Imagine walking into school where positive administrators work together with inspired educators to develop positive student leaders. Imagine students, teachers, and principals sharing leadership and the responsibility for building a dynamic and positively contagious school culture.

Look no further! The Energy Bus for Schools Leadership Journey is your answer to creating and sustaining a positive school culture through shared leadership. We are kicking off this journey with 5 Model campuses this year and are now signing up schools to become certified for the 2017-2018 school year! Our team of Chief Energy Officers will work hand and hand with you to create a school culture where students, educators, and parents develop in their positive leadership together.

Are you ready to create the culture of your dreams? Contact Niki Spears at niki@jongordon.com and learn how!

Congratulations on becoming an Energy Bus Model Campus as we kick off The Energy Bus for Schools Leadership Journey!

You and your school community are making history as you demonstrate how the inspiring principles in The Energy Bus combined with great leadership can transform school communities. We believe that if we introduce our students to these principles early in life, they will be well-prepared to lead in the 21st century.

You and your team will write your own stories and share with the world how implementing The Energy Bus for Schools Leadership Journey has impacted learning, culture and behaviors on your campus. As our model campuses, you are leading the way for other campuses by modeling and demonstrating best practices that will support a positive learning community.

As the CEO and co-founder of this exciting journey I will serve as your guide through this process. I will be visiting campuses, working with you to train your team, and offering advice and suggestions along the way. Your role as the Chief Energy Officer (CEO) for your campus will be to lead the way and work with me to ensure your needs are supported.

Jon will be making an announcement soon informing the world that your campus has been carefully selected to take on this historic journey!

So without further ado, l would like to introduce you to your fellow CEO's and our Energy Bus Model Campuses, they are:

Central Athens Elementary School in Athens, Texas – Chief Energy Officer (Principal) Jennifer Risinger

Central Elementary School in Cabot, Arkansas - Chief Energy Officer (Principal) Bethany Hill

Keystone Elementary School in Lagrange, Ohio – Chief Energy Officer (Principal) Maura Neville

Rocky Creek Elementary School in Lexington, South Carolina - Chief Energy Officer (Principal) Brenda Nichols

and last but not least our Middle School Campus:

James T. Alton Middle School in Vine Grove, Kentucky – Chief Energy Officer (Principal) Jama Bennett

We will provide a forum for you to communicate, share ideas, and build relationships. We envision you writing the story as we share with the world how to build and sustain positive school culture.

Please make sure you are signed up on Twitter and follow us @EnergyBusSchool and @JonGordon11 so that you stay abreast of important announcements.

Please Like Us on Facebook at The Energy Bus for Schools Leadership Journey! There will be several posts going out about your campuses that you don't want to miss! We will also engage our model campuses in a few friendly competitions throughout the school year so make sure you're signed up to receive this information.

Once again, congratulations! We look forward to being on this journey with you!

Niki

Chief Energy Officer/Co-Founder

The Energy Bus for Schools Leadership Journey

Dear [mascot],

I am excited to inform you that our school has been selected to become an Energy Bus School! The Energy Bus is a book written by Mr. Jon Gordon that is all about bringing positive energy into our school, our homes, and our lives (hold up student copy of The Energy Bus for kids).

You will learn important principles (behaviors) that will help guide you to becoming a more positive person and how you can use that positivity to make our school a better place! You will learn that everyone on our campus is a Leader as they make decisions about their lives and take responsibility for the results of these decisions.

The first principle we will talk about is "You're the Driver". I want you to close your eyes and imagine you are on a bus. Do you see yourselves? Okay now imagine that you are sitting behind the drivers seat. Don't start the engine! because I want to share with you what being The Driver of Your Bus means.

Open your eyes and listen carefully. Every person on our campus has their very own bus. Being the Driver of Your Bus means that YOU are in control of your behaviors and attitudes. Being the Driver means that you have the power and choice to take your Bus wherever you want it to go.

For instance, let's say you woke up late this morning and you missed breakfast and you immediately become upset and begin to cry. As the Driver of Your Bus, what are some other things you can do? Talk to a neighbor. [Give students 1-2 minutes to share]

So what are some solutions? [Allow students to share. If responses are negative, guide them so that they are making positive choices]

Here are some solutions I came up with. If I am the Driver of My Bus, I could:

• Set an alarm so that this doesn't happen again and I get up in time for breakfast
• Inform my teacher that I missed breakfast to see if I can grab something from the cafeteria
• I could pack a breakfast bar in my backpack (in the case of situations like this)
• I could simply wait and eat my lunch

You see- being The Driver is all about making positive choices.

This month we will learn more about leadership and Being the Driver of Your Bus!

When we make positive choices and choose positive behaviors - we are helping to create a school with a lot of positive energy.

With something to think about - this is [your name]!

Sending positive energy your way for a wonderful day!

Team,

As we continue to build out our program this year, we will be forming an Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee will consist of school leaders, community members, educators, and businesses that will come together and share their insight and provide feedback along the way.

We will only meet 3 times per year with the committee to get feedback on the program

goals, structure, implementation, and so forth.

This will be a great way for you (or a member of your team) to help shape and be a part of history as we craft The Energy Bus Leadership Journey!

If you are interested or if you know a team member who may be interested, please have him/her email me at niki@jongordon.com.

Sending positive energy your way,

Niki

Team,

I have updated your Year-At-A-Glance to include and End of Year Bus Stop. The End of Year Bus Stop is a Student Leadership Day where you showcase all the wonderful things you're doing to promote leadership on your campus. This event can be planned during the school day or after school.

The purpose of this event is for students (K-5) to share with community members, families, district leaders and others how The Energy Bus for Schools Journey has impacted their learning in the first year.

This could be a good activity for The Energy Bus Task Force to begin planning and considering. We suggest you choose a date in April or May - closer to the end of the school year.

Some ideas for this day could include the following:

• Student Speakers (students may speak on their favorite principle and how it has impacted them)
• Student Performances ( Sometimes music teachers will help students create songs that support the principles from The Energy Bus or you may have other clubs that would like to showcase student talent)
• School and classroom tours performed by students. During tours - students share school bulletin boards and provide Guest with information about bulletins posted around the school. There could also be classroom tours led by students where they share information from their data trackers with Guests. The goal is that these are student led.
• Message from Principal/CEO
• Panel Discussion - close with a panel discussion. Panels can include students (one primary and one intermediate) teacher, and parent. Guest may pose questions to panel about The Energy Bus for Schools Leadership Journey.

Remember- the goal of the End of Year Bus Stop is to provide others with information about The Journey while celebrating your school's success!

Please think of a date in April or May in which you may perform the End of Year Bus Stop for your campus so that we may add to our calendars.

If you need assistance with planning- please don't hesitate to contact me.

We will have friendly competitions along our journey as a way for you and your team to have a little fun together on our journey! These fun activities will also be a way for you to learn more about other certified Energy Bus Schools!

We are excited to have you on this journey and look forward to hearing about all the amazing things happening on your campuses!