Salk named a school of character

Kindness is a way of life at Jonas Salk Middle School. That’s why the school was recently recognized as a National School of Character, one of 68 chosen in the entire country by Character.org.

“They liked our application so much that they pushed it through to the national level, and we won,” said Assistant Principal Patrick Mulligan, who said a school normally needs to be a State School of Character three times before being considered for national recognition. Salk only made one appearance on the state list.

Mulligan is the chairman of the school’s RISE Committee, which stands for respect, integrity, safety and staying healthy, and empathy. It was created in 2006 and features several administrators and staff members.

Character.org developed its Schools of Character program in 1998. Each year, the organization, formerly known as the Character Education Partnership, and its state affiliates select schools and districts that demonstrate a focus on character development, and have programs that show positive impact on academic achievement, student behavior and school climate.

“We are extremely proud of this year’s designated schools and districts for their dedication to character development, which has proven to increase the well-being of so many students’ lives across the United States and beyond,” said Becky Sipos, Character.org’s president and CEO. “These character initiatives create conditions for learning where students are thriving and growing into ethical members of our society. They are developing lifelong skill sets they will leverage well into their adult lives.”

In addition to submitting the application, Salk was visited by a representative of Character.org, who walked around the school and talked to teachers and students. Mulligan said the official went around the building on her own and asked students at random. “We didn’t know who she was going to ask,” he said, noting that it made the responses from them more genuine.

“What she saw just brought to life what was on paper,” added librarian and committee member Kirsten Anderson said.

A climate of caring

Barbara Monteiro-Grady, a school psychologist, said students at Salk are taught to embrace each other’s differences. Nowhere is that more evident, members of the RISE Committee say, than in the school’s Challenger program, which they believe is the initiative that put the school over the top.

The program is an athletic league for students with autism and other disabilities who compete against similar students from other districts. The league has one Homecoming basketball game each year, featuring performances by the band and cheerleaders, and guest speakers. Students throughout the school, and even neighboring MacArthur High School, come to cheer on their peers.

Salk’s Buddy Club pairs students with autism and general education students, who spend time playing games and socializing.

In classrooms, teachers create lessons that use the RISE tenets. Following the Pledge of Allegiance every Monday morning, teachers show a motivational clip from You Tube, selected by the committee.

The “Look Who’s Rising” award is given out to students who have performed an act of kindness for someone else in the school. Mulligan explained that members of the RISE Committee will go into the child’s classroom and present them an award, so they are recognized in front of their peers.

“We really believe that social and emotional development is part of their educational career,” Monteiro-Grady said.

“Academics is not the only thing that children need,” added special education teacher Patricia Kolodnicki.

A community works together

Members of the RISE Committee say that, as the character education program has evolved over the last decade, it has grown to include input from all members of the school community, including administrators, teachers, support staff, students and parents.

“It’s not just one person’s job to raise children and prepare them for the real world,” Kolodnicki said, adding that the award shows that the collaborative effort in the school, which includes students from Wantagh, Seaford and Levittown, is clearly working.
“We’re really creating well-rounded individuals,” Monteiro-Grady said. “We are all working very hard toward this one common goal.”

The students who are part of the program include 25 eighth-grade junior leaders, who serve a positive role models. They are nominated by their teachers for displaying a kind and helpful attitude, and mentor the sixth-graders. The junior leaders also visit the elementary schools and talk to the fifth-grade students about the expectations of middle school.

“Programs like this only work if students are part of the process,” Anderson said.

Mulligan would not describe Salk’s character education initiative as an anti-bullying program. The program is not about telling students what they shouldn’t do. Instead, it’s about teaching them the right way to behave and treat other people, he explained.

When students do get into trouble, the school’s mission isn’t to simply dole out punishment, but encourage them to learn from their mistakes. A child will meet with someone to talk about the incident, whether it is one of the school’s guidance counselors, psychologists or social workers.

“We empower [the students] to speak up about their feelings,” Monteiro-Grady said.

Anderson said that part of Salk’s responsibility as a National School of Character is to share its keys to success with other schools, both in the district and in other communities.

Mulligan said that while Salk’s character education program is highly regarded by outside organizations, members of the RISE Committee don’t rest on their laurels. They always look to enhance the program every year, and going forward he said the goal is to increase parental involvement.

Salk will keep its National School of Character award for the next five years. Character.org will honor its recipients at the 23rd National Forum on Character Education on Oct. 14 and 15 in Washington, D.C.