At the Arlington ISD principal meeting last week, the focus wasn’t just on leading schools – it was growing leaders at every level.
Arlington ISD principals gathered at the Arlington ISD Professional Development Center for a special Leader in Me lunch following their principal meeting, where they heard from Sean Covey, co-author of “The Leader in Me” and president of FranklinCovey Education. His message centered on the heart of the framework: leadership, potential, change, motivation and education – the five core paradigms that drive strong leadership, culture and, academics (LCA) on campuses.
“You can be a leader of your own life,” Covey said. “You can be a leader of your friend, be a leader among your peers. Leadership is doing the right thing, even when nobody is watching.”
He reminded principals that the work starts with adults. 
“Leader in Me is just as much about the adults as it is the students, and it starts with your goals,” he said. “Everyone is smart, just in different ways. This is ultimately what our job as educators is all about – to help these children understand their potential and give them the opportunity to exercise their vision.”
For Arlington ISD, that vision is already taking shape. The district currently has 16 Leader in Me campuses.
At Sherrod Elementary, the journey began with culture.
“We started with the C because it has to start with your staff first,” Sherrod principal Karen Hicks said. “We want to make sure that teaching and learning happens first.”
Leader in Me didn’t just shift student leadership – it transformed campus leadership as well.
“I used to feel like I had to be commanding the trouble all the time, like I had to have my hands in every little thing,” she said. “What Leader in Me has done for me with the LCA has allowed me to trust and inspire. It’s been a change, but it’s been a beautiful change.”
Now, teacher and student teams lead key initiatives across campus.
“We have our live cast team, our actions team, and our leadership team. When I go to actions team meetings, I sit back and watch the work happen.”
Covey described the framework as “jet fuel” for schools, accelerating practices that are already in place and giving them a deeper purpose. But at its core, he said, the work is bigger than programs or systems.
“This is sacred work,” he told principals. “We’re shaping the lives of these students and believing in them. Seeing the worth and potential is the foundation of all of this.”
As Arlington ISD looks to expand its Leader in Me footprint, the message from the lunch was clear: the district isn’t just building strong campuses – it’s developing leaders, in classrooms, and beyond!