Rensselaer Park Honored for “Character Education” Work
The Rensselaer Park Elementary School was honored recently for its “Promising Practices in Character Education” at the “Champions of Character” Awards Banquet held March 12th at the Franklin Plaza in Troy.
A variety of character awards are granted to schools, administrators and teachers from throughout the Capital Region each year by the Academy for Character Education at The Sage Colleges. The awards honor civility and alternatives to violence by developing character traits such as respect, honesty, caring relationships, courage to do the right thing, responsibility and service to community.
Rensselaer Park Elementary School (RPES) was honored for its work in a number of character education initiatives to ensure that students understand, appreciate and practice essential character traits.
Among the school’s activities are Virtue of the Month, Song of the Month, Morning Program, Whole School Assemblies, Goal of the Week, RPES Pledge, Peaceable Schools, PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies), Don’t Laugh at Me, and Learning for Life. All students at RPES learn to use Whole Body Listening, give and receive compliments, identify and express feelings, and use self-calming techniques. Students who would benefit from further work in these areas participate in individual and group counseling at the school and many are provided with Behavior Intervention Plans.
RPES students are recognized for outstanding character with Character Shines Tickets and Drawings, Our Cafeteria Stamp Program, and with frequent praise. Fifth-grade students participate in a leadership group called SHARP (Sophisticated, Honorable, and Respectful People), in which they mentor and serve as role models for younger students. Older students also read to younger students in our Reading Buddies program.
Faculty members give students extra attention and guidance through our Mentor Program. Character Education is infused into the academic curriculum at all grade levels. In addition, all students and faculty participate in numerous service learning activities.
The school was honored, in part, for its ability to reach out to, connect with and foster good character in some of its most-challenging students by bringing them into the fold of a caring school community.
Rensselaer was one of four elementary or middle schools to receive an award in the “Promising Practices in Character Education” category this year.
For more information contact:
Lansingburgh Central School District
518.233.6850