Page 17 - August 2019

C oosa Elementary School is located Degree in Elementary

Administration from the
on the north end of Ladys Island just
University of South
over the Woods Memorial Bridge.
Coosa is comprised of
recalls, “I remember the
approximately 500 students from pre-k to Carolina. Melissa
fifth grade. CES participates in Beaufort exact moment the
County School District’s School Choice thought of becoming an
program in which each school offers its own administrator crossed
unique educational experience for the my mind. I had just
students of Beaufort County. CES is also finished presenting at a
Beaufort County’s flagship “Leader in Me” writing conference early
school. The “Leader in Me” program utilizes in my career with
an education model created using Dr. several faculty members,
Stephen R. Covey’s, “7 Habits of Highly along with Cindy
Effective People.” According to the website, Keener, the first principal
the program offers an “educational model at Coosa Elementary
that helps schools across the globe focus on School. While on the
internal processes and thinking, resulting in trip, Mrs. Keener
better school leadership, culture, and expressed that she
academic performance. ‘Leader in Me’ is an thought I would be a
evidence-based, comprehensive, school great administrator.”
improvement model developed in Mrs. Pender would
partnership with educators, that empowers dedicate 20 years to the
students with the leadership and life skills Beaufort County School
they need to thrive in the 21st century.” system teaching various
The responsibility of upholding a grade levels before
“leadership” school of this magnitude is no stepping into an
easy task. It takes a team of faculty and staff administrative capacity
that is dedicated and driven to see their as Coosa’s assistant
students succeed in all areas, not just principal. She would
academically. Behind every successful reside as assistant
school, every happy and motivated faculty principal for 2 years
and staff, is a connected and dedicated before being appointed
administration. Having assumed her duties in June of this year to
on July 1st, Melissa Pender, former assistant become the school’s
principal at Coosa Elementary, was next principal. “That tiny
approved by the Beaufort County Board of seed of becoming an
Education to become that leader as the administrator was planted that day by Mrs. an American educator, author, businessman,
school’s new principal. Keener. I spent the next 15+ years preparing and keynote speaker who presented
for this day.” principles or “Habits” that could progress
“Leadership is communicating to people their Habit 2: “Begin with from “dependence via independence to
worth and potential so clearly that they come the End in Mind” interdependence.” According to Covey,
“Highly effective people share 7 Habits.
to see it in themselves.” Having opened its doors Habit 1 says, ‘You’re the programmer.’ Habit
-the late Dr. Stephen R. Covey to the children of Beaufort 2 says ‘Write the program; live the program.
County in 1998, Coosa Habits 3-6 say ‘Run the program; live the
adopted Dr. Stephen Covey's program.’ Habit 7 is the paradigm of
Habit 1: “Be Proactive” “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” continuous improvement of the whole
Melissa Pender started college as an making it a “Leader in Me” School. In 1999 person; it stands for education, learning, and
accounting major. She took a part-time job Muriel Summers, a Principal from Raleigh, recommitment.”
to help with her tuition at a local daycare. It NC, utilized her knowledge of Covey’s Melissa Pender’s journey began when
was during her time there that she “Habits” and started the first “Habits-based” she moved to Beaufort with her family when
recognized her passion for teaching children model for a leadership school. “Leader in she was in the 3rd grade. Her stepfather
and therefore decided to change her major Me” was originally developed by Summer was stationed at the Air Station and she
and seek a degree in education. She would and some of the faculty at A.B. Combs attended Laurel Bay Schools, Robert Smalls,
go on to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary School. They “wanted to teach and graduated from Battery Creek High
Early Childhood and Elementary Education their students necessary life skills right School in 1992. After college, Melissa went
from the University of South Carolina, a alongside academic instruction-such as to work for Beaufort County schools and
Master’s Degree in Integration of leadership, responsibility, accountability, married her husband of 19 years. She has
Technology in Education from Lesley problem solving, adaptability, effective worked in the Beaufort County School
University, and eventually a Master’s communication, and more.” Dr. Covey was District for over 20 years, at three different
www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | August 2019 17