Principal Kountz would like to welcome everyone back for another exciting school year. Please click here to download her letter. 🙂

Character.org Designates 73 schools as 2018 National Schools of Character and 5 districts as 2018 National Districts of Character.

 Program developed in 1998 has positively impacted the lives of close to 2 million students

Washington, D.C. (May 18, 2018)— Character.org, the nonprofit organization that validates character initiatives in schools and communities around the world, today designated 73 schools and 5 districts from 17 states as 2018 National Schools and Districts of Character.

Since the inception of Character.org’s Schools of Character program in 1998, 547 schools and 35 districts have been designated as National Schools or Districts of Character, impacting more than 3 million people’s lives (A complete list of the 2018 National Schools and Districts of Character is included at bottom of this release). All designees will be announced May 18^th at the conference of the New Jersey Alliance for Social, Emotional, and Character Development conference at Rider University at 9:20am ET. The event will be live-streamed across the nation.

Each year, Character.org and its state affiliates certify schools and districts that demonstrate a dedicated focus on character development with a positive impact on academic achievement, student behavior, school climate and their communities. Character.org evaluates schools and districts selected in January as State Schools of Character (along with those schools who reapplied within their 3-year designation) Character.org for consideration for national certification as National Schools of Character.

Through an in-depth and rigorous evaluation process, these schools were found to be exemplary models in character development. Of the schools named today, 17 schools are former National Schools of Character that have re-applied for the national designation. Criteria for selection are based on Character.org’s 11 Principles of Effective Character Education, a framework to assist schools in providing students with opportunities for moral action, fostering shared leadership and engaging families and communities as partners in the character-building effort.

“At Character.org, we are extremely proud of this year’s National Schools of Character as well as our district recipients. Their dedication to character development is reducing the skills gap by equipping the future workforce with transferable relationship skills needed to meet tomorrow’s challenges,” said Doug Karr, Character.org’s President & CEO. “Validating character initiatives is at the core of what we do, because they create fertile conditions for multi-generational character growth in communities of character. This year as we celebrate our Silver Anniversary, we are excited to also recognize 20 years of incredible National Schools of Character.”

Character.org will honor the designated schools and districts at its 25th National Forum on Character to be held October 4-7, 2018, in Washington, D.C. Visit www.character.org to learn more about the National Forum, the Schools of Character Certification (State & National) and the 2018 national honorees.

About Character.org: Founded in 1993, Character.org, is a national nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. The mission of the organization is to provide leadership and advocacy for character worldwide. It is dedicated to helping people everywhere become educated, inspired and empowered to be ethical and compassionate citizens. Character.org validates character initiatives in schools, sports, families and the workplace through certifications, convenings and the exchange of best practices. Results of effective character initiatives in schools typically include improved academic achievement, a decline in behavioral problems and an increase in an overall positive school climate.

About Character Education: Character education is an approach to school culture and climate improvement that supports the social, emotional and ethical development of students. It is the proactive and intentional effort by schools, districts, communities and states to help students develop important core ethical (recognizing what’s right) and performance (doing what’s right) values such as empathy, honesty, diligence, fairness, fortitude, responsibility, grit, creativity, critical thinking and respect for self and others.

Our 8th grade graduation will be on May 23rd. Contact the office for details.

Our last day of school of school is May 23rd. 🙂

Kindergarten Graduation will be held on May 22nd. Congratulations to our grads. 🙂