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Character Counts at St. Margaret's

Character Counts!, a national program for character education, is coming to St. Margaret's Lower School. The Character Counts! program began in 1992 when a group of leading ethicists, educators and youth service professionals convened to develop a common language of core ethical values that transcend religious, political, and socioeconomic differences. The group identified universal values which became the Six Pillars of Character at the heart of the program:

• Trustworthiness
• Respect
• Responsibility
• Fairness
• Caring
• Citizenship

The program provides common language for teachers, students, parents and administrators to talk about ethical choices and behavior. The goal is to help students make ethical choices and model the Six Pillars. The Josephson Institute, a non-profit organization which began the Character Counts! program, provides training to faculty and an array of materials to schools and organizations that join their program.

During the academic year of 2008-2009, the Lower School faculty will focus on one Pillar each month. At the beginning of each month, Lower School students will be introduced to the theme of the month during their library time, says Lower School Librarian and Storyteller Victoria Burnett. Burnett will select books that help teach each Pillar. For example, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein might be read to students in third and fourth grades to help reinforce Caring.

Also reinforcing the Character Counts! program during the school year will be day planners used by students in third through fifth grades. There will be banners around campus displaying the Six Pillars, and teachers will weave discussions of each Pillar into their lessons.

Janice Avalone is the coordinator for the school. In addition to incorporating the program into her Christian Life Skills classes, Avalone will provide tools to St. Margaret's parents in the weekly Bark to help parents continue character building conversations at home. According to Avalone, the Character Counts! program is designed to supplement and enhance what is already being taught in the home.

The program was launched on June 10 in a Kick-off Celebration in the Lower School. Each grade level was assigned one Pillar to present through skits or songs, and students wore colorful t-shirts that represented their respective Pillar.

The kick-off event was led by Academic Dean Regina McDuffie and Janice Avalone who thanked all the parents, students and teachers for their enthusiasm and support. Avalone was full of joy stating, "The campus was oozing with character." To open the presentation all classes sang the "Champ Chant" but replaced the word "spirit" with "character." Each class then stood up and challenged another grade by asking each other if they had character.

For more information, visit www.charactercounts.org or contact Janice Avalone.

Contact:
Anne Mack
949.661.0108 x252
949.400.2055 (mobile)
anne.mack@smes.org