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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
- Leading With Character Summit: December 9, 2026
- New Self-Paced Course: Becoming a School of Character
- Become a North Carolina School of Character
- Institute on Global Perspectives: Understanding the World, Engaging with Purpose
- Regional NC Student Success Standards Training Opportunities
- Webinar: Integrating NC Student Success Standards into Character Education
- Coffee & Character Chats
INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS & RESOURCES
- Webinar Recording: Becoming a School of Character: A Step-by-Step Guide to Schools of Character Recognition
- Communities of Character Podcast: Your School's Core Values
- Explore Purpose, Empathy, and Gratitude to Build a Flourishing School Community
- Sandy Hook Promise Programs
- 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 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.
 December 9, 2026 | 9 am - 4 pm
The Friday Institute: 1890 Main Campus Dr, Raleigh, NC 27606
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Gain insight into the 11 Principles of Character Education and practical ways to apply them in your school.
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Be inspired by success stories from State and National Schools of Character and learn how they revitalized their school communities.
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Connect with experts and fellow school leaders to deepen your understanding of Character Education.
 New Self-Paced Course: Becoming a School of Character
Are you ready to strengthen your school culture and take the next step toward State or National School of Character recognition? The Becoming a School of Character course provides school teams with guided, practical support as they work through Character.org’s 11 Principles of Effective Character Education and prepare their School of Character application.
Throughout the course, participants will reflect on current practices, identify growth opportunities, gather evidence, and develop responses aligned with the application process. By the end of the course, your team will have completed much of the content needed for the official School of Character application, making the submission process more manageable and meaningful.
🎓 Participants who complete the course will earn 3 CEUs.
Whether your school is ready to apply this year or wants to begin building a more intentional culture of character, this course can help you move from “Where do we start?” to “We’re ready!”
 Become a School of Character
The deadline for this year has passed, but it’s the perfect time to begin your journey so you’re ready for next year’s submission. Whether you’re just exploring or ready to grow, the NCDPI Action Plan will guide your team step-by-step.
Get started:
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Make a copy of the NCDPI Action Plan
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Determine your school’s readiness
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Explore NCDPI Resources aligned to the 11 Principles of Character Education.
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Contact Justyn Burgess to schedule a coaching meeting and walk through your application plan.
Institute on Global Perspectives
Understanding the World, Engaging with Purpose
Thursday, November 19, 2026 | 9:00 - 4:30
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Room 150, Raleigh, NC
Celebrate International Education Week 2026 with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s Global Education Steering Committee at the 2026 Institute on Global Perspectives: Understanding the World, Engaging with Purpose! This in-person professional learning experience will bring K-12 educators together for interactive sessions, inspiring ideas, practical resources, and meaningful collaboration.
Participants will explore ways to:
- Incorporate global perspectives across grade levels and content areas.
- Help students examine global issues and understand multiple perspectives.
- Build connections among classrooms, cultures, communities, and the wider world.
- Strengthen students’ curiosity, communication, critical thinking, and capacity for informed action.
ALL K-12 educators across the state, regardless of content area or grade level, could have come to engage in global learning. Teachers and educators with a current North Carolina educator's license received Professional Development Hours or Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for participating in this in-person workshop. For updates, follow NCDPI Global Education on Facebook and Instagram @NCDPI_GlobalEd, subscribe to the Global Education newsletter, or email ncglobaleducation@dpi.nc.gov.
Regional NC Student Success Standards Training Opportunities
Join NCDPI this fall for a half-day regional training designed to help school counselors move from understanding the NC Student Success Standards to putting them into practice. This interactive training will deepen school counselors’ understanding and application of the NC Student Success Standards, while infusing key updates from the ASCA National Model, 5th Edition. Participants will explore how to use data to prioritize student needs, align comprehensive school counseling programming and delivery to the standards, and identify practical strategies to strengthen implementation within their schools. All trainings are 9am-12:30pm. Click below to register for your region.
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Piedmont Triad-October 20th, Memorial United Methodist Church, Thomasville, NC
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Southeast, October 28th, Eastern Skills Regional Center, Jacksonville, NC
 The Character Continuum: Integrating NC Student Success Standards into Character Education
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
10:00 am - 12:00 pm EDT
School counselors play a vital role in shaping school cultures where every student feels connected, supported, and empowered to thrive. Join us for this interactive webinar to explore connections between the 11 Principles of Character Education and the NC Student Success Standards, examine how character develops across the K–12 continuum, and discover practical strategies for intentionally building meaningful relationships and a strong sense of community. Participants will leave with actionable ideas for leading character development efforts within their schools.
 ☕ Coffee & Character Chats ☕
Community • Character • Connection
October 28, 2026 | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Once you register, you will receive an email with the meeting link. Join us each month for an informal virtual gathering where educators across North Carolina come together to share stories, reflect, and encourage one another in this work of building character and community.
Whether you bring a cup of coffee, tea, or your favorite morning drink, this is a space to:
💬 Celebrate stories of impact happening in schools
🌱 Share resources, strategies, and ideas
💛 Support one another in sustaining a culture of character
JOIN US — one cup, one chat, one community at a time
Webinar Recording: Becoming a School of Character: A Step-by-Step Guide to Schools of Character Recognition
Did you miss the live webinar? You can still watch the recording!
Interested in becoming a State or National School of Character? This webinar provides a step-by-step look at the application and recognition process and offers practical guidance to help schools tell the story of their character journey.
In this session, participants will learn how to:
- Navigate the application process and craft authentic, compelling narratives that highlight their school’s character journey.
- Select meaningful evidence aligned with the 11 Principles Framework that demonstrates a commitment to character development and whole-child success.
When accessing the recording, you will be prompted to enter the password: Character1
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In this webinar, you will explore how schools intentionally define, implement, and embed core values so they become the foundation of the school’s culture. Core values are not just statements—they guide decisions, shape relationships, and influence every aspect of school life.
As you watch, consider how a strong, shared set of core values can align your school community and drive your character initiative.
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On-Demand Professional Learning
Looking for professional learning that fits your schedule? Explore NCDPI’s growing collection of free, on-demand professional learning focused on Character Education and Social-Emotional Learning. Access recorded sessions featuring practical strategies, resources, and insights designed to strengthen school culture, support student well-being, build meaningful relationships, and foster character development.
Whether you’re looking to strengthen your school’s character initiative, support students’ social-emotional development, or simply add new strategies to your educator toolkit, there’s something for you.
Character1 is the password for each On-Demand session.
2026-2027 Office of Teaching & Learning Statewide Professional Learning
The NCDPI Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL) provides leadership and support for the review, revision, installation, and implementation of the NC Standard Course of Study, which includes resources and professional learning for providing high-quality, standards-aligned core instruction for every K–12 student.
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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