David Pinter, a shining example of principal-as-Extreme-Leader, sends us this update on “the ever-deepening implementation of Leap, Edge, and GTY” within his school, Joseph Finegan Elementary, in Atlantic Beach, Florida:
“While roughly one fourth of our District’s approximate 166 schools dropped per the demands of The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), Finegan’s score increased. Our school had the 11th highest gain (43 points) in scores across the district (that includes all elementary, middle and high schools as well as all gifted and talented magnets) putting us in the Top 7 percent of district schools.
“I stand increasingly amazed at the depth of Love, Energy, Audacity and Proof displayed from and toward my faculty to each other and to our community. To watch them actively invest in each other as GTY Projects (sometimes knowingly, sometimes unknowingly), to watch walls of miscommunication crumble and be recreated into steps of unity for the sake of children, to watch them openly praise and thank each other for the investment they make in one another, to watch islands of teachers develop into continents of learning, to hear more and more unsolicited testimonials of how they see our school family growing together in strength and purpose, to hear from school district and community members and leaders how they sense something different the moment they walk into our school…
“Leap, Edge and GTY know no recession. They know no boundary lines in business, community, ethnic, social, emotional, economic status or religion. These principles are timeless and will work in any situation where hearts and minds are willing and unselfish. They have changed and will continue to transform me, my building and my community.”
Thanks once again for the goosebumps, Mr. Pinter. Your school’s example is an inspiration to us all, educators or no.
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