Sign up for the Character Education Updates to stay informed, and visit our Character Education Website for information on legislation, resources, and State Schools of Character.
Character in Action: North Carolina's Response to Hurricane Helene
Like many of you, the images and videos of the destruction and devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene leave us heartbroken for everyone. Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers are with Western North Carolina.
Yet, in the face of this adversity, the true character of North Carolinians shines through. North Carolinians are demonstrating remarkable resilience, compassion, and community after this disaster. From neighbors helping neighbors to volunteers traveling across the state, we're seeing true character in action.
Below are resources for individuals interested in donating or volunteering. Your actions will testify to the strong character we strive to instill in all North Carolinians. Remember, character is not just taught—it's lived. Let's show the world what North Carolina's character truly means.
UPDATE INCLUDES:
SPOTLIGHT ON CHARACTER
- Haynes-Inman Education Center Recognized as a State and National School of Character
- North Shelby School Student Demonstrates Character
OPPORTUNITIES & AWARDS
- Bullying Prevention Month
- Apply to be a 2025 State and National School of Character
- Character Education Professional Development Opportunities
- Webinars
- Honors Level Course Work
- Grants
INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS & RESOURCES
- 11 Principles of Character Revised Guidebook
- Professional Learning Opportunity: How to Integrate Character Education in ELA & Social Studies by Learning About the Holocaust
- On-Demand Professional Learning
- External Implementation Guide
 Haynes-Inman Education Center
2024 State and National School of Character
Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt and The North Carolina State Board of Education recognized Haynes-Inman Education Center as a 2024 State and National School of Character. This is the second time Haynes-Inman has been recognized for their extraordinary efforts in character development. Haynes-Inman serves students from ages 3-22 with severe to profound cognitive and physical disabilities. When Haynes-Inman received the National School of Character for the 2nd time, principal Kevin Car said,
"At Haynes-Inman – a school for students with significant disabilities, The character traits we see in our students (hope, patience, dignity, happiness, strength, perseverance, respect, and compassion) remind us that each of our students comes to us just as they should –perfect. More importantly, we all have gifts and talents that need to be shared and appreciated. Our classrooms serve as daily reminders of the good we see in our students. This is where we find out what we can do. |Our students and their families face challenges most would find daunting. By sharing their love for each other, their gifts, and their zest for living, they demonstrate moral action daily. We, the entire Haynes-Inman community, are better for it."
North Shelby School Student Demonstrates Character
North Shelby is a school in Cleveland County Schools and serves students from ages five to twenty-one who have significant disabilities. Z'Moria is an 11th grader at North Shelby School. She told her teacher, Mrs. Patterson, she wanted to be a teacher one day. Z'Moria possesses strong advocacy skills and advocates for herself to become a teacher. Her teacher, Mrs. Patterson, coordinated with school leadership at North Shelby and James Love Elementary to help Z'Moria live her dream of becoming a teacher to help others.
Z'Moria takes her job very seriously and loves working with the kindergarten class she co-teaches. As excited as Z'Moria is to see her students, they are always eager for her visit. Before her lessons, Mrs. Patterson coaches Z'Moria's teaching skills and supports her in preparing for the lessons ahead of time.
Z'Moria's story highlights how "advocacy" is an essential characteristic for students to learn—teaching students how to advocate for themselves and others empowers them to stand up for themselves and others. It encourages students to be aware of social issues and injustices, fostering empathy and understanding. Advocacy requires effective communication, helping students develop articulation and persuasion skills. It encourages students to consider ethical implications and make moral choices.
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National Bullying Prevention Month
October marks National Bullying Prevention Month. Bullying affects families across North Carolina and transcends all demographic boundaries. By shedding light on this problem and deepening our understanding, we can better equip ourselves as a community to prevent its occurrence.
According to PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center, one in five students reports being bullied. However, the actual number of bullying incidents may be significantly higher due to underreporting. Anti-bullying campaigns empower communities and individuals to create supportive and safe environments in schools, organizations, families, and neighborhoods. Together, we can create a safer, more inclusive environment for all.
Tack Action:
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Wear Orange on Unity Day: Wednesday, October 16th Unity Day promotes kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. Orange is chosen as it's a warm color associated with safety and visibility
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Educate Yourself and Others Learn about the signs of bullying, its impact, and effective prevention strategies
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Speak Up Encourage open conversations about bullying in your community and support those affected.
- For more information on how you can help end bullying, visit these valuable resources:
- PACER.org
- StopBullying.gov
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Apply to be a 2025 State and National School of Character
Has your school or district cultivated a supportive and caring community? Do you think your staff, students, and the larger community have successfully implemented the 11 Principles of Effective Character? Apply this fall for State or National School of Character and receive valuable insights and feedback to enhance your school culture regardless of the outcome. The School of Character Application deadline is November 8, 2024
If you need funding to apply please contact Justyn Burgess at Justyn.Burgess@dpi.nc.gov
Learn More and Get Started!
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Would You Like To Learn More About Character Education?
Are you eager to create a culture of character in your classroom, school, and district using the 11 Principles of Character Education? NCDPI has professional learning opportunities to assist your school or district with your character education journey. If your school or district is interested in hosting a Character Education Professional Learning Opportunity, please take a moment to complete this survey to help our NCDPI team understand your needs. Contact Justyn Burgess, State Coordinator for Character Education, if you have questions.
