Schaumburg Community Consolidated School District 54 embraced the teachings of Shawn Achor, and his company, GoodThink, Inc. Achor is the best-selling author of the book, “The Happiness Advantage”.
His company has created a bedrock foundation of quantitative data, that link positive psychology to success and happiness.
District 54 places the teachings of The Happiness Advantage at the cornerstone of their curriculum. Danette Meyer, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for the district, summarized the benefits of adopting the GoodThink, Inc. way as the normal way of life in District 54. She said recently, “ It seems like we bought the flood insurance during a drought, and now, in the world of COVID-19, The Happiness Advantage is such a part of us, that we lean on it, and it is what will get us through the flood of the pandemic”.
Principal Scott Ross, of Mead Jr. High truly embodies the D54 Happiness culture. His approach to his faculty, staff, students, community, and building is the approach that Achor preaches: “small positive changes can change the trajectories of our lives.”
Principal Ross has made a choice. He refuses to choose the victim role, and the outlook of “WE ARE SURROUNDED BY THIS PANDEMIC…. WHAT IN THE WORLD WILL IT LOOK LIKE FOR US WHEN IT IS ALL OVER?” Instead, Principal Ross embodies a philosophy of “WE ARE MERELY PASSING THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT TIME. WHEN ALL THIS IS JUST A MEMORY, WHAT DO I WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE ON THE OTHER SIDE?” (1 min. video “From Victim to Victorious)
He has taken the space that is known as Mead Jr. High and, using custom, large format graphics, has re-created an environment that supports, and encourages new feelings, with new surroundings. He has created a place where the school supports happiness, and does not need “re-building”, and is not “the same way we left it”. He has used graphics to make it better than it was before, and it screams potential, and opportunity for all who enter.
PK Solutions Group has been honored to partner with District 54, with Mead Jr. High, and with the Shawn Achor philosophies. The talented design, manufacturing, and installation team of PK Solutions Group believe that Happiness is the true advantage, and have their partner, School District 54, to thank for that.
