Eldridge Park School in Lawrence and Yardville Elementary School in Hamilton were two of 83 schools from 21 states to earn the title of 2017 Schools and Districts of Character by the nonprofit organization Character.org.
This title validates character initiatives in schools and communities around the world. Each year, Character.org — formerly The Character Education Partnership — and its state affiliates select schools and districts that demonstrate a dedicated focus on character development programs and a positive impact on academic achievement, student behavior, school climate and their communities.
Criteria for selection are based on Character.org’s 11 Principles of Effective Character Education, a framework to assist schools in providing students with opportunities for moral action, fostering shared leadership and engaging families and communities as partners in the character-building effort.
“Eldridge Park, a kindergarten through third grade school with a unique and diverse population, incorporates a strong focus on character education across the grade span and throughout the curriculum,” Principal Kathy Robbins said. “This authentic and long term commitment to character education has helped make Eldridge Park School a place where students learn to ‘Be Kind and Rock On’ and understand ‘Everything is Possible.’”
Since the inception of Character.org’s Schools of Character program in 1998, 474 schools and 30 districts have been designated as National Schools or Districts of Character, impacting more than 1.5 million students’ lives.
“We are thrilled to be one of only 83 schools recognized nationwide for the programs we implement to help our students develop character,” Yardville Principal Elena Manning said. “Through an in-depth and rigorous evaluation process, we were found to be an exemplary model of character development.”
Eldridge Park School in Lawrence earned the title of a 2017 School of Character.,
