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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.
UPDATE INCLUDES:
SPOTLIGHT ON CHARACTER
- Follow us on Facebook and Instagram
OPPORTUNITIES & AWARDS
- Apply to be a State and National School of Character
- Leading With Character Summit: November 3, 2025
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Webinar: Choose Love Movement
- International Education Week: Professional Development Opportunity
- Budgeting in 2025: Plan, Save, Thrive
- Health Education Regional Trainings
- Implementing Standards-Based Instruction
INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS & RESOURCES
- October is National Bullying Prevention Month
- Mental Health Awareness Toolkit
- Professional Learning Opportunity: How to Integrate Character Education in ELA & Social Studies by Learning About the Holocaust
- On-Demand Professional Learning
Follow Us On Facebook and Instagram
We’re excited to announce that Character Education in North Carolina now has official Facebook and Instagram pages! Follow us for the latest updates on Character Development, Service Learning, Student Leadership, and more:
Help us show that Character Matters in NC! If your school or district is doing something impactful in the areas of character, leadership, or service, we want to hear about it. Send your stories so we can help spotlight the great work happening across the state.
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 BECOME A SCHOOL OF CHARACTER
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN!
The 2026 Schools of Character application is now available! If your school is ready to grow its character education journey—or if you're just starting to explore the process—now is the perfect time to begin.
Visit the Schools of Character page to:
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Determine your school’s readiness
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Explore new and updated resources
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Begin your application with confidence
Don’t miss the newly updated Guide to Apply, which walks you through the redesigned evaluation cycle and offers step-by-step support for a successful application.
If you need help with your application, contact Justyn Burgess
 November 3, 2025 | 9 am - 4 pm
The Friday Institute: 1890 Main Campus Dr, Raleigh, NC 27606
- Gain insight into the 11 Principles of Character Education and practical ways to apply them in your school.
- Be inspired by success stories from State and National Schools of Character and learn how they revitalized their school communities.
- Connect with experts and fellow school leaders to deepen your understanding of Character Education.
 International Education Week Professional Development
Shaping the Future: Climate, Science, and Social Movements in a Changing World
The area studies centers at UNC and Duke partner with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to offer globally-focused professional development during International Education Week. International Education Week, held annually in November, is a national observance co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education that celebrates the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide.
Please contact Laura Cox at lauracox@live.unc.edu if you have any questions or concerns.
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Budgeting in 2025: Plan, Save, Thrive
North Carolina students are invited to showcase their creativity and financial smarts in the statewide “Budgeting in 2025: Plan, Save, Thrive!” contest.
Open to grades K–12 across all public, private, charter, and home schools, this competition encourages students to explore what budgeting means today through essays, visual art, videos, posters, or creative writing.
Regional winners will advance to a statewide showcase, with top entries honored at a celebration event in early 2026. Prizes include scholarships and recognition on the NC Department of Public Instruction website and social media. Submissions are due by December 15, 2025—don’t miss this chance to inspire the future of financial literacy!
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November 17, 2025, 9 am-4 pm, Southern Pines
Substance Use Prevention - This session will provide an interactive approach to addressing substance use prevention in your school community. Participants will gain practical tools and strategies to implement in their district/school to effectively curtail substance use.
Social & Emotional Learning Interactive session designed to explore high-quality SEL practices, connect to local priorities, and leave with actionable tools to align SEL with existing systems and support sustainable student wellbeing.
December 9, 2025, 9am-4pm, Greenville
Mental Health for Students & Staff - Take a deep dive into practical strategies that go beyond trauma-informed care toward healing-centered engagement. Interactive activities will help participants foster connection, belonging, and resilience, not just in classrooms, but across schools and districts.
**Trainings are open to current teachers and school staff. Stipends will be provided to cover time away from the classroom. Substitute pay is available.**
 Center For Safer Schools Anti-Bullying Campaign
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, when individuals, families, educators and communities unite in efforts to combat bullying and promote kindness and acceptance.
The Center for Safer Schools is launching a statewide anti-bullying campaign in partnership with the North Carolina-based Children and Parent Resource Group (CPR).
This free initiative – available to all middle schools across the state throughout the school year – is designed to help students better understand both the physical harm and the emotional impact that bullying can cause, as well as how to recognize peers who may be experiencing it.
Using 3-D video technology, interactive games and pre- and post-program student surveys, the campaign offers an engaging, research-based approach that highlights the serious effects bullying can have on the health and well-being of North Carolina students.
For more information on the CFSS anti-bullying campaign, send an email to CFSS School Safety Strategic Coordinator John Van Arnam. Space is limited and will be done on a first come, first served basis until all appointment slots are filled.
Mental Health Awareness Toolkit
September is National Suicide Prevention Month. EVERFI's Understanding Mental Wellness digital course introduces students to the topic of mental health and strategies to manage their own challenging thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Through interactive real-world scenarios, students learn how to support friends and family who may be struggling, how to recognize when to seek help, and how to access appropriate resources to do so.
Additional classroom resources can be found in EVERFI’s Mental Health Awareness Toolkit for educators.
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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 that help students build a deeper understanding of themselves and others while fostering empathy, emotional intelligence, and meaningful social connections.
Relationship Skills: Discover strategies to help your students cultivate strong interpersonal connections, communication skills, and conflict resolution
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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