Leslie Goodrum is the principal of General Tommy Franks Elementary in Midland, Texas. Her school is a pilot school for the Midland Values project, where they are attempting to improve their culture by adopting values based on authenticity, service, awareness, purpose, vision, enthusiasm, perseverance, courage, faith, focus, leadership, integrity. This is through Joe Tye’s Values Coach System

• Brand new campus and so setting the culture from the beginning.
• Crockett elementary - having accountability issues, so they were shut down.
• It’s not the building that makes kids successful.
• District wide initiative for adults, but General Tommy Franks Elementary is the first one doing it with kids as well.
• Every morning doing announcements, self-empowerment pledge. Pickle pledge. Each student gets a bracelet for the value of the month.
• Vision is the core value for January, so they try to pull it in everywhere.
• Encouraging parents to attend trainings as well.
• Pickle Pledge.
• Authenticity is the first value and kids are using it all throughout the year. What is the thing you have done that is the authentic you?
• Integrity - you’ve got to do the right thing, no matter who is watching.
• Pickle Pledge - our pickles are happy pickles.
• Did you say it or did you mean it?
• Until you are ready to live it, you need to stop saying it.
• The Values give you a framework each month.
• Faith and purpose are needed conversations.
• Foundation and a framework for helping kids set goals.
• Parents are very supportive of what we are doing.
• Discipline problems are very few.
• Biggest challenge is making sure the value of the month is big throughout the month.
• As the leader, I have to set the tone, because whatever I do, everyone will follow.
• It’s not a program, it’s a way of life.
• How to be a transformative principal? Get into your classrooms, be with your kids and teachers and be a great role model.

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