NORTH SALISBURY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NAMED A 2015 NATIONAL SCHOOL OF CHARACTER

North Salisbury Elementary School and Wicomico County Public Schools are thrilled to announce that Tuesday, May 12 Character.org, a national advocate and leader for the Character Education movement, named North Salisbury Elementary a 2015 National School of Character. The Schools of Character program recognizes North Salisbury School as a school that has demonstrated its use of character education and development to drive a positive impact on academics, student behavior, and North Salisbury School’s climate.
​
The Schools of Character application process provides an opportunity for schools to receive feedback as well as recognition for growth and excellence in the area of character education as measured by Character.org’s 11 Principles of Effective Character Education framework. North Salisbury will hold its designation of National School of Character for five years and will be showcased at the national conference in October.

North Salisbury School, a grades 3-5 school on Emerson Drive in Salisbury, has 450 students in its traditional school and its magnet program. North Salisbury was the Eastern Shore’s first EGATE Award winner for Excellence in Gifted and Talented Education, and it has also been honored as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. The school has been working on character development for more than six years, and had previously been honored at the state level for outstanding work in character education.

“We’re very pleased to be among this nationally recognized group of schools and look forward to continuing to make quality education a priority at North Salisbury School,” said Principal Ruby Brown. “Character education is a large part of our student’s daily lives. We are grateful for Character.org and its efforts to create a national discussion on the importance of character in education. We are eager to carry this distinction for years to come and are hopeful our example will lead other schools in Maryland to participate in this process in order to enhance student’s lives statewide.”

The Schools of Character program is not a competition—but rather an opportunity to go through a rigorous process of feedback and coaching, as well as recognition for growth and excellence in the area of character development through Character.org’s 11 Principles of Effective Character Education framework. Character.org will showcase North Salisbury School in an annual publication and on its website. North Salisbury School has also earned the right to use the National Schools of Character name and logo.

“Congratulations to the staff, students, and parents for creating such a rich learning environment that promotes character education,” said Dr. Margo Handy, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction and Student Services. “North Salisbury School is doing outstanding work for its students and families. North Salisbury continues to serve as a model and a leader, not just for Wicomico County but for the Eastern Shore, the state of Maryland, and now the nation.”

Character education is the proactive effort by schools, districts, communities and states to help students develop important core ethical (recognizing what’s right) and performance (doing what’s right) values such as caring, honesty, diligence, fairness, fortitude, responsibility, grit, creativity, critical thinking, and respect for self and others. Through character education, students learn how to be their best selves and how to do their best work while making school a place where students and educators feel comfortable and able to work.

Since its inception, Character.org has awarded more than 300 schools with the distinction of a National School of Character. In 2015, along with North Salisbury School, 63 additional schools and three districts were named across the United States. Find out more here: http://character.org/schools-of-character/national-schools-of-character-overview/