For Character

Role of Administrators

Ideas for the Superintendent

As the superintendent of a school district implementing CHARACTER COUNTS!, you can use your influence and your position to assist in the integration of the pillars or a way of life.  You can show the school staff and the community the connection between an educational system and the moral development of young people.  These are some ideas on how you can support the implementation of a CHARACTER COUNTS! Program:

·        Display the CHARACTER COUNTS! poster in your office where all visitors can see it.

·        Provide professional development for all staff members on character education, and show your interest and support by attending them.

·        Allow (and encourage) the CHARACTER COUNTS! logo and posters to be displayed throughout the building and on the school buses.

·        Include character education in the school’s vision statement, goals and board policies.

·        Take advantage of grant opportunities to help fund the CHARACTER COUNTS! Program.

·        Create a caring and safe environment that welcomes students, staff, and all visitors.

·        Support all successes and attend all CHARACTER COUNTS! events and celebrations.

·        Send congratulatory notes and personal letters to staff and students demonstrating the practice of the six pillars.

·        Greet students (by name, when possible) with a friendly “hello” whenever you see them in your office, hallway or even out of school.

Ideas for the Principal

As an administrator, you can use your influence and position to transform your school into an environment that is rich in demonstrations of the Six Pillars.  You are in a unique position to model and enforce the practice of the Six Pillars.  In addition, you can help get the word out about CHARACTER COUNTS! to the parents and to the other school in the district.  There are other steps you can take to help students learn and practice the Six Pillars of CHARACTER COUNTS!   They are:

·        Display the CHARACTER COUNTS! poster in the hallways – teach, enforce, advocate, and model them.

·        Be an advocate for each child in your building.  Build a supportive relationship with each child.

·        Be clear with the students in your building about the behavior your expect from them.  Use CHARACTER COUNTS! language to remind them.

·        Orient all teachers and support staff to the CHARACTER COUNTS! Program.  Bring them on board by sharing your expectations for each of them.

·        Dedicate a few minutes at teacher meetings to talk about the Pillar of the Month and share CHARACTER COUNTS! information and ideas.

·        Orient all volunteers and substitutes to the CHARACTER COUNTS! Program.

·        Make the implementation of the CHARACTER COUNTS! Program a strong building-level goal for each school year.

·        Orient new teachers to the CHARACTER COUNTS! Program.

·        Plan school-wide activities and celebrations for the Pillar of the Month so that students can learn them and understand the meaning of each of them.

·        Orient all of your parents to the CHARACTER COUNTS! Program.  Let them know what your school is trying to accomplish and what you would like them to reinforce at home.  Keep them informed.

Ideas for the Curriculum Coordinator

As a curriculum coordinator, you can use your influence and position to transform the school into an environment that is rich in demonstrations of the Six Pillars.  You are in a unique position to model and enforce the practice of the six traits.  In addition, you can help get the word out about CHARACTER COUNTS! to the teachers, the other buildings in the school district, and to the community.  There are other steps you can take to help spread the word about the six pillars of CHARACTER COUNTS!  They are:

·        Assist teachers in getting a CHARACTER COUNTS! program started.

·        Assist in establishing a CHARACTER COUNTS! Task Force consisting of school and community representatives to facilitate the implementation of the program both in the school and the community.

·        Be an advocate for each teacher in the building.  Assist them in developing curriculum, obtaining materials, gathering information, and finding developmentally-appropriate ideas for classroom implementation.

·        Assist in the principal in orienting all teachers and support staff to the CHARACTER COUNTS! Program.  Bring them on board by sharing your expectations of each of them.

·        Dedicate a few minutes at teacher and curriculum meetings to talk about the Pillar of the Month and to share CHARACTER COUNTS! information and ideas.

·        Report information about the CHARACTER COUNTS! Program to the school board.

·        Make the implementation of the CHARACTER COUNTS! Program a strong building-level goal for each school year.

·        Orient the new staff to the CHARACTER COUNTS! Program.

·        Assist in planning school-wide activities/celebrations for the Pillar of the Month so that students can learn them and understand the meaning of each of them.  Communicate all events to the public.