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Go
For The Gold Program
GO FOR THE GOLD-YEAR THREE!
SCHOOL YEAR 2003-2004
The Mesilla Valley CHARACTER COUNTS! Task Force invites
all schools in the Las Cruces Public Schools to GO FOR THE GOLD-YEAR
THREE! We want to thank all schools in the district for the work
they do to instill good character in their students. A special
thanks goes to the schools that chose to Go for the Gold during
the 2002-2003 school year!
There will be no silver or bronze awards offered this
year. The requirements for the gold award will be basically the
same as last year, with documentation in the form of a portfolio.
This is a voluntary program.
We want to emphasize that the portfolio is simply
a way to document how your school has met awards criteria. If
you save a copy of all fliers and school publications sent out
and take a few pictures of activities, you will be well on your
way to a successful portfolio. If you choose to include photos,
they can be Xeroxed/printed in black and white-copies do NOT
have to be in color. We want two copies of your portfolio, one
of which will be returned to you. If you wish, you can make one
portfolio a special keepsake for your school, with the second
being a Xerox copy of the first.
Some schools may wish to prepare their portfolio in
an alternate format, such as videotape or storyboard. This is
perfectly acceptable as long as all of the requirements are documented.
The signature page should still be submitted on paper.
The following is an example of how a portfolio might
be organized:
GO FOR THE GOLD-AGAIN! TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. CHARACTER COUNTS! Committee list, including staff positions
and copies of minutes from meetings (Basic Requirement).
2. Copies of school newsletters or clipped segments about CHARACTER
COUNTS! related activities; photos of school signs with CC! messages/info;
copies of school calendars with CC! information (Basic Requirement).
3. Staff Training, including dates, type of training (e.g., live
training/topic, Mr. Martinez's tape).
4. Names of staff members who attended Task Force meetings-we
will have dates on the sign-in sheets (Basic Requirement).
5. NO WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION IS REQUIRED FOR MINIMUM FIVE-MINUTE
LESSONS TAUGHT ON EACH PILLAR-if you wish, you MAY include lesson
plans that were especially successful so that they can be shared
with other schools; course syllabi may also be good examples
for this area (Basic Requirement).
6. Copy of the Staff Signature Page (Basic Requirement).
7. Photos, samples, blurbs, copies, etc., reflecting completion
of additional activities (minimum five additional activities
for gold).
If you have any questions about this process, please
call James McGehee at San Andres High School (527-6058, cmsteach@yahoo.com)
or Katie Weaver at University Hills Elementary School (cell phone
644-4908, school phone 527-9649, kweaver@lcps.k12.nm.us).
CHARACTER COUNTS! and the Six Pillars of CharacterSM
are service marks of the CHARACTER COUNTS! Coalition, a project
of the Josephson Institute of Ethics. For more information, visit
their website at www.charactercounts.org.
SIX BASIC REQUIREMENTS
1. An active CHARACTER COUNTS! Committee must be formed
according to the following criteria:
· We recommend that they meet at least once per nine weeks,
with the principal reviewing and approving (signing) written
minutes from each meeting.
· We recommend that the committee be composed of at least
five individuals, each representing different departments, grade
levels, or teams:
· At the high school level, we suggest one from every
department
· At the middle school level, we suggest one per team
and/or grade level
· At the elementary level, we suggest one per grade level,
plus ancillary
· We further suggest that four of the five members be
classroom teachers
2. A school newsletter, newspaper, marquee or other publication/media
(e.g., monthly calendar) must highlight each CHARACTER COUNTS!
pillar and report in about character development activities happening
at the school.
3. The principal must commit to the following staff training:
· All staff will view the videotape featuring Mr. Louis
Martinez, LCPS Superintendent
· All staff will participate in at least 30 minutes of
training presented by appropriate personnel (school staff, CHARACTER
COUNTS! trainers, ethics trainers, other speakers from the community).
The "live" training can focus on any area of character
education that would be beneficial to the staff in teaching character
to their students.
