This Month's Best Practice

Each Month the Maryland Center for Character Education (MCCE) picks one of the Best Practices from a Character Education award winning school to share with you.

JUNE

This month's Best Practices is from an award winning school from 2005-2006.

 

BEST CHARACTER EDUCATION PRACTICES

 

School: Appeal Elementary School

Address: 11655 H. G. Truman, Lusby, MD 20657
Contact: Laurie Haynie, Principal

Vice Principal/Character Ed Coordinator: Bernadette Stephenson  
        
Phone: 410-535-7800
E-Mail: hayniel@calvertnet.k12.md.us

E-Mail: stephensonb@calvertnet.k12.md.us
             

Title of Best Practice: Character

Primary Character Trait(s) Emphasized: Respect, Responsibility, Self-discipline, and Cooperation

Objective(s): To help students learn how to behave appropriately while eating. To talk about character traits, school expectations, and celebrations as a student body.

Brief Description (including such items as materials needed, persons responsible, sequence of activities, observable results, references, etc.)

• Student are encouraged to use good behavior and manner while eating in the school cafeteria, which is now being referred to as the Leopard Café. One class per grade level is awarded a paw print at the end of each lunch shift. Earning a paw print means the class has the best behavior for the lunch shift. Desirable behaviors include good manners, talking quietly and cleaning up after oneself. Paw prints are displayed on a poster hanging on the wall of the café. The class with the most paw prints after a certain period of time is awarded a special lunch. The winning class gets to enter the café before the other classes. Any student buying lunch is able to go through the lunch line first. Students eat at tables with centerpieces and tablecloths. Students are also given fancy glasses to use. During this special lunch easy-listening music plays in the background.

• Every Monday the entire school – staff and students – gather in the gym for a meeting. Meetings are started with the Pledge of Allegiance and the school pledge. Meetings are character-based. Character messages are shared and school rules are reviewed and reinforced. Students can also share personal celebrations. Meetings are run by the principal, the counselor, and members of the Character Committee.

 

 

 

 

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The Maryland Center for Character Education
29 West Susquehanna Ave., Suite 300, Baltimore, MD 21204

Phone: 410-823-4902
Fax: 410-828-9661
E-Mail: MCCEcharacter@aol.com