Bear Cub Digest #8

Posted Date: 10/14/25 (7:27 AM)

Bear Cub Digest

Parent & Community Newsletter

October 13, 2025

Leader in Me

I wanted to start this issue of the Bear Cub Digest with a bit of background information on the foundation of our schoolwide culture and mission. Narcoossee Elementary School's mission is:

Learning and leading. Every one. Every day.

With that mission in mind, our school embraces the Leader in Me processes and ideas. What is Leader in Me? The following description comes from The Leader in Me website:

"The Leader in Me is a whole-school transformation model that acts like the operating system of a computer — it improves performance of all other programs. Based on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People®, The Leader in Me produces transformational results such as higher academic achievement, fewer discipline problems, and increased engagement among teachers and parents. Better yet, The Leader in Me equips students with the self-confidence and skills they need to thrive in the 21st century economy.

What would be possible if your school was filled with students who were responsible, who showed initiative, who were creative, who knew how to set goals and meet them, who got along with people of various backgrounds and cultures, and who could resolve conflicts and solve problems?

This is reality at Leader in Me schools across the country. It started in 1999 when struggling school A.B. Combs Elementary was asked to reinvent itself or be shut down. When principal, Muriel Summers, asked parents and business leaders what they wanted in their schools, she heard the following:

Leadership
Accountability
Adaptability
Initiative and Self-direction
Cross-Cultural Skills
Responsibility
Problem Solving
Communication
Creativity
Teamwork

This feedback represents what most people believe — that our schools should not merely be focused on improving test scores but should provide opportunities for students to develop their full potential. As Muriel searched for answers, she attended a 7 Habits seminar and noticed how comprehensive the habits were in covering the same needs expressed by her community. She and staff developed a leadership theme and a school mission statement: To Develop Leaders, One Child at a Time. They taught the 7 Habits not as a curriculum, but in a ubiquitous fashion, integrating them into the curriculum, traditions, systems, and culture of AB Combs.

Here at Narcoossee Elementary School, we hold the same commitment and focus on developing leaders and integrating the 7 Habits in all that we do. Please be on the lookout for more information on how you (families and community) are embedded in this system and focus.

Howl-O-Ween Service Project

We continue our push to build leaders at Narcoossee Elementary School through our service projects in each grade level. As first grade is finishing up their cereal box collection for the food shelters in our area, second grade will be starting their Howl-O-Ween service project October 1st. We will be collecting new, unopened bags of dog and cat food, unopened treats, and toys for the animals at the Osceola County Animal Shelter for our giveback. We cannot wait to see what we are able to do for the animal shelters in our community!

October Activities

Please stay tuned for updates on the many activities coming in October! We will have our PTO sponsored "Trunk or Treat" activity, our streamed "Leadership Parade," and much more!

October Activities

10/14- Begin Quarter 2

10/21- SAC/PTO @ 7am

10/24- Quarter 1 Report Cards

10/24- PTO Trunk or Treat

10/27- 5th Grade field trip to Dr. Phillips Orlando Philharmonic 10:30-1:30

10/31- Student Clubs- NEW DATE

10/31- Leadership Parade

Attendance!!

We are seeing more and more families arriving late and students that are absent. Please remember that a missed school day is a lost opportunity for students to learn. Consistent attendance is directly linked to academic success, as it ensures students receive crucial instruction and can keep up with a cumulative learning process. Conversely, chronic absenteeism, defined as missing 10% or more of school days, can lead to a cycle of negative consequences including lower grades, difficulty achieving grade-level reading, and a higher risk of dropping out of high school. Being here and on-time is our target, especially as we build leaders!!

We receive students at 7:50am.

The yellow car rider gate closes at 8:15am.

The tardy bell rings at 8:20am.

Academic Corner: Monthly Habit Homework

Here at NCES we are creating student leaders by teaching the 7 Habits. Our Monthly Habit Homework is a fantastic way to build leadership skills in students while also strengthening the connection between school and home. Encouraging our kids to teach the 7 Habits to their families not only reinforces their learning but also empowers them to be role models.

This year, we are taking a focus area for each Habit. Since we created class mission statements in September, we thought it would be a great way for students to teach mission statements at home by creating and sharing their own family mission statement.

Students can turn this assignment into school by Friday, October 31st. Your child should have received the sheet last week. We are so excited to see all these mission statements!!

Any student that turns in the Habit Homework will receive a small prize for completing. Also, we are doing an incentive for each grade level class that has the most participation. We are looking forward to building great leaders at home and school!