Schoolwide Character

Education Proposal
LANA ROSE

C O L L E G E O F E D U C AT I O N , G R A N D C A N YO N U N I V E R S I T Y

520: STRENGTHENING CURRICULAR PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE CONTINUOUS SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

DELORES JOHNSON

DECEMBER 21, 2022

Mission and Vision
Mission: “The mission of the Lima City Schools is to provide a
climate in which every student learns (Neola, 2019).”

Vision: “If the community of Lima is to realize the full impact of

an exemplary education system, the Lima City Schools must have
a clear and common understanding of what it intends to
become, as well as the characteristics of its buildings and the
role of the stakeholders involved in the effort. This vision
statement intends to provide a platform which will guide
discussion, decisions, and assessment as we work toward
improvement (Neola, 2019).”
 Character education teaches children the ethics that help
people live and work together in multiple different facets of
life.

What is
Character
Education? “Character education is a learning process that enables
students and adults in a school community to understand,
care about and act on core ethical values such as respect,
justice, civic virtue and citizenship, and responsibility for self
and others. Upon such core values, we form the attitudes
and actions that are the hallmark of safe, healthy and
informed communities that serve as the foundation of our
society (U.S. Department of Education, 2005).”
Education at its best should expand
the mind and build character.

—Secretary Margaret Spellings

 Importance of Implementation of
Character Education
 Character Education starts with teachers setting examples
for expectations of ethical behaviors. With introduction of
desired character traits in combination with proper examples,
children experience sustained learning of moral values.
 Character Education prepares children to face the negativity
and unknown dangers that life may present. The tools a child
will need throughout life to handle adversity is presented
through Character Education programs.
“The general dialogue about character education has resulted
in a consensus that certain traits are desirable in a functional
society. Traits such as honesty, kindness, fairness, respect, and
responsibility are included in most lists of desirable traits
(Prestwich, 2004).”
 Character Education:
Character Counts
 Focuses on the following aspects of character:
* Moral
* Performance
* Intellectual
* Civic
 Achieves growth in:
* Academics
* Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
* Citizenship/Leadership/Service
 “ The program has continually evolved reflecting current research and
best practices to become a comprehensive student development program
embracing academic, social and emotional skills and traits as well as the Six
Pillars of Character (Character Counts, 2022).”
 Character Counts provides practical, research-based strategies, curricular
resources, and professional development training.
 Specific for all grade levels Pre-K – 12

Program consists of age-appropriate student

Program planners, weekly reflections, and “Kids with
Character” awards
Development:
Addressing Teach

Grade Levels Program uses a TEAM

approach:
Encourage
Advocate
Model

Students can receive the benefits of

Character Counts throughout their entire
educational experience
 Implementation
of Character
Counts

Trustworthiness Respect Responsibility Fairness Caring Citizenship

Goals of the Program
• Overall:

- Make improvements in academic outcomes and

social-emotional, character, and leadership skills

• School Goals:
- Increase student attendance

- Decrease referral rates and suspensions

 School Progress and Program Support
PROGRESS SUPPORT

• Teacher professional development

School progress will be assessed by using the • Parent workshops
assessments provided by Character Counts,
• Models character traits
Implementation Survey and Culture of
Excellence and Ethics Assessment. • Ongoing Consultation
• Online library for Character Counts resources
 Program Implementation

Begin with Build

Share Be Make it
an end in Relationship Be flexible Collaborate
leadership consistent school-wide
mind s
Potential Obstacles

* Staff * Finding the

* Having misunderstanding time to complete
inconsistencies the program or program
expectations effectively
Character Counts vs. Other Character
Education Programs

Character.org

Goodcharacter.com
References
Character Counts. (2022). History. Charactercounts.org. https://charactercounts.org/history/
Neola. (2019). School board policy manual: Lima City Schools. Go.boarddocs.com.
https://go.boarddocs.com/oh/lima/Board.nsf/Public?open#
Prestwich, D. L. (2004). Character Education in America’s Schools. School Community Journal, 14(1),
139– 150. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ794833
U.S. Department of Education. (2005). Character Education...Our Shared Responsibility. Ed.gov.
https://doi.org/http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/character/brochure.html