The winning schools demonstrate that school transformation is possible through low-cost, high-quality character education initiatives. They have closed the achievement gap and raised academic expectations for all students, built strong relationships and partnerships between parents, teachers, and students, and given their students opportunities to serve their communities.
“All of the winners are wonderful exemplars of how comprehensive character education can truly transform school culture and climate, which in turn allows students and teachers to flourish,” said CEP Executive Director Joe Mazzola.
After three years as a Finalist for this prestigious award, Westwood joins the diverse group of winners this year including one school each from Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin and two schools and one district from Missouri.
Each winner will receive an award and a $3000 grant at CEP’s 16th National Forum on Character Education, Citizens of Character – the Foundation of Democracy, to be held October 29–31, 2009, in Washington, DC. Winners serve as mentors and models for other schools and districts seeking to improve their character education efforts. As such, Westwood will send a team of ambassadors to share its story and talk about its promising practices at the Forum.
Each year since 1998, the NSOC awards program has recognized approximately 10 K–12 schools and districts that provide exemplary comprehensive character education programs that consistently yield positive results in student behavior, citizenship, school climate, and academic performance. The national awards program is sponsored and administered by the Character Education Partnership and made possible through the generous support of the John Templeton Foundation and Lockheed Martin.
“CEP set a new record this year for the number of schools applying for our national recognition. The overall quality of applicants continues to get stronger, too,” said CEP Executive Director, Joe Mazzola. “Of course, this makes the competition extremely tough.”
The NSOC application process requires extensive reporting, documentation, and assessment of each school or district’s climate, academics, and programs to develop civic, moral, and social-emotional competencies. CEP’s Blue Ribbon Panel, consisting of experts in the field of character education, considered the written applications and site visit reports of 27 finalists to determine the 10 winners.
2009 National Schools of Character:
Alta S. Leary Elementary School, Warminster, Pennsylvania (Public/Grades K-5)
Bayless Junior High School, St. Louis County, Missouri (Public/Grades 7-8)
Beverly Woods Elementary School, Charlotte, North Carolina (Public/Grades K-5)
The Blake School, Minneapolis, Minnesota (Private/PreK-12)
Colonel John Robinson Elementary School, Westford, Massachusetts (Public/Grades K-2)
Fox C-6 School District, Arnold, Missouri (Public/Grades K-12)
Greenfield Elementary School, Beverly Hills, Michigan (Public/Grades PreK-5)
Long Elementary School, Crestwood, Missouri (Public/Grades K-5)
Milwaukee College Prep School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Public Charter School/PreK–8)
Westwood Elementary School, Friendswood, Texas (Public/Grades Pre K-3) |
