October 2014 Newsletter Maryland Center for Character Education at Stevenson University

“Character
Education is not a
program — it’s a
way of life.”
Check us out: www.mdctrcharacter.org
Volume 8, Issue 10
October 2014 Newsletter
Maryland Center for Character Education at Stevenson University
Awards Program, October 9th, 2014
Baltimore, MD — The Maryland
Center for Character Education at
Stevenson University MCCE@SU)
is dedicated to making an ethical
difference in the lives of individuals
and the entire community through
education. The Center encourages teachers and administrators,
in public and private schools to
teach, model, and reinforce moral
values and ethical behavior.
On Thursday, October 9 the
Maryland Center for Character
Education at Stevenson University
will be holding their annual
Awards Luncheon and Program at
Stevenson University, Owings
Mills Campus, Rockland Center.
selected by their county Superintendent and/or their Character
Education Coordinator.
This year our Keynote Speaker is
Sean McComb, 2014’s Teacher of
the Year! Sean is a 9-12th grade
English teacher at Patapsco High
School & Center for the Arts in
Baltimore, Maryland. He is currently completing his eighth year
as an educator and has been at
Patapsco since beginning his teaching career.
2013 Awards Program
Fall is on its way!
Inside this issue:
MCCE@SU
Awards Program
1
School Counselor
Resources
1
2014 CEP Awards
2
October, Best
Practices
2
In partnership with the Maryland
State Department of Education
(MSDE) and the Character Education Partnership (CEP), the Maryland Center for Character Education at Stevenson University
(MCCE@SU) will honor 55
schools from throughout Mary
This website houses several resources for school counselors. Online from newsletters to lesson plans
44 US Presidents
3
and scholastic journal articles. There
are a few items that are available for
A Bug and a Wish
3
Issue #147 (August 8,
2014) of the SchoolCounselor.com
eNewsletter is now
online!
purchase, but for the most part everything is free.
2013—2014
4
School of the Year
Winners
land. The awards program recognizes schools or districts that
demonstrate an outstanding character education initiative yielding
positive results in student behavior, school climate, and academic
performance.
The schools are
For further information about the
Awards Luncheon and Program,
please contact Linda Muska,
Executive Coordinator for the
Maryland Center for Character
Education at Stevenson University
MCCEcharacter@aol.com or visit
our website at
www.mdctrcharacter.org.
Check it out:
www.schoolcounselor.com/
Page 2
Montgomery County
Caroline County
Carroll County
John Poole Middle
Colonel Richardson Middle
Shiloh Middle
2014
2014
2014
National School of Character
State School of Character
Emerging School for
The Character Education Partnership is proud to Add 44 schools
and districts to its 2014 roster of
National Schools of Character
(NSOC). Each school or district is
recognized for its commitment to
character education and for fostering a positive environment for
social and academic learning.
Greensboro Elem. School
Best Practices for the
Month of October
Principal: Dawn Swann
Character Education
44 Schools and 4 School Districts
Recognized for Excellence in
2014-2015 Schools of Character Online Application Opens
Mid-End of September
Character Education.
http://www.character.org/schoolsof-character/national-schools-ofcharacter-overview/applicationtimeline/
Honoring our Award Winners from the 2013– 2014 School Year
Best Practices for the Month of October
Greensboro Elementary School, Caroline County
Guidance: J. Chris Render
Primary Principles
Emphasized: 1,3,4,5,6,7,8,10
Objective(s): Greensboro Elementary School has implemented
many programs to further student character education and development. Our school uses positive referrals, the Character Counts
program, guidance lessons/group counseling, service learning projects, math and reading incentive programs and special events to
foster academic growth, student achievement, and character development.
Our school continues to use the positive referral program,
which awards students for showing respect, responsibility, and/or
readiness during their school day. This program is called the BeeSuccessful program, which is based upon our school mascot, the
Hornet. Students who receive a positive referral get their referral
read over the announcements by an administrator, a special prize
from the prize box, and a special Bee that has their name on it and
it is put on display in the front lobby for the entire year!
Our Character Counts Program is run by our Climate Committee
and is focused on the six pillars of character, which include Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship. Our program is a comprehensive and proactive approach to
character development. We hold a special celebration each month
for one student from each homeroom class that exemplifies one of
the Character Counts traits. Parents are invited to the celebration
and each student is presented with an award certificate and a Character Counts wristband. An administrator also reads a statement
submitted by each teacher that explains how the student of the
month displays the specific trait. Students also have an opportunity to
decorate their picture which is displayed on our “character tree” for
the entire school year. Greensboro Elementary School has several
Character Counts Coaches that volunteer their time to share small
guidance lessons focused on the six pillars of character. Our teachers
also incorporate character education into their academic program as
well.
The School Counselor has implemented various guidance lessons
and group counseling sessions that are shared with students from kindergarten through 5th grade. These lessons are focused on the 6 pillars
of character, friendship skills, anger management, self-esteem, manners,
bullying, feelings, tolerance, social issues, and career awareness.
Service Learning activities and opportunities have also been implemented for grades three through five. This encourages responsibility,
respect, and good citizenship. Greensboro Elementary provides the
following service learning opportunities: Earth Day, Pennies for Patients
(for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society), Environmental focused field
trips, Jump Rope for Heart (for the American Heart Association), Harvest for the Hungry (for the Maryland Food Bank) and an awareness
fundraiser for the Winter Haven Homeless Shelter.
