In This Issue:
- Beat the February doldrums
- President's column
- New speakers named for conference.
- Webinar series
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National Forum As momentum builds for our 2012 national conference, CEP is excited to announce new speakers and opportunities. Judge Irene Sullivan, author of "Raised by the Courts," will present an interactive workshop that will showcase what works with a very challenging population of students. Annie Fox will also lead an in-depth workshop. Her workshops at past Forums have received rave reviews. Her Middle School Confidential 2 app "Real Friends vs. the Other Kind" just went live in iTunes. You can view the trailer video on YouTube. We're also setting up some great tours and offsite workshops. Since the conference theme is "Developing Leaders of Integrity," we are excited to offer an Educators Tour of Mt. Vernon focusing on George Washington's leadership legacy. This opportunity will include a presentation by a notable historian, a tour of George Washington's historic home, and a packet of teacher resources.CEP is still accepting proposals for breakout sessions. These are due by Mar. 1. Save the dates for the conference (Nov. 1-3) and watch our website as more details unfold.
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Sailing through the Doldrums
By Lara Maupin, M.Ed., Director, NSOC
 February is a great time of year to reflect, rejuvenate, and refocus when it comes to your character efforts - just before busy springtime arrives and the rest of the school year whizzes by. Take the time as an individual to reflect on how you are modeling your school's core values each day - and take the time as a staff to consider how you are working to reach the school's character goals and how you are building an ethical learning community. Read more >>
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Promising Practices
By Lisa Greeves, Manager, Promising Practices 
It's February - the beginning of second semester, the middle of winter, the groundhog just saw his shadow, and your staff just finished their first semester grades. The winter doldrums have hit. Looking for some ways to inject character into routine staff development to spice up the year? Many of the 2011 Promising Practices in Character Education focus on rejuvenating your staff. Others are easily replicable and can be implemented mid-year, allowing you to see results and have an impact on students and staff before the school year is out. Try out a few of these practices.
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Views from the StatesIf your state has character education news you'd like to share, let us know: email information@character.org. Kansas PCEP High Schools win Governor's Award Five high schools in Kansas that are participating in the Partnership in Character Education Program grant sponsored by U.S. Department of Education and the Kansas Department of Education have been recognized by the governor of the state as part of the fifth annual Governor's Achievement awards honoring top performing schools in the state in January 2011. Read more >> Wisconsin
River Falls, Wisconsin will host a "Regional Character Education Conference" on Aug. 16 and Aug. 17 with an 11 Principles training on the 16th and breakout sessions and a keynote by Hal Urban on the 17th.
Pennsylvania
DeSales University and Kids of Character will host their third annual Youth Leadership and Ethics Conference on Mar. 27 and 28. The first day will be for eighth-grade students and the second day will be for high school juniors. The purpose of the conferences is to motivate both students and faculty to pursue the development of competence and character within their own schools and throughout their lives as they aspire to be citizens of competence and character in society. On both days, while the students are in their sessions, there will be a workshop on character education for the educators accompanying the students. For more details and to register, email gwen.pongracz@gmail.com.
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 Leading a National Call to Character
This phrase has been CEP's tagline for a long time. In 2011 we focused on broadening our efforts to help all schools become schools of character and finding ways to help educators at lower cost via our webinars and enhanced website. We also focused on building national awareness of the importance of character education and looked toward increasing international efforts. You can see our accomplishments in our 2011 Annual Report. We appreciate your continued support. Please join or renew your CEP membership today.
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Training of Trainers Seminar
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Left to Right: Phil Catania, Pat Luce, Kimberly Jones, Gail Gilbert, Tamra Nast, Karen Morse, Val Gallina , Gwen Pongracz, Nanci Wilson, Cindy Sparks, Siva Gopal Thaiyalan and Barbara Luther
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This 5 day training of life-time long educators was inspiring, educational and unifying. These TOT graduates are ready and willing to provide professional trainings in your area for your staff and community. If you are interested in learning more about the TOT for your state, please contact Barbara Luther at bluther@character.org.
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President & CEO
With five weeks now as the new President of CEP, I must say that I am truly energized by the amazing passion that every stakeholder seems to have for our important mission. From staff, to our Board of Directors, Education Advisory Council, national membership, international educators, and beyond, their excitement is as contagious as it is inspiring. This is clearly CEP's greatest strength. To continue the SWOT analysis of our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, CEP's greatest challenge is just as clear. The lack of a sustainable financial model is easily our biggest weakness. But I am confident that it can be fixed. Read more >>
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Still Time to Join CEP's Webinar Series "Transform School Culture-Make It Happen!"
Looking for an interactive, convenient way to learn from experts about how you can make a difference to improve your school or classroom culture? Look no further-CEP is here to help you. Educators all over the country have already started to explore step-by-step, evidence-based classroom strategies in the first two webinars of the series Transform School Culture-Make It Happen! Join former NSOC principal and national trainer Phil Catania to discuss "Developing Student Responsibility and Accountability" on Feb. 16 or Linda Morris on Mar. 1 for "Turning 'Tudes into Good Attitudes." Participants are calling the webinars a wonderful opportunity to gain "knowledge-building for my team" and "a great overview of why character education is needed and what it can do for schools." Read more >> All webinars are 3:30- 4:30 p.m. EST, starting Jan. 19. Each webinar is $49, but save when you sign up for the series of 12 for $299 (half price) | |
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What Works in Character Education
If you or your school don't subscribe to the Journal of Research in Character Education, now is a good time to start a subscription. It's a good way to keep up with the research that shows what works. The Journal includes scholarly, peer-reviewed articles as well as "Voices from the Classroom."The latest issue is just out. Here are just a couple titles from this issue:"The Hidden Virtues of Harry Potter: Using J. K. Rowling's Novels to Facilitate Character Education with Juvenile Delinquents" and "Coaching for Character." More information >>
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From ASCD
Tell the President What You Know
(and He Doesn't)
You know it's crucial to prepare students for long-term success rather than short-term achievement. Yet federal education policies like NCLB promote narrow, stopgap reforms instead of comprehensive support for our nation's youth. Tell Washington leaders to focus on what really matters-our children's long-term futures-by creating a President's Council on the Whole Child. You know the whole child approach to education works. Tell the president how he can help now, and ask your colleagues to do the same.
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Calendar of Events
Scholastic Journalism Week
The Journalism Education Association has scheduled Feb. 19-25, 2012, as Scholastic Journalism Week. It is hoped that your involvement and that of your students will serve to raise community consciousness regarding the benefits of scholastic journalism. Your students will learn from both the promotion and their celebration of an event holding major significance for them.
Student Journalism Impact Award
The purpose of the award is to recognize a secondary school student (or a team of students who worked on the same entry) who, through the study and practice of journalism, has made a significant difference in his/her own life, the lives of others, the school he/she attends and/or the community in which he/she resides.
Not In Our Town: Class Actions
Our newest program, Not In Our Town: Class Actions, will premiere on PBS stations beginning on Feb. 13. (Check local listings.) Class Actions is a 30-minute program that features three stories about students confronting bullying and intolerance. Schools can schedule screenings. Resources for school and community screening hosts will include a screening kit, lesson plans from teachers already using the program in their classrooms, and web extras. At niot.org/ClassActions, you can preview the film, sign up to host a screening, and pre-order the DVD.
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Interesting Blog Posts
CEP's Blog
Resistance to Character Education
by Sarah Twardock, Fundraising and Research Fellow at CEP
Nurturing Tolerance to Reduce Bullying
Contributed by Michele Borba
From Edutopia
| Students Standing Up to Bullying and Hate
By Suzie Boss
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