive and strategic decision by CSSM. Aligning with an organization like FranklinCovey, known for impactful leadership principles effective in diverse global contexts, signals CSSM's commitment to equipping students with skills essential for future success, moving beyond traditional academic boundaries. The selection of such a partner demonstrates the school's value for proven leadership frameworks and its dedication to instilling these principles from an early age, preparing students for the demands of the 21st century.8 Furthermore, the announcement of the SY 2025-2026 start date provides substantial lead time. This timeframe suggests a deliberate and thoughtful approach to implementation, allowing for the necessary planning, resource allocation, and comprehensive staff training that are vital for the successful integration of a whole-school transformation model like Leader in Me.10 This careful preparation is indicative of CSSM's strategic commitment to ensuring the program's effectiveness from day one.
The Markian Identity: A Foundation for Leadership
The decision to adopt the 'Leader in Me' program is deeply rooted in Cavite School of St. Mark's established identity and educational ethos. CSSM's Mission is dedicated to nurturing "responsible, self-driven, and purposeful lifelong learners." The school strives to equip students with the "courage and resilience" needed to navigate the complexities and seize the opportunities of the 21st century. This mission is firmly grounded in "classic and cultural values," aiming to develop young individuals who are "respectful, curious, and creative." These students are envisioned to be prepared to "cope with the phenomenon of change" guided by core virtues such as "truth, justice, liberality, and peace".
Complementing this mission is CSSM's Vision for its graduates. The school envisions them becoming "competent and ethical professionals," individuals recognized for their "proven expertise and integrity." Over time, these graduates are expected to emerge as "leaders in their chosen field" and serve as "pillars of communities".
This mission and vision are supported by a distinct Educational Philosophy centered on "holistic development." CSSM blends theoretical knowledge with practical application, preparing each Markian learner not just for higher education but for a "fulfilled life." Competence is built through a dynamic three-pronged approach: learning from direct experience, learning collaboratively with others, and learning through formal instruction. A core tenet of the philosophy is that learning must be directed towards "practical use in real-life application" and purposefully designed to nurture "every child's talent and potential." Crucially, CSSM places a high priority on "disciplined character formation," actively instilling values like "diligence, trustworthiness, respect, compassion, and responsibility." The philosophy also recognizes the vital role of "Markian educators," who are expected to be lifelong learners themselves, upholding ethical standards and employing innovative teaching methods. Finally, the philosophy underscores the "integral partnership between home and school," believing that active parental involvement enriches the child's development and fosters a cohesive learning environment, ultimately building "purpose-led young men and women".
The existing philosophical framework of CSSM provides exceptionally fertile ground for the 'Leader in Me' program. The school's long-standing emphasis on holistic development, character formation, individual responsibility, nurturing leadership potential, and fostering a strong home-school connection aligns seamlessly with the core tenets of LiM. Rather than introducing foreign concepts, the LiM program offers a structured, internationally recognized framework and a common language to enhance, systematize, and amplify the values CSSM already holds dear. It provides practical tools and processes—the 'how'—to more effectively achieve the school's existing educational goals—the 'what' and 'why'. Moreover, CSSM's explicit goal of developing students "ready to cope with the phenomenon of change" finds a direct counterpart in the skills fostered by the 7 Habits. Habits such as 'Be Proactive' (Habit 1) and 'Sharpen the Saw' (Habit 7) specifically cultivate the adaptability, personal responsibility, and continuous improvement necessary to navigate an ever-evolving world. This demonstrates CSSM's foresight in selecting a program that directly supports its mission to prepare students for future challenges and opportunities.
Unlocking Every Child's Potential: The 'Leader in Me' Framework Explained
The 'Leader in Me' program is more than just a curriculum; it is a comprehensive, school-wide transformation model designed to shift the culture of a school community. It operates on the foundational belief that everyone possesses the inherent potential to lead and that everyone has unique strengths or "genius". This perspective moves away from traditional models that may reserve leadership opportunities for a select few, instead aiming to unlock the potential within every student and staff member.
Underpinning this approach are Five Core Paradigms that schools adopting LiM embrace:
Everyone Can Be a Leader: Recognizes the capacity within each individual to influence, serve, and make positive contributions.
Everyone Has Genius: Focuses on identifying, celebrating, and nurturing the unique talents and strengths of every member of the school community.
Change Starts with Me: Promotes personal responsibility and proactivity, empowering individuals to initiate positive change rather than passively waiting for it.