Our Math and Reading Committees offer monthly incentives for
reading 30 minutes each night and completing the monthly math calendar. This facilitates responsibility and self-motivation by rewarding students who go above and beyond their required homework assignments
and projects. Our Reading Committee has also started an annual Writing Night that offers students an opportunity to share their writing with
peers and parents.
Page 3
Volum e 8, I ssue 10
Greensboro Elementary integrates character
This helps create a caring school community and provides students the opportunity to encourage and support their fellow classmates. Our Math Committee
continues to hold annual math nights that encourages
families and students to come together and work
fairly, cooperatively, and respectively with one another.
education into all aspects of learning, sharing, and
growing to help our children be trustworthy, respectful, responsible, fair, caring, and proactive
members of Greensboro Elementary and their
community!
Our special events are run by our Parent Involvement Committee and include Muffins with Moms,
Donuts with Dads, Earth Day, and Career Day. All of
these events bring together the parents, the students,
and the community to provide positive learning experiences and an opportunity to show Greensboro’s
good character!
Greensboro Elementary School
625 N. Main Street
Greensboro, MD 21639
Caroline County
44 US Presidents
A cool video showing all 44 Presidents of the
United States of America . This is a wonderful way
for students to review the history of United States
Presidents as it’s fun to watch one president
morph into another president.
www.youtube.com/embed/xBrSgyPgwYg?
feature=player_embedded <http://www.youtube.com/embed/
xBrSgyPgwYg?feature=player_embedded>
The White House, the president's
official residence and
center of the administration
A Bug and a Wish by Karen Scheuer
If Bullying ‘Bugs’ You, Take a
Tyler finds a ladybug and a dandelion
Peek at This Children’s Book!
seed, he thinks this is what Danae was
The wonderful story A Bug and a Wish
tackles the topic of bullying
talking about. As Danae helps Tyler
learn the true meaning of her advice,
Tyler finally understands the solution
In this wonderfully illustrated tale, a little
to his problem and hopes there will be
boy named Tyler is teased by the other
NO MORE BULLYING!
boys. His good friend, Danae, encourages
him to give the boys A Bug and a Wish.
What could she possibly mean? When
Check it Out:
http://sbprabooks.com/KarenScheuer/
The executive power in
the federal government
is vested in the
President of the United
States. The President
may sign legislation
passed by Congress
into law or may veto it.
Barack Obama is the
44th President of the
United States of America.
MCCE@SU 2013- 2014 School of the Year Award Winners
County
School
Principal
Anne Arundel
Anne Arundel
Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore
Caroline
Caroline
Caroline
Caroline
Caroline
Caroline
Carroll
Carroll
Carroll
Carroll
Carroll
Carroll
Carroll
Carroll
Dorchester
Frederick
Frederick
Garrett
Harford
Harford
Harford
Kent
Montgomery
Montgomery
Prince George’s
Prince George’s
Prince George’s
Prince George’s
Prince George’s
Prince George’s
Queen Anne’s
St. Mary’s
Somerset
Somerset
Somerset
Somerset
Talbot
Washington
Washington
Wicomico
Mary Moss Academy
Nantucket Elementary
Bear Creek Elementary
Dundalk High
Loch Raven Technical Academy
Logan Elementary
Mars Estates Elementary
Norwood STEM Program
Pikesville High School
Pine Grove Middle
Randallstown Elementary
Winand Elementary
Caroline Career &Tech Center
Colonel Richardson High
Colonel Richardson Middle
Greensboro Elementary
North Caroline High
Preston Elementary
Carrolltowne Elementary
Elmer Wolfe Elementary
Francis Scott Key High
Mechanicsville Elementary
New Windsor Middle
Oklahoma Road Middle
Spring Garden Elementary
West Middle School
Warwick Elementary
Catoctin High
Thurmont Elementary
Northern Middle School
Churchville Elementary
Havre de Grace Elementary
Magnolia Elementary
Galena Elementary
Francis Scott Key Middle
Thomas W. Pyle Middle
Beltsville Academy
Charles Carroll Middle
Oxon Hill Middle
Panorama Elementary
Tall Oaks High
Tayac Elementary
Queen Anne’s County High
Dynard Elementary
Carter G.Woodson Elem.
Crisfield Academy & High School
Deal Island Elementary
Princess Anne Elementary
White Marsh Elementary
Pangborn Elementary
Williamsport Elem STEM School
North Salisbury School
Wendy Slaughter
Sara Pickens
Cheryl Thim
Tom Shouldice
Stacey Johnson
Stephen Bender
Sharon Whitlock
Pat Goldys
Edmund Mitzel
Sandra Reid
Lois Stokes
Wanda Better-Davis
Gene Smith
Susan McCandless
Lynn Willey
Dawn Swann
Dr. Michael Smith
Dr. Lois McCoy
Vicki Winner
Tracy Belski
John Baugher
Steve Wernick
Erin Brilhart
David Watkins
Debbie Bunker
Amy Gromada
Leslie Tolley
Bernard Quesada
Christina McKeever
Karen Kamauff DeVore
Edith Buckler
Ronald Wooden
Patricia Mason
Dawn VanGrin
Yolanda Stanislaus
Christopher Nardi
Leslie Lowe
David Curry
Wendell Coleman
Patricia Wells
Dr. Larry Mcrae
Dr. Saundra Mayo-Carr
Jacquelyn Wilhelm
Andrea Owens
Lilly Welch
Mr. Conrow
Ted Gibson
Cortney Monar
Dr. Marcia Sprankle
Eric Meredith
Dr. Jana Palmer
Ruby Brown
MCCE@SU 2013 - 2014 School System of the Year
Prince George’s County Public Schools