2007 NJSOC Program Summaries

New Jersey Schools of Character: Winners

Carl W. Goetz Middle School

Grades 6-8

Jackson Township School District
Contact: Ms. Adrienne Previtera, Character Education Chairperson

835 Patterson Road

Jackson, NJ 08527

(732) 833-4610

At the Carl W. Goetz Middle School the RACER Character Education initiative leads the efforts to embed the core ethical values of Respect, Acceptance, Citizenship, Empathy, and Responsibility into the curriculum. The administration and staff recognize their responsibility as educators of middle school children to provide a caring community that exposes students to real life situations under the umbrella of service learning. The RACER program also empowers student as Ambassadors of Character. The students teach lessons that emphasis the need to make the right choices and stay on the right track.

Hamilton Township School District

Grades K-12
Contact: Dr. Lois A. Braender, Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Services
90 Park Avenue
Hamilton, NJ 08690
(609) 631-4100

Hamilton Township School District's Teaching and Living Character philosophy embraces the concept of human relations in its broadest terms. Its mission is to provide A Quality Education for Every Student while directly and systematically shaping the behavior of students. The core ethical values of caring, fairness, citizenship, trustworthiness, responsibility and respect, in combination with performance values of hard work, positive attitude, self-discipline, perseverance and commitment to excellence evolved from an initiative that started at one school and became a district-wide Teaching and Living Character philosophy. It is important to the Hamilton Township School District that an environment is created where students feel safe and secure, both physically and emotionally. Their vision is to see students become productive citizens of the world community by internalizing that how one thinks and feels influences one's actions.

Liberty Corner School

Grades K-5

Bernards Township Public Schools

Contact: Dr. Kathleen A. Pecoraro, Principal

61 Church Street
Liberty Corner, NJ 07928

(908) 204-2550

At Liberty Corner School, incorporating and infusing the tenets of character education according to the Six Pillars of character education, into all facets of the curriculum and instructional day is a major emphasis. The nurturing of children who are mindful of moral, ethical and compassionate behaviors and attitudes has become the school's mission. Modeling, celebrating and recognizing attitudes, beliefs and behaviors based upon universally recognized values that have lasting implications for individuals and society are major goals at Liberty Corner School. The foundation of a strong home/school partnership supports efforts in creating an environment that encourages and highlights strong character, while recognizing that families are the most important role models for their children.

Memorial Middle School

Grades 6-8

Fair Lawn School District
Contact: Ms. Laurianne Brunetti, Character Education Coordinator
12-00 First Street

Fair Lawn, NJ 07410

(201) 401-2351

Memorial Middle School's character education program began with a deep and focused commitment on behalf of a modest core team of teachers with a vision of what could be. It then developed into a community of stakeholders sharing a sense of responsibility and becoming active participants in the process of creating a true community and awakening a culture of character that is committed to educating the full child: mind, body and spirit. The Six Pillars of Character and the Eleven Principles of Effective Character Education stand as a developmental framework in the "Celebrate Character" initiative, which has resulted in significant educational growth. Character education has served as the compass and the guide on the pathway for teaching, learning and becoming. "Celebrate Character" was created to be not merely a symbol, but an imprint, not just a name, but a signature, not just a program, but a practice of everyday life that would transform Memorial School from a location into a community.

Radix Elementary School

Grades PreK-4 and Special

Monroe Township Public Schools

Contact: Ms. Christine E. Gehringer, Head Teacher

363 Radix Road

Williamstown, NJ 08094

(856) 728-8650

Radix Elementary School's education goal is to develop productive, moral citizens. Our program is unique because it combines a school developed ideology with the beliefs found within the nationally renowned program, "Community of Caring." The core values of respect, responsibility, caring, family and trust are the key ingredients in Radix Elementary School's recipe for success. The PTA and student council have worked in conjunction with staff to make Character Education and Service Learning a way of life at Radix. The children show respect, caring and responsibility on a daily basis. Class meetings help children understand the core values and the "Code of Conduct" provides a meaningful guide for the way they should act in all areas of the school. Respectful and responsible classrooms have allowed teachers to spend quality time teaching the Core Curriculum Content Standards. Radix's program can be seen and heard in the way children speak and act.

Robert R. Lazar Middle School

Grades 6-8

Montville Township

Contact: Mrs. Sharon A. Carr, Assistant Principal
123 Changebridge Road

Montville, NJ 07045

(973) 331-7140

The philosophy of character education at Robert R. Lazar Middle School incorporates the achievement side of character along with the moral and ethical side. Their commitment and goals for the school community are to provide students with the highest quality education including academic success, enhanced self-esteem, and respect for themselves and others, thus creating a strong foundation and desire for continued learning. Students at Robert R. Lazar Middle School have become self-motivated learners and are willing to accept the challenges of academic excellence through exploration and experimentation. Utilizing effective instruction techniques such as cooperative learning, addressing multiple intelligences, alternative assessment, and contemporary technology, students are inspired to stretch to their full potential.

