Teaching and Living Character

“Begin with small steps,” says Neil Bencivengo, the superintendent of Hamilton Township Public Schools in Hamilton, New Jersey. This district, the sixth largest in the state, certainly knows what it preaches. Peacemaking, a grassroots initiative started in 1996 at Hamilton’s Kuser Elementary School, has evolved into a district-wide comprehensive character education program. When the other schools saw Kuser’s success in resolving conflicts, they yearned for a similar accomplishment. The district stepped in, providing support, and the Kuser staff spearheaded the movement, which gradually developed into a fullscale endeavor. Aptly called Teaching and Living Character (TLC), Hamilton Township’s program has transformed a district with more than 13,000 students and more than 1,200 school personnel into a caring family. Read more >>

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