Clear Creek Independent School District (CCISD) is taking a bold step to equip every child with essential leadership skills. The district’s Leader In Me program, which began at Falcon Pass Elementary in 2018, now serves 22 campuses and is slated to reach all elementary schools in the district by 2030.
What the program teaches
Based on Stephen Covey’s classic “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” Leader In Me focuses on habits such as being proactive, beginning with the end in mind, putting first things first, thinking win‑win, seeking first to understand, synergizing, and sharpening the saw. Students practice these habits in class and throughout the school day, building confidence and character that will serve them through intermediate and high school.
District goals and timeline
CCISD’s executive director of elementary education, Monica Giuffre, explained, “We want every child to leave elementary school confident about who they are, know what their skill sets are and what their talents are, so they can take that on into intermediate and high school.” Enrollment for the 2025‑26 school year reached 14,113 students, with an operating cost of $132,000.
To achieve district‑wide coverage, officials plan to add two or three campuses each year. The schools slated for inclusion by 2030 are Ferguson, Greene, League City, North Pointe, Ward, Weber and Wedgewood elementary schools.
Funding and community support
Leader In Me is funded through a blend of community partners—including Houston Methodist, Seabrook Rotary, the cities of Webster and Nassau Bay—and the Clear Creek Education Foundation. The program’s annual membership fee is $9.35 per student, a modest amount that helps sustain the curriculum while keeping it accessible to families.
Next steps
In addition to expanding the program, CCISD has formed a district‑wide Lighthouse team to guide implementation and ensure consistency across campuses. The team will monitor progress, share best practices, and support teachers as they integrate the 7 habits into daily instruction.
With a clear roadmap and strong community backing, the district is poised to nurture a generation of confident, capable leaders rooted in timeless principles of character and responsibility.
Original reporting: Community Impact — Houston — read the source article.
