Lawrence Intermediate School wins ‘Promising Practices’ award

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
   Lawrence Intermediate School has been awarded a “Promising Practices” award from the Washington, D.C.-based Character Education Partnership for its annual “Character Kick-Off” program.
   LIS gifted and talented program teacher Jessica Heller and physical education teacher Cindy Westhead traveled to Washington D.C. this past weekend to pick up the award at the CEP’s 15th annual forum.
   Character education is a national movement that encourages schools to create responsible and caring young people, according to the Character Education Partnership’s Web site, www.character.org. It seeks to instill in young people certain core ethical values, such as honesty, friendship, responsibility and respect for oneself and others.
   ”Character education teaches students how to be responsible students in school and in the neighborhood,” Ms. Heller said. Students learn how to be fair and honest, and how to work on a team, she said.
   The LIS character education program grew out of the school’s former discipline committee, Ms. Whitehead said. It was decided that rather than focusing on students’ negative behaviors, the emphasis would be placed on positive behavior.
   ”We as a committee changed it so we are not continuing to focus on children who are not doing what we want them to do,” Ms. Westhead said. “We are focusing on the children who are doing the right thing, and we hope the other children will join them.”
   The result is Character Kick-Off Day, which is set for Friday. It is similar to the traditional field day held at the end of the year, but with less emphasis on athletics and more focus on developing character and cooperation.
   In the weeks preceding Character Kick-Off Day, each class creates a flag that pinpoints a specific character trait — respect, honesty, caring, courtesy or responsibility, for example. The flags line the hallways, and students see them as they pass by.
   ”Character Kick-Off Day creates a positive atmosphere,” Ms. Westhead said. “Students develop a sense of being on a team with their class and their school. It helps to kick off a new school year.”
   Character Kick-Off Day focuses on team-building, cooperative learning and how to be a responsible member of a team, Ms. Heller said. Faculty and staff make sure that every game on the list has one of those elements in it, she said.
   One of the games requires students to pass a marble, using sections of plastic pipes, from one end of the line to the other, she said. If the marble falls out of any section of the pipe before it reaches the end of the line, the team must start over again.
   The school’s character education program consists of more than Character Kick-Off Day, the two teachers said. There are other student-centered programs, such as Student of the Marking Period, Peer Leadership, Safety Patrol, Jump Rope and Hoops for Heart, they said.
   Four times a year, the school holds an assembly to honor selected students for acting as positive role models and showing a strong work ethic. Those students receive the “Who’s Whooo” award, named after Hootie the Owl, which is the LIS mascot. One Most Valuable Pupil and one Most Improved Pupil from each classroom are honored.
   Ms. Heller and Ms. Westhead are pleased that LIS has been honored by the Character Education Partnership with the Promising Practices award for its “Character Kick-Off Day.”
   ”We always thought that day was very special. We always knew in our hearts how special it was,” Ms. Heller said, adding that “it’s nice” to receive affirmation for that belief.