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 Mental Health in the K-12 Workplace: Finding the Balance Between Quick Wins and Long-Term Planning
Thursday, October 10, 2024 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm EDT
The World Federation for Mental Health has declared “It’s time to prioritize mental health in the workplace” as the unifying theme for this year’s World Mental Health Day (October 10). And with nearly half of all teachers nationwide reporting frequent feelings of burnout and inadequate mental health support, there is no question that action is needed in the field of education.
Attendees will be guided through:
- A case study example of how one district took action on the immediate need for adult social-emotional learning and workplace wellness
- Visioning exercises that help them imagine the kind of culture they would like to cultivate
- Mindfulness activities to identify immediate actions that are within their locus of control
Creating a School Culture That Values Student Voice
Tuesday, October 29, 2024 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm EDT
A recent Gallup survey shows student engagement has fallen in recent years, with only 47% of high school students feeling engaged in their education. What is the missing link to engaging students? Student voice.
Students who believe they have a voice in school are eight times more engaged and seven times more likely to be academically motivated than students who do not believe they have a voice. Elevating student voice regarding students’ own learning experiences can produce significantly greater outcomes. So, how do you create a school culture that values student voice? Join this webinar panel to learn from district and school leaders who have made student voice a priority, and:
- Learn how to create a culture that values student voice
- Gain a framework for collecting student voice data
- Hear about successes, challenges, and lessons learned when shifting school culture
NCDPI Honors Level Coursework
Regional Professional Learning
In this session, participants will delve into the components of the new honors policy and learn how to evaluate current honors-level courses to ensure they meet the required depth and complexity. They will explore the Honors Level Course Development and Evaluation Tool and other resources while receiving guidance on policy implementation. Additionally, participants will deepen their knowledge of advanced learning indicators and engage with best-practice instructional strategies that support honors-level coursework.
Bring a team of 4-5 people who are involved with overseeing honors implementation in the district. Consider the roles of CAOs, Instructional coaches, high school principals and APs, lead teachers, etc. This PD is a “train-the-trainer” model.
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GRANTS
Kid Kindness Grants: Deadline to apply is 11/5/2024
Students ages 5-18 can apply for grants of up to $250 for individuals, $500 for small groups of 2-4 kids, or $800 for groups of 5+ kids to identify problems in their schools, neighborhoods, and communities, and find creative ways to solve problems through kindness. Groups can include a group of friends, a school club, a classroom, a scout troop, a sports team, etc.
Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship: Deadline to apply is 11/5/2024
This scholarship program rewards students who help end hunger in their communities. Students from kindergarten through graduate school (ages 5-25) are eligible to apply for a $10,000 scholarship and receive a $5,000 grant for the hunger-related charity of their choice. National winners are recognized at the Sodexo Charity Classic Presented by PepsiCo, which will take place on May 5 - 7, in Frisco, Texas.
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11 Principles Guidebook
Character.org has released the newly revised version of the 11 Principles Framework for Schools: A Guide to Cultivating a Culture of Character. The Guidebook explains each principle and key indicators, along with recent school-based examples.
Professional Learning Opportunity: How to Integrate Character Education in English Language Arts & Social Studies through Holocaust Education
Are you looking for ways to implement both Character Education and the Gizella Abramson Holocaust Education Act in ELA and Social Studies classrooms?
Learning about Character Education through the lens of the Holocaust allows students to build their character and develop skills like empathy and social awareness. In an effort to foster these skills, NCDPI partnered with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to create standards-based resources for implementation in secondary grades. These resources are based on using the texts Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank and Night by Elie Wiesel. The goal of the resources is for teachers to be able to embed both character education and Holocaust education seamlessly into the core curriculum.
Contact Thomas.Daugherty@dpi.nc.gov and Kelly.Schultz@dpi.nc.gov to set up a professional learning experience or to learn more about these resources and how they can be used in your classrooms.
On-Demand Professional Learning
Take advantage of recordings of NCDPI Character Education & Social-Emotional Learning on-demand webinars. Watch these recorded presentations to help you enhance your classroom experience and empower your students to become more empathetic, responsible, and caring citizens. These webinars will help you discover practical strategies to help your students regulate emotions, set goals, and demonstrate self-discipline. Character1 is the password for each On-Demand session.
Character Education
Leading With Character Improve the climate and culture of your school community based on the 11 principles of character education; Gain ideas and resources to improve school climate and culture from a state and national school of character; and understand the impact of character development on teachers, students, and overall school climate and culture
Intrinsic Motivation: Foster intrinsic motivation in students; develop a comprehensive, intentional, and proactive approach to character education at your school
Integrate Social-Emotional Learning in Your Classroom
Self Management: Discover practical strategies to help your students regulate emotions, set goals, and demonstrate self-discipline.
Responsible Decision-Making: Discover strategies to empower your students to think critically, make ethical choices, and contribute positively to society.
Self and Social Awareness: Discover strategies to help your students develop a deep understanding of themselves and others, fostering empathy, emotional intelligence, and positive social interactions
Relationships Skills Discover strategies to help your students discover effective strategies to help your students cultivate strong interpersonal connections, communication skills, and conflict resolution
New External Implementation Guide
The External Implementation Guide is a repository for all North Carolina Standard Course of Study (NCSOS) stakeholders. This repository provides a variety of resources for supporting administrators, educators, and parents during the implementation of the Standard Course of Study for each content area. The range of resources offers users an opportunity to determine their own specific needs and find materials that suit them.
This Canvas repository can be accessed with or without a Canvas account. Browse through resources to help you learn, plan, instruct, review, and inform yourself or others.
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