The goal is to create a caring, safe and civil school environment for all participants of the school community and to undergird and enhance the full social, moral and academic development of students. The Guideposts reflect the essential finding that the course of program development is rarely, if ever, a straight, linear progression of logical steps, such as assembling a core team of stakeholders, agreeing on ethical values and then implementing an action plan. Such a neat progression would be nice, but the reality is that schools differ from one another, and so does the evolution of their programs. Our Seven Guideposts are not intended as a replacement for, nor do they in any way conflict with the Eleven Principles of Effective Character Education; they affirm them. But they do offer a process-oriented, practical perspective to help you judge where you are in your character education journey and what you should consider in navigating your path to a more comprehensive program operating at a deeper level of impact.

The Seven Guideposts reflect our experience that program development is affected by a variety of factors, such as, who initiated the program, how supportive formal and informal leaders in you faculty staff are, and how the program fits with other school reform initiatives and your district leader's objectives. The 'guideposts' language has been chosen specifically to facilitate an understanding that the process of change and improvement involves both personal and organizational dynamics which together determine how your ship will navigate both smooth and rough waters, as well as chart unknown seas. Using them thoughtfully will facilitate a safer passage to your desired destination and offers the hope, grounded in the experience of other educators, of professional fulfillment in meeting the needs of your students for personal growth.