Empower Students to Lead Their Own Learning: Encourages student agency and voice, fostering an environment where students take ownership of their educational journey.
Educators and Families Partner to Develop the Whole Person: Emphasizes collaboration between the school and home to support the holistic development of each child. These paradigms collectively foster a school environment centered on empowerment, potential, and shared responsibility.
The 'Leader in Me' framework is implemented in thousands of schools across the globe, including a growing number within the Philippines, demonstrating its adaptability and relevance in diverse cultural contexts. A body of research suggests that implementation is associated with positive outcomes, including improvements in school culture, student behavior (such as reduced disciplinary issues), increased student confidence and engagement, and potentially enhanced academic performance.
The program integrates highly effective practices across three interconnected areas:
Leadership: Focuses on developing leadership and life skills first in adults (staff) so they can model them effectively, and then explicitly teaching these skills to students.
Culture: Aims to create a positive, trusting, and empowering environment where leadership principles are visible, student voice is valued, and relationships are strong.
Academics: Involves aligning school systems and goals, empowering students to track their own progress, and leveraging leadership skills to support academic achievement.
The "Everyone Has Genius" paradigm 5 resonates powerfully with CSSM's existing philosophy of supporting "every child's talent and potential". This shared belief system acts as a strong foundation for the program's adoption at CSSM. It suggests a natural alignment, where educators are already predisposed to look for and cultivate diverse strengths in their students, moving beyond a purely academic focus towards recognizing and nurturing the full spectrum of individual potential. Furthermore, the framework's integrated structure, explicitly addressing Leadership, Culture, and Academics, helps to address potential concerns that a focus on leadership might detract from academic pursuits. LiM presents these elements as mutually reinforcing; the development of leadership skills (like goal-setting, responsibility, and collaboration) and the creation of a positive, supportive culture are positioned as factors that can actively enhance academic engagement and achievement. This holistic view aligns with CSSM's own philosophy of integrated, whole-child development.
The 7 Habits: A Toolkit for Life and Leadership
At the heart of the 'Leader in Me' program lies the framework of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People®, developed by Stephen Covey. These habits provide a practical, principle-centered toolkit for developing personal and interpersonal effectiveness. They represent universal, timeless principles that are adapted for students of all ages, from preschool using engaging "Happy Kids" resources through to high school and beyond. The Habits offer a pathway towards greater maturity, moving individuals from dependence to independence (personal mastery) and ultimately to interdependence (effective collaboration).
The 7 Habits, adapted for a student audience, can be summarized as follows:
Habit | Student Tagline | Brief Explanation for Students | CSSM Connection (Example) |
1. Be Proactive® | I'm in Charge | You choose your actions, attitude, and mood. You don't blame others. You focus on what you can do and make responsible choices. | Developing responsible, self-driven learners |
2. Begin With the End in Mind® | Have a Plan | Think about your goals and how you want things to turn out before you start. Make a plan. Contribute to a class mission. | Vision of competent leaders, purposeful learners |
3. Put First Things First® | Work First, Then Play | Decide what's most important and do it first. Plan your time, follow your plan, and be disciplined. Say "no" to distractions. | Disciplined character, academic excellence |
4. Think Win-Win® | Everyone Can Win | Look for solutions where everyone feels good. Balance getting what you want with being considerate of others. | Building community, respect, justice |
5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood® | Listen Before You Talk | Listen carefully to others' ideas and feelings without interrupting. Try to see things from their viewpoint before you speak. | Respectful learners, learning with others |
6. Synergize® | Together Is Better | Work well in teams. Value everyone's strengths and differences. Combine ideas to create better solutions together. | Collaborative learning, creative problem-solving |
7. Sharpen the Saw® | Balance Feels Best | Take care of your body (exercise, eat well), heart (build relationships), mind (learn), and spirit (find inspiration). | Holistic development, resilience |
The sequential nature of these Habits is significant. Habits 1, 2, and 3 focus on "Private Victory"—developing self-mastery, responsibility, vision, and discipline. Habits 4, 5, and 6 build upon this foundation to achieve "Public Victory"—mastering the skills of collaboration, communication, and mutual respect needed for effective teamwork. Habit 7, Renewal, underpins all the others by emphasizing the importance of continuous self-care and improvement.This progression from personal effectiveness to interpersonal effectiveness and sustainable well-being closely mirrors the developmental journey CSSM envisions for its students: growing from responsible, self-driven individuals into collaborative, ethical leaders who contribute meaningfully to their communities over the long term.
