We are a TOP 20 School!

What Does It Mean to Be a TOP 20 School? 

As a Top 20 school, Lincoln Elementary is intentionally implementing TOP 20 principles and practices in order to activate the human development of students, staff, and parents. The principles and practices that are implemented develop Social-Emotional Learning in all members of the school community enabling them to THINK, LEARN, and COMMUNICATE more effectively. By doing so, we are able to make a positive difference in the lives, relationships, and experiences of others and ourselves.  

What are the Cornerstones of a TOP 20 School? 

The fundamental way Lincoln’s TOP 20 mission is achieved and goals attained is the consistent and intentional creation of a TOP 20 culture built on four key Cornerstones: 

1.    Job 1: Help Others Succeed
2.    Communicate “YOU MATTER”
3.    Honor the Absent
4.    See the Problem, Own the Problem

How will students learn Top 20 Skills? 

1.    TOP 20 skills will be modeled and communicated to students on a daily basis by all staff.
2.    Direct instruction will be provided by classroom teachers each week based on the following themes for the school year:

• September: Creating a Culture of Learning – Our #1 job is help others succeed. Students will learn how to show others they matter, how to own problems, and develop important listening skills.
• October: The Line- The line is a metaphor of understanding our state of mind, moods, and attitudes. Students will learn to recognize when their thinking is above and below the line.
• November: Mistakes – Students will understand the importance of learning from mistakes and identify their comfort zones, and celebrate confusion as a natural and necessary step in the learning process.
• December: The Frame – We can look at the same situation in more than one way. Students will learn to reframe situations to see them differently.
• January: EQ and Star Qualities – Emotional intelligence is essential to becoming a successful person. Studenrs will learn about IQ and EQ and build upon star qualities (personal strengths)
• February: OPOs (Other People’s Opinions) – Students will discuss True Self, define OPOs, and learn to respond to others’ opinions.
• March: Eliminating Negativity – Students will learn how to eliminate negativity in their thinking (thought circles) and in their communication with others (tornadoes).
•  April: Conflict Resolution – Students will learn how to respond to conflict in a positive way in order to achieve what is beneficial for others and themselves.
•  May: Know How We’re Smart – Students will recognize that people are smart at different things and learn how to respond if they aren’t good at something.

3.    School Counselor will be in the classroom every other week to support and supplement TOP 20 skills.

Top 20 Topics

• 80/20 Rule
• A New Formula for Success
• The Frame: See-Feel-Do-Get
• An Inside Job
• Do You See or Are You Blind?
• Beliefs: Fact or Fiction?
• Above & Below the Line
• Eliminating Thought Circles
• The Influence of Messages
• Learning from Our Mistakes
• Growing Through Risk
• What’s in it for Me?
• Roadblocks to Success
• Levels of Listening
• Realizations: In the Moment & After the Fact
• Organization for Success
• Missing the Boat
• Goals: Bettering Your Best
• School Skills
• Building Your Trust Fund
• “But I Didn’t Say Anything!”
• Tornadoes of Negativity
• Responding to Hits
• Heart-to-Heart Conflict Resolution
• Instant Replay
• Feedback: Stay on Course
• Leadership: Creating Value for Others
• Hangouts: Core and Circumference
• Becoming: Quest for True Self
• Celebrating TLC!