January NJSOC Spotlight

Brigantine Elementary School

"Curricular Infusion: Strategies for integrating character education into the curriculum"

The Brigantine Elementary School has enjoyed a unique 12-year journey in character education that began in 1996 and has transformed a school with low-test scores, a rapidly changing and highly mobile multicultural enrollment, and low morale into one of the top award winning schools in the state and nation. The character program began when members from the entire community developed a strategic plan to address these needs of the community and the school. A major goal was to develop and infuse values throughout the curriculum and promote multicultural awareness.

In order to infuse values into the curriculum and cultural awareness, a program called Kindness is Contagious was developed by the principal and staff. The goal of the program was to promote among children, the acquisition of habits of kindness, that lead to respect for themselves and others. Children were asked to do kind deeds in school, at home, and in the community. Class and school goals were set and children were asked to keep logs of their kind deeds. The children did 50,000 acts of kindness in one month and the school was recognized as the Kindest School in New Jersey by Mission Kindness International Inc., The school received a plaque from the program and was written into the congressional record as a national model.

The Kindness program had a tremendous impact on the community. The next year members from every city agency, clubs, and business met and planned a citywide program. The result was that the citizens performed almost 200,000 acts of kindness. The City of Brigantine was named the Kindest Place in New Jersey and the school earned its second consecutive kindness award.

At the same time, another multicultural arts program addressed the goal of cultural awareness. This program focused on studying different countries and their cultures each year. The program was so successful it was infused throughout all special areas of the curriculum including physical education, music, library, technology, art, Spanish and the classrooms. The yearlong program culminates in Arts Night held in May and involves 2,000 community members and the entire student body.

From these two locally developed character based programs, the school has won four national awards for character including the #1 Best Practice in the United States by the Boyer Center, A 2008 National finalist for the 2008 School of Character, A New Jersey Star School award, and the Governor School of Excellence Award.

Winning more than two dozen national and state awards seems incredible for any school, but it is indeed astounding for the Brigantine Elementary, which overcame many obstacles to achieve its goals. Over 40% of the children come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The impact of Character Education on the school and community has been tremendous. Test scores have increased dramatically on the ASK 3 & 4 earning the school the Governor School of Excellence, Star School, and a nomination as a National Blue Ribbon School by the Department of Education. The atmosphere of the school became extremely positive. There was a tremendous sense of community pride and confidence in the school. The school was chosen as one of three Safe School pilot programs in the state.

The character building programs established in the school attracted national attention. The school character program was featured on the cover and main article in 2006 August/September issue of Teaching K-8 Magazine. The article describes how in Brigantine N.J. the world is changed everyday by the children. The authors stated in a letter to the New Jersey Commissioner of Education that in visiting 139 schools across the country for 20 years, the Brigantine Elementary school ranks among the best that they have ever visited.

What is the secret of success and how can other schools replicate this success in character education?

The teaching staff must model what it expects students to emulate. Our philosophy is that the relationship among adults who inhabit the school has more to do with the school quality and character and with the accomplishments of its pupils than any other factor. Dr. Robert Previti, the 
Guiding children to make good choices is an unbelievable force in changing school climate and changing student achievement. Start with a committee that represents the staff, parents, and community. Get input from all and look at the data to see where you want to go. Communicate with and visit schools that have successful programs. Staff needs evidence that quality character education programs and student achievement are inseparable. They need to know that character education is not one more added program but rather a philosophy that can be infused into what they teach everyday.

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References
Barth, R.S. Sandboxes and Honeybees.
Education Week.9May 1984

Raymond, A, and P. Broderick It takes a Child: Teaching K-8. August/September 2006; 54-59.

Statewide Kindness Awareness Campaign.
Trenton N.J.: Mission Kindness International, Inc

Character Education Partnership: Award Winning Practices
Washington, D.C.

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Mr. Donald Marrandino is principal of Brigantine Elementary School

Brigantine Elementary School
301 East Evans Boulevard
P.O. Box 947
Brigantine, New Jersey 08203
Contact telephone number: (609) 264-9501
Fax: (609) 264-0767
Email: dmarrandino@brigantine.atlnet.org
www.brigantine.atlnet.org
Brigantine Character Education webpage:  http://www.myteacherpages.com/webpages/DMarrandino/index.cfm

Brigantine Elementary School is a 2008 New Jersey School of Character and a 2008 National School of Character Finalist.

l. to r. Joe Mazzola, Exec. Dir., CEP; Donald Marrandino, Principal, Brigantine ES; Deborah Conway, NJSOC Blue Ribbon Panelist; Dr. Lovell Pugh-Bassett, NJ Dept. of Education; Teri Gragg, Brigantine art teacher; Dr. Philip M. Brown, Dir. Center for Social and Character Development at Rutgers University