A key benefit of explicitly teaching these habits is the creation of a common language throughout the entire school community—students, teachers, and potentially parents. Terms like "Be Proactive," "Think Win-Win," or "Synergize" provide shared, concrete vocabulary for discussing abstract concepts like responsibility, fairness, and teamwork. This shared language can simplify communication about expectations, make values more tangible and actionable, and foster a more cohesive and understanding school culture, reinforcing the virtues CSSM aims to instill.
A Perfect Fit: Weaving 'Leader in Me' into the Markian Fabric
The synergy between the 'Leader in Me' framework and Cavite School of St. Mark's established identity is remarkably strong. This partnership is not about fundamentally changing CSSM's core values but rather about adopting a powerful, proven structure to more effectively and systematically achieve the school's existing Mission, Vision, and Educational Philosophy.
The alignment is evident across multiple dimensions:
CSSM's goal of nurturing responsible, self-driven learners 8 is directly supported by Habit 1: Be Proactive, which emphasizes taking ownership of one's choices and actions.
The school's Vision of graduates as competent, ethical leaders aligns perfectly with the overarching goal of the Leader in Me program itself, which is dedicated to developing leadership skills and character grounded in the 7 Habits.
CSSM's Philosophy emphasizing holistic development and character formation finds a strong echo in LiM's focus on the whole child and the character-building nature of the 7 Habits.
The Markian emphasis on learning collaboratively with others and building community is practically enabled by Habits 4 (Think Win-Win), 5 (Seek First to Understand...), and 6 (Synergize), which provide tools for effective teamwork, empathy, and cooperation.
The desire to foster lifelong learning and resilience connects directly with Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw, the principle of continuous renewal and improvement in all aspects of life.
CSSM's commitment to the integral partnership between home and school is strengthened by LiM's explicit focus on family engagement, providing structures and resources to involve parents in their child's leadership journey.
Given this profound alignment, implementing Leader in Me offers CSSM an opportunity to potentially streamline and unify various character education and leadership development efforts that may already exist within the school. By adopting a single, comprehensive framework with a shared vocabulary, CSSM can create a more cohesive, consistent, and impactful approach to cultivating these essential qualities in students across all grade levels and subjects. This unified approach may enhance the overall effectiveness of these efforts compared to potentially fragmented initiatives.
Furthermore, by embracing a program explicitly linked to developing 21st-century skills and preparing students for a dynamic future—a stated goal in CSSM's mission—the school enhances its value proposition. In an era where parents and employers increasingly seek skills like problem-solving, collaboration, initiative, and adaptability, this partnership serves as a tangible demonstration of CSSM's commitment to future-readiness, potentially strengthening its reputation and appeal within the community.
Implementation Roadmap: Bringing Leadership to Every Corner of CSSM
The rollout of the 'Leader in Me' program at Cavite School of St. Mark is planned comprehensively, beginning in School Year 2025-2026 [User Query]. The initiative will encompass all grade levels, starting from preschool and extending through high school, ensuring a consistent leadership development pathway for every Markian student.
A crucial aspect of the implementation is its integration across the curriculum. 'Leader in Me' will not be taught as a separate, isolated subject. Instead, its principles and the 7 Habits will be woven into the fabric of daily learning, embedded within all existing subjects and routines. For instance, Habit 5 (Seek First to Understand...) might be explored during language arts lessons on communication and perspective-taking; Habit 6 (Synergize) could be the framework for collaborative group projects in science or social studies; Habit 3 (Put First Things First) can provide tools for students managing long-term assignments or homework schedules. Age-appropriate resources, including "The 7 Habits of Happy Kids" materials featuring relatable characters for younger students 17, along with specific lesson plans and activities 18, will support this integration. This cross-curricular approach aims to demonstrate the relevance of the habits in diverse contexts, reinforcing learning and encouraging students to internalize these principles as practical tools for success in all areas of life, rather than seeing them as concepts confined to a single class period.
The implementation process adheres to an "inside-out" philosophy, recognizing that authentic change begins with the adults in the school community.5 Therefore, a significant focus during the preparation phase leading up to SY 2025-2026 will be on staff development. All CSSM faculty and staff will receive training in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and the core principles of the 'Leader in Me' program. This ensures that educators not only understand the concepts but can also effectively model the desired behaviors and integrate the framework into their teaching practices. The success of the program heavily relies on this initial phase of adult learning and buy-in, as teachers who embody the principles are best equipped to inspire their students. Some schools utilize a dedicated "Lighthouse Team" composed of staff members to help guide and champion the implementation process across the school.
