School News

Memorial hosts discussion on character education

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Officials from school districts across Nassau County met at Memorial Junior High School on July 20 to learn about character education, an educational design that guides school districts to teach students in a way that addresses social and moral values so that they thrive academically and socially.

“It’s more than just doing an assembly here, an assembly there, and talking about what makes good character,” said Memorial Junior High School Principal Anthony Mignella. “There’s a lot that goes behind it.”

South High School was recently named one of Character.org’s 2016 National Schools of Character after successfully implementing the program, a three- to five-year process. Principal Maureen Henry, MJHS Assistant Principal John Squadrito, Special Education Department Chair Tracy Alesia and special education teacher Coleen Byrne were among Valley Stream schools staff in attendance.

“One of the things we like to think you’re achieving is developing a growth mindset within your organization,” said Philip Fusco, assistant director of the Academy for Character Education at the Sage Colleges in Albany. “That you have a culture of continuous improvement … Good enough is never good enough.”

The Academy for Character Education was established in 2000 to help foster the character traits of responsibility, civility, respect, honesty, fairness, trustworthiness and citizenship in students throughout the educational spectrum as well as in families and communities. The academy recommends reaching out to all sectors of the community including the family, civic organizations, businesses and government, in order to better the school culture.