Character education can’t be something you do. It must be who you are, and your actions must reflect this each and every day. – Ed Canzanese, Principal

Every educator dreams of creating the “ideal school.” Administrators in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, had precisely that opportunity when they were given one year to remodel an older building and to plan the mission, vision, and curricular framework of their new magnet middle school. A decade later, Rosa International Middle School is a testament to the vision, the energy, and the commitment of that dedicated team. One of three middle schools in Cherry Hill, New Jersey and the only one to select students randomly by lottery, Rosa has emerged since its founding as a stellar middle school. Of the district’s three middle schools, it has the lowest number of disciplinary referrals, the greatest measurable involvement in service to the community, and the highest scores on the New Jersey standardized assessments, at all levels and in all areas. Principal Ed Canazese attributes the success to a shared vision of educating “the whole child,” an exceptionally dedicated faculty “who bought that vision,” and the strength of an intellectually challenging International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme.

Read more about Rosa International in the 2008 NSOC book: “Creating a Better World”

SIGNATURE PRACTICES

Featured Lesson Plan: Portraits of Resilience 
In this unit, students use literary sources to come to a deeper understanding of human resilience and the importance of tolerance in society.

Lesson Plan: Me and We: A Mix It Up Activity
This activity is designed to allow students to communicate and express their opinions on various topics in a respectful and non-threatening way and to respectfully listen to and connect with other students in a socially productive way.

Sample Practice: Creating a Character-Based Shared Vision – Professional Development Activity
Staff visualize their ideal school and establish goals to address areas of concern.

Video: Rosa International is featured in this NJ Classroom Close-up segment, co-produced by the New Jersey Education Association and NJN Public Television. Watch video.

Student Article: It’s a Small World After All: Rosa’s Efforts to Bring Clean Water and a Better Schooling to a Ugandan Village By Kaylin Magosin, Grade 7

CONTACT INFORMATION

Nina Kemps, Chairperson
Character Education Committee
Rosa International Middle School
485 Browning Lane
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
Telephone: (856) 616-8787, ext. 106
E-mail: nkemps@chclc.org
Web site: rosaweb.chclc.org