At Liberty Elementary in Canton, the term character education means more than merely putting a weekly word on a bulletin board. For the almost 1,250 students in kindergarten through fifth grades, learning what attributes constitute good character is backed up by classroom discussions, student reflections and the constant encouragement to put those attributes into action each day.

The school adopted a program last spring called #BeKind as a pro-active move against bullying. Students and faculty received #BeKind t-shirts, and kids were challenged to do something kind every day, including during the summer break. Another kick-off in the fall put the program in high gear.

If you stop any kid whos been here more than a week, they can recite the be kind chant, said Principal Doug Knott. Its a simple program with a positive perspective. It almost acts like dominoes: The whole idea is that your kind actions are going to spur on additional kind actions.

The emphasis on character is reinforced during the day, explained Assistant Principal Pam Green.

This is something thats embedded throughout the entire day, and expectations are that teachers give regular reminders to students, she said. We talk about respecting others, inspiring others by being kind, displaying responsible behavior, exhibiting excellence and empathy to be a kind school; thats the challenge we have for ourselves. Empathy in particular can be really hard for kids, especially when theyre little and its all about me. Sometimes we forget that kids are kids and need to be taught proper social skills and manners, which isnt to say the parents dont care because they do. But this approach creates a bigger sense of family.

Part of the #BeKind program challenges each classroom to come up with ways to serve others through outreach projects. A team of fourth and fifth graders brainstorm about activities the school can do, such as collecting stuffed toys for the countys first-responder program or delivering 100 boxes of Valentine wishes to residents of a local senior center. Regular meetings with the student leaders have helped keep the momentum going, said Green.

As simple as it is, the program has made an impact. And it caught the attention of the international nonprofit Character.org that last year earned the school a Promising Practices award. A few weeks ago, the same organization named Liberty a 2017 State School of Character. The honor is just one of 80 given out across the country, and the only one given to a school in Georgia. But what Knott finds most impressive is the way the program has altered the climate in the school.

The way I have seen the change is in interactions, said Knott. The culture of the building from when I got here three years ago is different. It was a fine-running machine, but now its clear theres a focus on character. The staff and parents have embraced character education, too.

Knott is now working to quantify the programs impact by studying the number of discipline referrals. Thats a piece of data well look at to be considered a national school of character, he said. The program is now in its first full year of implementation, with our first anniversary this spring, and I think well see how much things have changed. Just by watching the kids, having conversations with them and doing classroom observations, you get a really clear understanding about how successfully its working.

Information: cherokeek12.net/libertyes.

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Making the Grade: Liberty Elementary students embrace kindness - Atlanta Journal Constitution