Beyond the curriculum, the physical and social environment of CSSM will be intentionally designed to reinforce leadership principles. This includes incorporating visual cues like posters and bulletin boards featuring the 7 Habits, consistently using the shared leadership language, and establishing school-wide activities or traditions that celebrate student leadership and initiative.
A key component of the program involves providing students with authentic opportunities to practice their skills through meaningful student leadership roles. These roles can range from classroom responsibilities (e.g., line leader, materials manager, tech support) to school-wide positions, giving students ownership and practical application experience.
For the youngest learners in preschool, the program is carefully adapted. Concepts are simplified, often taught through stories featuring the "Happy Kids" characters. Implementation relies heavily on positive reinforcement, age-appropriate activities (like collaborative games or creating classroom rules together), visual aids, and simple leadership roles suited to their developmental stage. The decision to begin implementation from preschool signifies a long-term vision. By introducing these foundational concepts early and reinforcing them year after year, CSSM aims to cultivate a cumulative effect, embedding the habits deeply within the school's culture and fostering leadership qualities from the very beginning of a student's educational journey. This sustained approach is likely to lead to a more profound and lasting impact compared to programs introduced only in later grades.
A Community of Leaders: Extending the Impact Beyond School Walls
Cavite School of St. Mark aspires for the positive influence of the 'Leader in Me' program to extend beyond the classroom walls, aiming for the 7 Habits and leadership principles to "permeate throughout the community" [User Query]. This vision encompasses students, staff, and importantly, families, fostering a holistic ecosystem of leadership development.
Family engagement is recognized as a critical component for achieving this wider impact. CSSM plans to actively partner with parents and guardians, sharing information about the 7 Habits and the 'Leader in Me' process. This may involve workshops, newsletters, family-focused leadership events, or resources designed to help parents understand and reinforce the habits at home. The goal is to create a shared language and consistent approach between school and home, strengthening the vital home-school partnership that CSSM already values deeply. When parents are equipped to use the same principles and vocabulary at home, it creates a powerful, consistent environment for children, significantly reinforcing their learning and making the positive behaviors and mindsets more likely to become ingrained. This active engagement leverages CSSM's existing philosophy and acts as a strategic multiplier for the program's overall success.
Internally, the program aims to cultivate a school culture characterized by trust, mutual respect, collaboration, and student empowerment. Experiences from other schools implementing 'Leader in Me' suggest potential positive outcomes such as increased student self-confidence, greater initiative and responsibility, improved teamwork and communication skills, and a more positive overall school climate.
Franklin Covey Philippines will play a supportive role in this endeavor, providing expertise and resources as CSSM joins a network of other schools in the Philippines implementing the 'Leader in Me' program. This connection offers opportunities for shared learning and best practices within the local educational landscape. The ambition for community-wide permeation [User Query] reflects a vision for CSSM to be more than just an academic institution; it aims to be a catalyst for positive influence within the broader community. As students internalize and apply the 7 Habits in their lives both inside and outside of school, and as families engage with the principles, the program serves as a vehicle to actively fulfill CSSM's vision of developing graduates who become "pillars of communities" 8, equipped to lead and contribute meaningfully.
Conclusion: Investing in Markian Futures
The partnership between Cavite School of St. Mark and Franklin Covey Philippines represents a significant, forward-thinking investment in the future of every Markian student. The adoption of the 'Leader in Me' program, commencing in School Year 2025-2026, is poised to build upon CSSM's strong foundation, providing a structured and internationally recognized framework to further cultivate the potential within each child.
The expected benefits are multifaceted. Students are anticipated to develop stronger character, essential leadership competencies, and the life skills necessary for personal and interpersonal effectiveness, guided by the timeless principles of the 7 Habits. The initiative aims to foster a more positive, collaborative, and empowering school culture where every individual feels valued and capable of contributing—reflecting the core LiM paradigm that "Everyone Has Genius". This program promises to enhance the alignment between daily practices and CSSM's core mission, vision, and philosophy, while also strengthening the crucial partnership between the school and families.
Ultimately, this initiative positions CSSM as an institution deeply committed to preparing its students not just for academic success, but for life effectiveness. By equipping Markian learners with the mindset and skillset embodied in the 7 Habits, CSSM is investing in their ability to navigate the complexities of the 21st century, lead fulfilling and purposeful lives, build strong relationships, achieve their unique potential, and make meaningful contributions to their communities and the world, thereby realizing the school's highest aspirations for its graduates.
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