The Character Education Partnership (CEP) has named 28 public schools, 2 charter schools, and 5 school districts as National Finalists in the 2013 National Schools of Character (NSOC) program.
“These schools are safe places that have developed cultures of respect and trust,” said CEP President Mark Hyatt. “They show us how an intentional emphasis on character and climate translates into creating the conditions necessary for learning, safety, and success.”
Schools that apply for NSOC recognition benefit from self-assessment as well as the expert feedback they receive at no cost. Once they reach a standard of excellence, a process that may take several years, they are recognized as Schools of Character and asked to help other schools transform their school cultures. Describing the program as a path to school improvement through high-quality character education, CEP has offered the NSOC program to K-12 schools and districts in the U.S. since 1998.
“We are honored to have the opportunity to share the inspirational stories of more school communities doing what’s best for children day in and day out,” said Lara Maupin, NSOC Director. “These are schools where parents feel supported in their most important job – raising good kids.”
The 35 National Finalists were selected from an applicant pool of 131 schools and districts across the United States based on the quality of their written applications. In March and April they will undergo an intensive screening process that will include site visits and analysis of the impact of their character-related efforts on academics, student behavior, and school culture.
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The Character Education Partnership (CEP), a national advocate and leader for the character education movement, is pleased to announce the application process for the 2013 Promising Practices in Character Education is open and encourages those who implement character education in their programs to apply. Educators can apply between Dec. 17, 2012 and March 17, 2013. Click HERE to apply online.
Promising Practices in Character Education are successful, unique ways of reinforcing character traits in K-12 students. Most practices are simple in scope and inexpensive by design, yet enable students to experience positive character first-hand, as well as enrich their lives and the lives of others.
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Written by Russell J. Sojourner, Ph.D., director of Leadership Development at CEP, explains how a re-energized and innovative approach to character education today offers great opportunity to provide children with the skills, knowledge, and dispositions to become life-long learners, get good jobs, have healthy relationships and to become productive and contributing members of the community. Effective school-based character education must promote the pursuit of excellence and the pursuit of ethical behavior.
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All schools and districts that can demonstrate excellence in character education, as measured by CEP’s 11 Principles of Effective Character Education, will be considered for State and/or National Schools of Character recognition. 206 NSOC have been named in the United States.
“Winning the NSOC award is very prestigious, but it isn’t about getting an award. It is about doing the work that is important. The award just affirms that the work you are doing as a school community is representative of the 11 Principles.”–Connie Browning, Principal, Uthoff Valley E.S. (2011 NSOC)
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The Character Education Partnership (CEP) is pleased to team-up with noted truancy expert, CEP advisor and retired Court Judge Irene Sullivan to help parents, educators and communities reduce children’s’ truancy during the school year.
According to Judge Sullivan, problems increase during the academic year when students are faced with the stresses of school. For many middle and high school students, a new school year brings discouragement, suspensions, and temptations instead of new challenges and friends. The resulting delinquency may often lead to an adult life plagued by family dysfunction, crime, poverty and unemployment.
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