schoolprogram@8keys.

org via qln.com 

Ruth Fortes – Sobrepena ruthsobrepena.rs@gmail.com

Welcome to the 8 Keys of Excellence School Program!

Online you’ll find downloads for the 8 Keys of Excellence definitions, how to implement the Keys into
your classroom, how to write your own Key lesson, and a scripted lesson for introducing the 8 Keys.

September kicks off the school year with the Key of This Is It! You’ll receive monthly e-newsletters
providing information about the “Key of the Month”. We’ll send these at the end of each month to
help you plan your Key activities and lessons for the coming month.

As you explore the 8 Keys of Excellence with your students and teachers, we encourage you to send
us your photos and videos of students demonstrating the character principles they are learning
through the 8 Keys of Excellence. We share these with other 8 Keys schools in our monthly
newsletter and online on our Facebook and YouTube Channel. Be sure to check it out for fun and
engaging ideas to use in your own classroom! We invite you to participate with us online through
Facebook and YouTube.

For 8 Keys curriculum, classroom posters, books and wall signs, visit our online store. We also
encourage you to join the Excellence Effect Movement, which aims to inspire 50 Million children by
2015! Additional implementation ideas are provided for how we can become a champion for
excellence in our communities. Join us and take the pledge!

If you have questions please feel free to contact us at info@learningforum.org or by calling 760-305-

7317.

Thank you for Making Great Kids Greater!

Bobbi DePorter

President
How to Implement 8 Keys of Excellence

8 Keys of Excellence is a yearlong excellence, character and life skills program that
integrates seamlessly into any classroom with the help of the resources available
throughout the Teachers section of this site. 

Preparation 
Launching the 8 Keys in your classroom begins with you!

1. Explore the Teacher section of this website

2. Learn the body motions for the Keys
3. Discover how the 8 Keys show up in your life
4. Think of examples you can share

Getting Started
Start the school year by building anticipation in the 8 Keys. You do this by sharing
your enthusiasm in the 8 Keys and presenting an Introductory Lesson within the first
week or two of school.

8 Keys by Month 
Introduce a new Key early in each month by presenting a Key Lesson. A sample
Key Lesson (Junior for K-8 and Senior for 9-12) is provided for each Key
under Monthly Curriculum. 
You can reinforce the Key throughout the month in a variety of ways, examples of
which are provided in Teaching the 8 Keys in the Classroom. 

The order of the Keys is, as follows:

 September: This Is It!

 October: Ownership
 November: Speak With Good Purpose
 December: Commitment
 January: Failure Leads to Success
 February: Integrity
 March: Flexibility
 April: Balance
End of Year – May 
Wrap up the year in style with an 8 Keys Review Lesson (look under May in the
Monthly Curriculum section) and celebration. Let the students talk about what the 8
Keys have meant to them. Hold a ceremony to distribute 8 Keys awards and
ribbons. And don't forget to celebrate their success and growth! 

Throughout the Year

Here are a few tips to guide your implementation throughout the year:

 Acknowledge your students' growth

 Remember that the 8 Keys are not the 8 rules
 Work the Keys into the curriculum
 Look for creative ways to acknowledge every effort and celebrate learning
 Share what's working in your classroom
Our Mission
The James J. Flynn School Staff, parents, and the community will nurture in each child the ability to meet
the challenges of an ever-changing world.
 
We will enhance a child's natural curiosity and foster their love of learning through the use of meaningful
and multi-sensory experiences. Our integrated curriculum, which is aligned with the Common Core State
Standards, will promote academic success and encourage children to attain their highest potential.
 
We expect each child to develop into self-respecting, well-rounded, sensitive and civic-minded
individuals.

The "8 Keys of Excellence" Character Education

The 8 Keys of Excellence provide a framework for students to achieve success in school and their personal

lives.  Typically, teachers and parents are the primary examples for students at the primary level, but in the fast-

paced 21st century, students are learning at a faster pace and the world around them has a bigger influence.   This

is where the 8 Keys of Excellence come in. The message they deliver is that you are the master of your own world

- you create the direction and outcome of your life.  We encourage you to please visit the website for further

information http://8keys.org/

The 8 Keys of Excellence are:

 
Integrity:         
  The state of authenticity when our values and actions are aligned. Integrity happens when what we
value is evident in our actions.
Failure Leads to Success:
 
Feedback from failures provides the information we need to learn so we can succeed.
Speak with Good Purpose:
  Speaking in a positive manner. Being responsible for honest and direct communication, focusing on
truth-telling, and maintaining integrity.
This is It ! 
  The commitment to focus our attention on the present moment and the willingness to make whatever we
are doing most important.
Commitment:
 
The ability to follow our vision without wavering; staying true to the course.
Ownership:
  The quality of accountability and responsibility. The ability to be counted upon and the willingness to
take responsibility for the choices we make.
Flexibility:
  The willingness to change what we are doing to achieve the outcome we desire. Flexibility allows us to
choose the best option to accomplish the outcome.
Balance:
  Making choices in our life that provide meaning and fulfillment. Inner happiness comes when mind,
body and spirit are aligned.