This Month's Best Practice
Each Month the Maryland Center for Character Education at Stevenson University (MCCE@SU) picks one of the Best Practices from a Character Education award winning school to share with you.
DECEMBER
This month's Best Practices is from an award winning school from 2010-2011.
BEST CHARACTER EDUCATION PRACTICES
School: Fountain Green Elementary
Address: 519 Fountain Green Road, Bel Air, MD 21015
Principal: Stacey Gerringer
E-Mail: stacey.gerringer@hcps.orgPhone: 410-638-4220
Character Ed. Contacts: Julie Edwards
E-Mail: julie.edwards@hcps.org
Primary Principles Emphasized: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8
Title of Best Practice: Celebrating Good Character
Objective(s): Students will demonstrate acceptance and tolerance, which will promote a bully-free environment.
Description:
In order to ensure that all students are educated in a school environment that is safe, drug free, and conducive to learning, Fountain Green Elementary school has implemented a successful character education program that celebrates and recognizes “Good Character.” All students, faculty, and staff actively and willingly participate in the program. In September, students are introduced to the character education program with a focus on RESPECT. The character trait focus changes each month. During the course of the month students work diligently to demonstrate the character trait of the month during the school day. Students are recognized for showing good character by putting their name on the character tree that hangs in the main lobby. Two students from each class, nominated by the teacher, are recognized during the “Good News Assembly” held each month. Those students are awarded a certificate for modeling the character trait of the month. Our family newsletter, The Falcon Flier, recognizes all students that received certificates by listing each student name on the flier.
The “Good News Assembly” is a time that our entire school gets together to simply celebrate the good character in our school as well as “good news” from each grade level. We end each assembly with a special presentation of the next month’s character trait presented by a group of students. Teachers volunteer to prepare a song, short skit, video, read aloud, or a description of the trait with their students.
The Character Tree in the lobby is constantly blooming with names of students who show good character. Motivational surveys given to students prove that students value the character education program at Fountain Green Elementary school. The surveys provide evidence that students feel safe at school and are able to learn. A fifth grade student has written a letter that explains her feelings toward the character education program at Fountain Green Elementary school.
Our school slogan, “Together we will SOAR!” is an indicator that all students, faculty and staff work together everyday to carry out the character education initiative at Fountain Green Elementary school.
Mission Statement:
We will work together in a positive, flexible manner focusing on the whole child in a safe, engaging and inclusive environment.
Vision Statement:
Together, we will think, learn and achieve.
Slogan:
Together, we will SOAR!
Principle 1: Promotes core ethical values as the basis of good character.
The foundation of the character education program at Fountain Green Elementary school is promoting and executing ethical values and moral behavior. Our entire school, administrators, teachers, students, staff, parents and community members work together to achieve and live up to the FGES mission and vision. We believe that In order for students to learn they must be provided with a safe and nurturing environment. Demonstrating ethical values and moral behavior is necessary for a successful character education program. The HCPS Student Motivation Survey, given to the entire student population in 2010 shows data to support that our program promotes core ethical values as the basis of good character.
Principle 2: Defines "character" comprehensively to include thinking, feeling, and behavior.
The Fountain Green faculty, staff, and students are surrounded with an environment that encourages thinking and acting with good character at all times throughout the school day.
Our “Fine Dining” program in the school cafeteria encourages students to display good character during their lunch period. All classes that show positive behavior every day are rewarded with a fine dining lunch experience at the end of the each month. The students enjoy the fine dining experience that causes them to “think” about their behavior while in the cafeteria.
Principle 3: Uses a comprehensive, intentional, proactive, and effective approach to character development.
During our monthly character assemblies, classes volunteer to introduce the next character trait that will be recognized the following month. Those teachers who choose to participate usually prepare a skit, video, song, etc.. to demonstrate the behavior that is expected of that character trait. This shows that the students understand what it means to act with good character.
Principle 4: Creates a caring school community.
Together we will SOAR!!! Our school song, written by a fifth grade class in 2009, is a testament that we have created a caring school community. Listen to the school song sung by Fountain Green students.
The lyrics read:
We’re the Fountain Green Falcons, learning more and more.
We’re the Fountain Green Falcons; together we shall soar.
We work together daily; our Falcon manners show.
We give respect to each other and those that come and go.
Soar high Falcons all; lift up your voice and sing out strong.
Soar high Falcons all; lift up your voice and sing out strong.
SOAR HIGH!
Our teachers, administrators, parents, volunteers and the community put the students of Fountain Green first. In order for children to learn and be successful, they must be provided with a caring and safe learning environment. Our students feel comfortable, safe and secure while at school.
According to the Student Motivation Survey given during the 2009-2010 school year, the students considered our school to be a caring and safe community.
Principle 6: Includes a meaningful and challenging academic curriculum that respects all learners, develops their character, and helps them to succeed.
The teachers at FGES follow the state curriculum in order to meet the state requirements for each grade level. FGES respects all learners, provides students with intervention and enrichment as needed. The curriculum provides students with opportunities to feel successful and competent with their grade level content. Many teaching strategies used by our faculty help to develop character as well as create feelings of success.
Technology is an integral part of the daily instruction at Fountain Green. All students have the opportunity to use technology, increasing their motivation to participate in class. Technology provides successful situations. Students can answer questions using activotes via the interactive whiteboard. Not all answers are reflected on the white board. Therefore, this strategy is less stressful than answering a question out loud and helps students to gain self-confidence and the willingness to participate in class.
Principle 8: Engages the school staff as a learning and moral community that shares responsibility for character education and attempts to adhere to the same core values that guide the education of students.
The school staff at Fountain Green takes pride in our school and the sense of community that we share. It takes ALL staff members to create a school environment that provides successful daily instruction, promotes character education at all times, and ensures that all students are being given a quality education and are being successful.
Our staff is recognized bi-weekly by our school principal. Mrs. Gerringer sends kudos to staff members recognizing them for a job well done in her bi-weekly “Message In a Bottle”! All staff members at FGES recognize each other with the “Woo Hoo” award. Please see Woo Hoo picture in MCCE materials folder. It is very powerful to hear something positive from you colleagues about what you are doing each day for the students and making FGES a caring and safe school.
Below are the results of the Teacher Survey given the 2009-2010 school year.
TEACHER SURVEY:
61 staff members invited to participate
37 staff members completed the survey
SUMMARY OF DATA
Bullying has a minor impact on school climate according to 37 staff members who participated in an electronic survey. 75% of those who responded to the survey feel that a few students have difficulty accepting differences in others, and of those few children acceptance for students with differing abilities seems to be the most challenging. However, 77% of those who responded feel that between 1 and 4 children in their class are or have the potential to become a social bully. The character education program was rated (97%) as highly effective.
The school improvement team discussed the need to identify those students who are at risk and to monitor them. This could possibly be one of the charges of the Anti-Bullying Committee. Additional assemblies and school programs could also support at-risk students. Links and resources will be shared with parents via school website.
The Maryland Center for Character Education at Stevenson University
1525 Greenspring Valley Road, Stevenson, MD 21153
E-Mail: MCCEcharacter@aol.com
