Character Education

Implementation

Character education was adopted by our staff four years ago as one of our PBIS components in order to provide:

specific behavioral expectations for students and staff
improvement of our school climate
to improve student behaviors
promotion of good character
Character Counts® curriculum

In October of 2013, Dr. Jennifer Gordon, Principal of McClure Elementary School, attended a character development workshop that was presented the Topeka College Preparatory Academy to and was presented by Dr. Lloyd V. Hackley and Dianna Hackley Hunt of Hackley and Associates. Dr. Gordon asked Dr. Hackley whether it was possible to design and implement a program to infuse the Character Counts! character development method into the school's on-going educational initiatives in a manner that would strengthen, enhance, complement and supplement the extant endeavors without distorting or supplanting them. During that initial period in Topeka, Dr. Hackley and Diana Hackley-Hunt visited McClure several times and noted extensive and intensive efforts underway to improve student behavior and academic outcomes. They were impressed by the clear intention to make McClure the focal point for enhancing parental and other adult involvement with the school, an essential element of any legitimate education reform effort. In recognition of the principal's, staffs", and parents" vision, values, goals and commitment to enhance students" readiness for success beyond McClure and to stimulate the development of a moral education community, McClure's Character Education journey began with Hackley and Associates.

Character Lessons

Students receive character education lessons through multiple sources. Teachers provided Character Trait of the Month lessons once or twice a month using Character Counts®. Our school counselor provides characters education lessons using her counselor resource and classroom teachers also provide social skills lessons using the Second Chance curriculum.

Impact

We monitor the effectiveness of our character education program through several sources.

Our student behavioral data is collected through:

House Family points
Discipline referrals
Bullying reports
Students who receive tier II or tier III behavior and/or social emotional interventions and supports.
Systematic social-emotional and behavior screeners

Six Pillars of Character Education

Character Assembly

Character Assembly 2018-2019

Celebrating Char6 Pillars of Characteracter Day at McClure Elementary

Author: Topeka Public Schools
Length: 3:55

Engage students in the highest quality of learning • Prepare students for responsible, productive citizenship • Inspire excellence for a lifetime

We Support Equal Opportunities

The Topeka Public Schools, Unified School District No. 501 is committed to affirmative action and equal opportunity. No person shall, on the basis of age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability, national origin or ancestry be denied lawful access to any appropriate educational service, program, or activity provided by the school district. For students, the Title VI, Title IX, and Section 504 compliance coordinator is the General Counsel for the district. For employment, the EEO/AA and Title VII compliance officer is the general director of human resources. Compliance coordinators may be contacted at 624 S.W. 24th Street, Topeka, KS 66611-1294, (785) 295-3000. The clerk of the Board of Education has been designated to receive and redirect or handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies, regulations, and procedures. The clerk may be contacted by calling (785) 295-3059 or by writing to 624 S.W. 24th Street, Topeka, Kansas 66611-1294.