BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Jennings Creek Elementary School has been certified as a “Lighthouse School,” a certification that says a school has a well-rounded leadership model.

What You Need To Know

  • Jennings Creek Elementary has been named a Lighthouse School

  • The lighthouse designation states Jennings has a well-rounded leadership model

  • Jennings Creek Elementary will maintain its lighthouse status for another two years, but can re-certify to keep the designation 

  • There are 13 lighthouse schools in Warren County

Warren County Superintendent Rob Clayton said, “It speaks volumes about the school’s commitment, to developing leadership school involving our students, and I think, equally as important, it demonstrates that our teachers are modeling the way.”

According to the LeaderinMe website, the organization that certifies lighthouse schools, the lighthouse rubric measures the following: teaching leadership principles, creating a leadership culture, aligning academic systems, allowing students to participate in leadership roles, and allowing their voices to innovate the school.

https://www.leaderinme.org/lighthouse-schools/

P.E. Teacher Amy Oliver said, “Being a lighthouse school, it is evidence-based. We have to work and show how in our school certain leadership skills in the academic area and in the culture area.”

It’s a difficult threshold to meet. For example, one form of criteria is that leadership principles must be taught to all students through direct lessons, integrated approaches, and staff modeling.

Clayton said, “If our school, staff and entire community were not reflective of that leadership and all aspects of the organization, we would not have been able to achieve lighthouse status.”

Jennings Creek Elementary is the third school in Warren County to be nominated this week, and is the 13th school to be nominated within the Warren County district.

Oliver said, “If you walk into our school, you can see how much the kids are really shining, and that’s what it’s all about for us.”

Jennings Creek Elementary will maintain its lighthouse status for another two years. At the end of the two year mark, the school will re-certify its status.

The school will re-certify through a virtual self-assessment, describing its accomplishments and growth since being a lighthouse school.

Only 740 schools in the nation have gotten the certification to be a lighthouse school. 

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