Karla Denny, Director, Communications and Recognition Programs, 785-296-4876
April 24, 2008
Seven Schools/Programs and Two Districts to Receive Character Education Awards
KEY FACTS:
What: Character Education Awards
When: May 8, 2008, 11:00 a.m.
Where: Brown v Board of Education National Historic Site
The Kansas State Department of Education in partnership with the National Park Service and the Kansas State Attorney General’s Office will be recognizing nine Kansas schools and/or districts that have demonstrated outstanding character education programs. Attorney General Steve Six and Kansas State Board of Education Chairman Dr. Bill Wagnon will be presenting the awards at the Brown v Board of Education National Historic Site on May 8th at 11:00 a.m.
The Kansas Schools of Character Award recipients are schools and/or districts that have demonstrated education principles that include creating a caring school community, engaging families and community members as partners in character-building efforts, fostering self-motivation, and implementing meaningful and challenging academic curriculum that respects all learners, develops character, and helps students succeed.
The awards are made possible through a grant sponsored by the Character Education Partnership (CEP) (
www.charcter.org), a national organization promoting character education programs in schools. According to CEP, “Character education is a national movement creating schools that foster ethical, responsible, and caring young people by modeling and teaching good character through an emphasis on universal values that we all share.”
The schools receiving awards include Robinson Middle School, USD 501 Topeka; Sterling High School, USD 376 Sterling; Glenwood Ridge Elementary School, USD 458 Basehor-Linwood; St. Mark’s Charter School, USD 267 Renwick; Starside Elementary School, USD 232 De Soto; and Tescott Grade School, USD 240 Twin Valley. The Junior ROTC program, USD 259 Wichita Public Schools, will also receive an award. Districts receiving the awards include USD 395 LaCrosse, and USD 266 Maize.
Other officials to be present at the ceremony include Dennis Vásquez, superintendent, Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site; Cindy Patton, executive director, Topeka City of Character Project; Sue Kidd, Southeast Kansas Educational Service Center; Dr. Tom Foster, interim deputy commissioner/director of standards and assessments, Learning and Innovative Services and Lynn Vásquez, education program consultant for history/government, Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE).
For more information contact Kent Reed, KSDE project director for character education, Phone: 785-296-8109; Email:
kreed@ksde.org
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