Classroom Guidance

School counselors use the Character Strong curriculum for Social Emotional Learning. We believe that students should have safe, predictable places to learn where they feel included. Students should have healthy and helpful connections with teachers and classmates. They should also experience learning that will help them tackle challenges inside and outside of school. PurposeFullPeople is designed to create a place where students feel like they belong and learn skills that will help them be the best they can be! At the elementary school grades K-5 will use Character Strong's PurposeFullPeople program. This program focuses on three main goals: Be Kind, Be Strong, and Be Well.

Be Kind: Social skills like listening, friendship, solving conflicts, and leadership.
- These skills are taught alongside Empathy, Respect, & Cooperation
Be Strong: Skills that help students focus, stay organized, and set goals.
- These skills are taught alongside Responsibility, Courage, & Perseverance
Be Well: Skills that help students handle their emotions and deal with stress.
- These skills are taught alongside Gratitude, Honesty, & Creativity

Below you can see the character traits that will be discussed and developed over the course of the year.

One of the aims at our school is to equip young people for all the realities of today’s world. To do this we are also using the Middle School Character Strong Curriculum in 6th grade. Their work in grades 6-12 focus on 3 main outcomes: increasing a sense of belonging for all students, improving skills that support student well-being, and deepening student engagement in their academics, in their school, and in their community.

Here’s what the data tells us:

A sense of belonging in school is one of the most important conditions for learning and a fundamental support for social and emotional well-being. Nearly ⅓ of all students report a weak sense of belonging in their schools. Roughly half of 6th – 12th grade students say they don’t enjoy coming to school most of the time.
Mental health challenges for teens have been increasing and 7 out of 10 teens in the U.S. (between 13 and 17 years old) have named anxiety or depression as a major problem among their peers.
Student engagement drives learning and supports school success.

This curriculum was created to support school communities as they engage in the work of preparing young people to thrive in the 21st century. The research supports the benefits of this content to increase student’s academic success and college & career readiness. The lessons focus on developing skills and mindsets around building positive habits, understanding our emotions, improving teamwork, and increasing empathy.

One of the key parts of nearly every lesson is the “CharacterDare” for Middle School students. These are invitations near the end of most lessons to put the content that they are learning into action in the real world. If you ever want to play an active role in the CharacterStrong curricula, simply ask your student about the most recent CharacterDare. Maybe they’ll invite you to try one yourself!

Looking forward to a great year!

As mentioned above students will be challenged to "dares" to help put our lessons into practice. Along side student dares Character Strong also offers "Family Dares". We challenge you to try some of these dares with your family! Click the link below to see a list of the "Family Dares" that are available to you!

Family Dares