4. The principal or the CC! Committee will designate a representative
to attend at least four of the monthly Task Force meetings. We
would like to have the principal attend at least one of the meetings
during the school year if possible. The Task Force meetings are
held on the first Tuesday of each month, at 4:00 p.m., in the
Administration Building Conference Room. These meetings ordinarily
last no more than one hour.
5. To receive recognition, each school must have 100% of classroom
teachers teach a minimum five-minute lesson on each of the Six
Pillars of Character (thirty minutes total for the year) during
the school year.
6. To receive recognition, each school must have100% of total
staff (including certified, classified, administrative, playground,
classroom, ancillary, cafeteria, custodial) sign an agreement
to participate in and/or support CHARACTER COUNTS! activities,
including school-wide and classroom activities.
DOCUMENTATION IN THE PORTFOLIO MUST INCLUDE A LIST
OF THE CC! COMMITTEE, COPIES OF MINUTES FROM CC! COMMITTEE MEETINGS,
COPIES OF NEWSLETTERS AND PUBLICATIONS, NAME(S) OF TASK FORCE
REPRESENTATIVE(S), INFORMATION ABOUT TRAINING(S), AND THE AGREEMENT
FORM SIGNED BY ALL STAFF. Samples/examples of CC! lessons from
classrooms may be included but are not required. If you are planning
to do an alternative style portfolio (e.g., videotape), the staff
agreement must still be submitted on paper. Other requirements
can be documented as appropriat on paper or in alternate form.
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
In addition to the basic requirements, schools should
choose 5 Additional Activities
SUGGESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES (there are many
others which could apply):
· School-wide projects that demonstrate the Six Pillars.
The following are examples.
o Food drives, toy drives, clothing drives organized for charitable
organizations by school classes, clubs, or staff.
o School displays allowing students to display their artwork
emphasizing CC!
o School-wide assemblies about character/Six Pillars, "local
heroes," as guest speakers.
· Morning message/announcements incorporate CC! (e.g.,
CHARACTER COUNTS! Thought for the Day; recognition of students
displaying good character; skits, poems, and short stories about
good character).
· Sports programs, cheerleading groups, and music groups
representing the school at sporting or other events demonstrate
commitment to CC! by following the Six Pillars and exhibiting
good sportsmanship at all events and practices.
· PE programs teach good sportsmanship based on the Six
Pillars.
· School-wide programs use CC! vocabulary. Library, PE,
music programs recognize student/class of the week/month based
on the Six Pillars.
· Extra-curricular student groups/clubs incorporate the
Six Pillars into rules and activities.
· Extra (after school) programs/activities are offered
for the benefit of students and families and these programs incorporate
CC! (e.g., PTA, parenting groups and classes, math and science
nights, Safe After School Program, after-school enrichment programs
taught by parents and community members).
· The school-wide discipline plan utilizes CC! philosophy
and vocabulary.
· During-school programs teach a healthy lifestyle (e.g.,
D.A.R.E. and C.A.T.C.H.).
· Teacher/Staff of the Month award is given based on the
Six Pillars.
· CHARACTER COUNTS! Week and Red Ribbon Week are celebrated
in various ways throughout the school.
· Attendance and timeliness are emphasized, stressing
responsibility and citizenship, and the importance of these attributes
in the working world.
· Career readiness training involving ethics in the workplace
issues.
· Debates/discussions take place (debate club, social
studies classes, literature classes) about how good character,
or lack of character, affected outcomes.
· Groups/individual students/staff participate in national
programs like Start Something, Earth Day, or Make a Difference
Day.
· ROTC color guard makes presentations at your school
or at other schools.
· Students are involved in peer tutoring or peer mediation
programs.
· Students and staff help with programs like Special Olympics.
· Community Abstinence Network abstinence education programs.
· Many, many others-this is very open, but please specify
what you did in your portfolio.
DOCUMENTATION IN THE PORTFOLIO COULD INCLUDE photographs
of activities, copies of club rules, syllabi/rules from classes,
fliers/publications announcing activities, copies of discipline
plans/student handbooks, samples of Thought for the Day, short
blurbs describing activities.
All Portfolios Are Due To Betsy Bennett's Office
By June 4, 2004
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