Character Education Program

As a primary school we recognize that young children must be taught the difference between right and wrong. This is our opportunity to teach and model our character education initiative. Dr. Michelle Borba refers to this as building a child's “moral core”. These strong ethical convictions are known as virtues. Virtues or character traits are “not what we see the kids do, it's what they do when we're not watching.”

In 2009-2010, we will review the following virtues:
•  Peacefulness
•  Honesty
•  Citizenship
•  Co-operation

Each student in our school belongs to a forest family. Each forest family (i.e. Bears, Elks, Ravens, Beavers, Fox, etc) meets at the monthly forest family assemly to learn about the new virtue and skill. We choose a hero or role model whom we think exemplifies that virtue. The students then have two weeks to practice the skill, as well as integrate the skill into other subject areas. Classroom practice is supplemented with a daily scenario that is read over the intercom after morning announcements, which classes are expected to spend two minutes discussing. Forest families meet again during the third week of each month to practice the virtue-associated skill introduced at the assembly. This provides students with an opportunity to “bond ” as a “family” as well as to firm-up the idea/skill. Each family also gathers once per month to eat lunch and visit with one another. The character education overview for the first half of the 2009-10 school year is available here: Overview

Kelso's Choices are the choices we encourage students to use when handling small problems. If they have a BIG problem, students are taught to tell an adult they trust. Kelso's Choices