CHARACTER EDUCATION AT CATHERINE A. DWYER SCHOOL
A 2020 NATIONAL SCHOOL OF CHARACTER
WHAT IS A NATIONAL SCHOOL OF CHARACTER?
“We are pleased to announce and celebrate the schools and school districts who have earned this national recognition,” said Dr. Arthur Schwartz, President of Character.org, the national organization that certifies National Schools of Character. “Each of these schools and school districts has put in place a comprehensive approach to help their students understand, care about, and consistently practice the core values that will enable them to flourish in school, in relationships, in the workplace, and as citizens.”
This year, Catherine A. Dwyer joins 83 schools and 7 districts in 15 states that have earned the prestigious designation, National School of Character, following a rigorous examination process. “These schools and school districts serve as an exemplary model for all schools and districts across the nation,” adds Lori Soifer, who directs the Schools of Character program. “The educators at these schools are inspiring their students to treat all people with respect and dignity. They are teaching their students to be honest and trustworthy, to contribute their time and talents to the common good, and when necessary, to show the courage to stand up for what is right.”
CHARACTER EDUCATION AT CATHERINE A. DWYER
“At Dwyer, we are a family” has been our mantra for many years as we have worked consciously and creatively to blend our small (320 ) but diverse student body that is 67.8% White, 22.5% Hispanic, 4.2% Asian, 1.8% Black, and 4% other or mixed races into one cohesive family. RTSD formally adopted core values in 2018, but character education has always been a part of Dwyer life. Located in Wharton, a smaller, diverse community, we believe our diversity has become our strength by using the family as our focus in our bonding activities, our curriculum, our service opportunities, and our parental approach. Our building language diversity is vast: English, Spanish, Urdu, Arabic, Gujarati, and Tagalog. In addition to our ESL programs, there are other demographic factors that impact our teaching and learning practices: 17% of our students are economically disadvantaged, and 12 % have special needs. “Respect for and Acceptance of All” has been a concept that has guided us; the introduction of district H.E.A.R.T. core values (Honesty, Empathy, Acceptance, Respect, and Trust), activated through the performance value of Effort, truly strengthened our program. In 2019 Dwyer received two Promising Practices for programs that long have been Dwyer character staples: R.O.B.O.T. (Respect Others; Be Outstanding Together) a project started 4 years ago by Grade 5 students, & “Seeds of Service,” a whole-community service project. In 2020 we received national recognition as a National School of Character. Receiving the honor of being named a National School of Character is not the culmination of our work – it is the BEGINNING of another stage in which we aspire to new heights!
CATHERINE A. DWYER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
2020 NEW JERSEY SCHOOL OF CHARACTER
The first step in becoming certified as a National School of Character is being recognized as a New Jersey School of Character. Our school underwent a rigorous application process in which we demonstrated how we addressed each one of the Eleven Principles of Effective Character Education, the proven framework for developing a School of Character.
SOME PRACTICES THAT KEEP OUR H.E.A.R.T. TICKING
| Morning Meetings | Responsive Classroom Strategies |
| Peer Buddies | Recycling Leaders |
| R.O.B.O.T. | “Seeds of Service” |
| Welcome Back Picnic | Family Fun Night |
| We Are Family Assembly | Family Activity Night |
| Bucket-Filling | “Caught Being Good” |
| “Walk for Water” | Valentines for Veterans |
| Lego Lounge for Thinking | Sensory Hallway |
| Safe School Training and Behavior Management Training for Staff | Teacher Participation in Montclair State University Network for Educational Renewal |
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| HEART Reflection Sheets |
| Chorus Performance for Senior Citizens | “Kindness Rocks” Projects |
| Career Day | Patriotic Assembly |
National Awards for Character Education
Respect Others; Be Outstanding Together
– 2019 Promising Practice
A school-wide initiative, designed and led by fifth graders, who bond with younger students, train fourth-grade leaders, and collaborate with staff to foster mutual respect and improve school culture.
2019 Promising Practice
A structured, student-led, all-school initiative in which classes choose, design and implement service projects that benefit both the local community and important charitable causes.