Rosa International Middle School

Grades 6-8

Cherry Hill School District
Contact: Mrs. Jennifer L. Parks, Character Education Committee Chairperson

485 Browning Lane

Cherry Hill, NJ 08034

(856) 616-8787

Fostering a caring school environment is one of Rosa International Middle School's strengths and top priorities. Rosa is known for being a close-knit community where everyone who walks through the door immediately feels welcome. This family feeling is achieved by creating a safe environment where every child starts the day with an advisor who pays attention to the student's academic, social and personal wellbeing. Founded on the basis of Best Middle Level Practices and operating under the auspices of the international Baccalaureate Organization, Rosa is a student-centered environment where administrators, faculty, staff and parents are continually reviewing, discussing and exploring ways in which to better meet the needs of every child. The school advocates life-long learning for adults as well as children, and adults serve as role models for exemplary character. The unique atmosphere created at Rosa embodies the dedication to character education and the development of respectful, responsible citizens of the world.

New Jersey Schools of Character: Honorable Mention

Brigantine Elementary School

Grades Pre K-4

Brigantine School District

Contact: Mr. Donald Marrandino, Principal
301 East Evans Boulevard

Brigantine, NJ 08203

(609) 264-9501

The character education goals of the Brigantine Elementary School cover a multi-layer approach to building character through constant daily exposure to strong core ethical values. Administration, faculty, and staff expect that the school community puts respect for each other first through citizenship, empathy, honesty, kindness, trustworthiness, responsibility, high academic expectation, acceptance of differences, and physical fitness. The assimilation of character education into the school culture has taught children by practicing and acquiring the habit of strong character, one can become a person of strong moral and ethical values. Through the implementation of a variety of programs, such as the "Kindness is Contagious" program and a multi-cultural initiative, Brigantine helps children actively acquire habits of kindness and respect. The school has received numerous awards for their efforts including the 2006 National Best Practice Boyer Award for character education, and was featured on the cover of the August, 2006 Teaching K-8 Magazine.

Holly Glen Elementary School

Grades PreK-4

Monroe Township Public Schools

Contact: Mr. Thomas Myers, Principal

900 N. Main Street

Williamstown, NJ 08094

(856) 728-8706

Holly Glen Elementary School's character education program has reached out to include all areas of the school, parents and community in order to achieve their goals. The administration, faculty, and staff believe that if students have a solid foundation through value related behavior, academic performance is enhanced. The school puts a strong emphasis on the involvement of parents into all aspects of their children's education. The school understands that it takes more than one person to make a difference in a child's life. Through the efforts of everyone from the custodians to bus drivers, to cafeteria staff, throughout the community, teachers, students, and parents, the children will realize that core values extend well beyond the borders of their home.

Woodcrest Elementary School

Grades K-5

Cherry Hill Public Schools
Contact: Mrs. Christine Boyle, Tara DiBattista and Michael Skalski,

Character Education Co-chairs

400 Cranford Road

Cherry Hill, NJ 08003

(856) 429-2058

Woodcrest Elementary School strives to live the motto: Thoughts become words, words become actions, actions become character, and character is EVERYTHING! They want their students to accomplish the expectations of the teachers, parents and the community by taking on the ethical values of respect, honesty, citizenship, cooperation, responsibility and kindness. Along with the desire for strong character, children are expected to meet high academic standards set by the school, while the school provides a safe and caring environment with character education as a core driving force. Woodcrest Elementary School's goal is that the values taught in school will ensure success over the entire course of students' lives.

Woodcrest School Pledge

I pledge to be respectful of others

and responsible for my words and actions.

I pledge to have courage to stand up

for myself and for others.

I pledge to always try my best in school,

at home and in the world.

New Jersey Schools of Character: Emerging Schools

Delsea Regional School District

Grades 7-12
Contact: Mrs. Terry A. Vanaman-Cole, Assistant Superintendent
PO Box 405 Fries Mills Road

Franklinville, NJ 08322

(856) 694-0100

In Delsea Regional School District core ethical values are promoted through the themes of peace, respect, responsibility, and service which are woven into the fabric of the school's culture. The district works to achieve a "total" education which includes the social, moral, physical, personal, emotional and intellectual growth of each student. The Six Pillars of Character are displayed in the hallways and cafeterias, student handbook, throughout the curriculum, sports programs and activities. Character education is powerfully rooted within every facet of the district's daily operations.

