Wk2_ppt project

1. K-12 program that enhances a positive school climate through intensive decision making strategies, mindfulness, growth mindset and behavioral change theories

2. A program with a school-wide focus that uses Six Pillars of Character to build moral and ethical character: a. Trustworthiness b. Respect c. Responsibility d. Fairness e. Caring f. Citizenship

3. It is designed to work in conjunction with instead of superseding other academic support systems already in place on school campuses

Overview of what this program has to offer our campus: ● It integrate well with our commitment to provide students SEL

(Social Emotional Learning) opportunities ● We can tie it into to our single school culture Wildcat Best motto ● The Sun Sentinel Newspaper will collaborate with us to help

celebrate our monthly character winners. ● The Palm Beach County School District has many resources

available for us to use on campus

1. A character based program that easily integrates into our ongoing support programs

2. A four quarter approach to staff training and lesson focus

3. A program that has district resources available for: administrators, guidance counselors and teachers

4. Allows for a school based and district wide student and teacher recognition program

5. Works in conjunction with the Sun Sentinel newspaper Character Counts Awards

Program description: “CHARACTER COUNTS is braided with other programs to produce meaningful, measurable and sustainable outcomes in four domains: Academic, Social & Emotional, Character and School Climate”

Pros ● District support and resources available ● Easily adapts to our SEL focus ● Relates well with our Wildcat Best culture ● Easy initiation by starting with monthly

CHARACTER COUNTS Awards (enhanced by the support of the Sun Sentinel)

● Growth opportunities for classroom integration through the use of the four wheels of character

● “Recommended books” list available created for secondary education students

Cons ● The program could lose effectiveness if

partially implemented ● Teachers may initially see it as one more

thing to get trained in ● There is a need find additional ways to

integrate parent involvement ● It would be easy to strictly rely on district

material instead of investigating all of the products and information available directly from the program

It is a great program for RPBHS to implement! Rational for overall evaluative opinion:

● Strong and adaptable (include behavior and social emotional goals) ● Offers a variety of ways to easily implement the program ● Easy to use district resources ● Can work through the guidance office (they are visible to all one campus) ● Of the 11 key elements noted by Brook & Kann in “What makes Character Education Programs Work?”

for a character education program to work, Character Counts! has built-in components that: ○ Meet expectations in 9 elements - Direct Instruction, Language-based Curriculum, Positive

Language, Visual Reinforcement, School Climate Approach, Teacher Friendly Materials, Teacher Flexibility and Creativity, Student Participation and Evaluation)

○ Misses some expectations in 2 elements - “Content and Process” and “Parent Involvement and then some”

● When combined with our efforts in: Social Emotional Learning, Wildcat Best projects, Grit emphasis and PLCs I believe that the Character Counts! Program will easily meet all of the ten of the “ways schools can foster the development of performance character”.

*Clear and totally unbiased reviews were difficult to find but the following information was found on the CHARACTER COUNTS Website.

Academic Performance

● During four years of CHARACTER COUNTS! implementation, annual district API scores improved 5%. -Downey, CA

● Number of failing grades reduced by 26%. -Riverside Brookfield High, IL

Social and Emotional

● Verbal altercations down 68%. -Riverside Brookfield High, IL

● 88% of teachers say students are more emotionally and physically safe as a result of CHARACTER COUNTS! -Puerto Rico

School Climate

● Students reporting that they do not feel safe at school reduced from 56% to 50%. – Tulare Western High School, CA

● Physical violence reported as a problem by students, down 30%. -Monte Vista Elementary, CA

Character

● School principals report an 85% increase in students treating each other with greater kindness. -Puerto Rico

● 96% of parents say that CHARACTER COUNTS! is a valuable part of the school. -Downey, CA

**Clear and totally unbiased reviews were difficult to find but the following information was found on the Character Counts website. This slides show the information received through an case study

conducted by CHARACTER COUNTS and Hinsdale High School in Hinsdale, Illinois

The full case study walks through the data collected before looking for a character program to implement and then the data collected as the CC! Program stated. On the final pages were the results of the final data:

● 93% of students believe that adults at HCHS want them to succeed. ● 85% report that some adult at school knows them well and cares

about them.91% feel supported by their teachers. ● 85% report that the school contributed to their personal growth. ● 70% say that students at HCHS treat each other with respect. ● 74% show pride in their school by volunteering.

***Clear and totally unbiased reviews were difficult to find the but following information was found on the Character Counts website. This slide show the information received through an independent

evaluation of the Buffalo Public School District

The case study also states that “such significant impacts of the CC! Program were not expected to be this evident until after 3 years of program implementation. However after only 1 ½ years of implementation, positive impacts like increased graduation rates and improvements in academic proficiencies are already being identified and are statistically significant.”

Resources used for presentation: School District of Palm Beach County Character Counts! Guide (2019-2020)

SDPBC Behavior/Character Lesson Plans (Florida’s PBS: A Multi-Tiered Support System, 2013)

Character Counts! Website: https://charactercounts.org/ Hinsdale H.S. Case Study Buffalo, NY Public School District Evaluation Report by CCNY Inc. Buffalo, NY

Educational Leadership (Nov 1993) “What Makes Character Education Programs Work? (Brooks and Kann)

Character Education Partnership (April 2008) “Performance Values: Why They Matter and What Schools Can Do to Foster Their Development”