Emerson High School

Grades 9-12

Union City School District

Contact: Mr. Bruce M. Paoloni, Teacher

318 18th Street

Union City, NJ 07087

(201) 348-5908

Emerson High School's character education program is based on the Six Pillars of Character from Character Counts!: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. Faculty and students have banded together to create a school community dedicated to the improvement of student character. All believe that their commitment to character education has changed the culture of their school. At Emerson High School, they send the message throughout their urban community that the school is more than a place for "book learning," but a place where students will learn about becoming productive members of the community.

Franklin Township Elementary School

Grades PreK-6

Franklin Township School District

Contact: Ms. Mary Sullivan, Child Study Team Director
52 Asbury-Broadway Road

Washington, NJ 07882

(908) 689-2958

Franklin Township Elementary School believes that all children can learn effectively and successfully if they are actively engaged in the learning process. The school promotes a strong personal value system that facilitates academic, personal, and social growth. The hope is that the personal value system that is instilled in the students will encourage effective functioning in society both in academics and in foundation values as the overarching goal. The mission of Franklin Township Elementary school is to foster strong, independent individuals of character who know right from wrong, who have the courage to stand alone when necessary in support of their beliefs, and who are willing and able to use their influence for the good of others.

Greenwich Elementary School

Grades K-5

Greenwich School District

Contact: Mrs. Diane Stickel, Guidance Counselor
101 Wyndam Farm Boulevard

Stewartsville, NJ 08886

(908) 859-2002

The goal of Greenwich Elementary School's character education program (Positive School Climate) is to develop a safe, positive, and affirming atmosphere that will enhance the learning environment. The Positive School Climate is based on four main tenants: Instruction, Modeling, Practice, and Teamwork to create an empowering environment where students and can flourish. The program includes all students in this goal, while creating a team effort comprised of the students, faculty, parents and community. By ensuring that students acquire the life skills to effectively navigate their interpersonal environment and empowering them to construct an affirming relationship setting, the school provides students with the tools they need to build self-confidence, refusal skills, and positive character traits.

Howell Township Public School District

Grades K-8

Contact: Ms. Cherlyn Murphy

PO Box 579

Howell, NJ 07731

(732)751-2480

Howell Township Public School District adopted the Six Pillars of Character Education as the over-arching theme toward building character and making it count in their school district. This strategic plan promises to help the children prepare for their future roles as responsible and productive citizens. The district's dedication to ethics and morals is promoted by the "5 C's of Positive Development" - competence, confidence, connections, character, and caring. The 5 C's reinforce good character traits in both academic and social contexts by infusing the curriculum and the climate of the school with respect, integrity, joy, cultural awareness, and competence. A unified model adjusted to reflect the diversity of the district allows to continuously improving the community/school relationships, school involvement, and academic growth.

Marlboro Memorial Middle School

Grades 6-8

Marlboro Township Public Schools

Contact: Mr. Marc Edery, Vice Principal

71 Nolan Rd

Morganville, NJ 07751

(732) 972-7119

Marlboro Memorial Middle School (MMMS) serves a culturally and linguistically diverse student body of approximately 1000 students. MMMS is an academically orientated institution of learning supported by a strong community of parents.

Marlboro Memorial Middle School is dedicated to promoting character education within the school. By all indicators, it is a high achieving and academically orientated school community. The MMMS school community is committed to the belief that as an affinity driven school, its students' actions and performance are a direct reflection of the quality of the programs and initiatives that it engages in. The "Monarch Doctrine" epitomizes the school's commitment to strong character values. The diverse cultural nature of the student body reflects the core values of tolerance, understanding, and respect that are infused throughout the academic curricula as well as the character education program.

MarlboroMemorial Middle School

Monarch Doctrine

Make the pursuit of academic excellence a goal in all our endeavors;
Offer personal service to the school and community;
Nurture a climate of care, concern and civility for others;
Accept responsibility for our actions;
Respect the dignity, rights, and property of all people in our schools;
Commit to the ongoing pursuit of intellectual and social development;
Heighten our awareness of individual and cultural differences and similarities.

Monongahela Middle School

Grades 7-8

Deptford Township Schools
Contact: Ms. Meredith A. Howell, Peace & Respect Advisor/Teacher

890 Bankbridge Road

Sewell, NJ 08080

(856) 415-9540

Monongahela Middle School's goal is to connect their students to academic achievement with personal excellence. The dedicated community members, parents, students, and staff set the stage for Monongahela Middle School's character education program. They focus as a school-wide community on academic excellence, but emphasize personal distinction as well. Over the past few years they have been making strides in incorporating character education in the everyday curriculum and school climate.