Character Education
Charlestown Elementary continues to work on building positive character though eight county wide traits. Students will receive instruction in the classroom, during fine arts classes, through guidance classes, and during school-wide activities designed to motivate students to meet the three R's of Character Education (Respect, Responsibility, and Right to Learn). Our goal is to include parents, teachers, students, support staff, bus drivers, and business partners in the process of modeling and implementing the action plan.

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-Respect
Respect will be taught during the month of September. The Classroom Counselor will conduct lessons with the children dealing with conflict resolution. The music teacher will teach the children the song RESPECT. There will be an at-home activity for the children to do dealing with manners.
-Responsibility
Responsibility will be taught during the month of October. The children will participate in a School Wide Red Ribbon Day and Drug Awareness Activities. The school nurse will visit classrooms to discuss drug awareness and responsibility choices. The children will be given special incentives for completing homework all month which demonstrates responsibility. The Classroom Counselor will conduct lessons on making responsible choices, career responsibility, and continue conflict resolution goal by focusing on accepting responsibility for actions.
The children will complete and at-home activity where the children need to develop and practice a fire escape plan with their family.
-Caring
Caring will be taught during the months of November and December. The children and staff will participate in the Cecil County Kids Coats Campaign and a canned food drive for donation to a local food bank. The staff will model caring by continuing a mitten and hat tree. The classroom may wish to develop a Buddy program with another grade level and may choose to send cards to residents of a nursing home or veterans hospital. The Classroom Counselor will conduct lessons in two parts. The first part is a county wide personal safety unit presented to children grade K - 5. The caring trait will focus on caring for others.
-Justice and Fairness
Justice and Fairness will be taught during the month of January. Students in grade 3 - 5 will be presented with moral dilemma questions as part of their writing for the month. Students will be given the opportunity to participate in moke trails of nursery rhyme characters. The children will discuss fairness during the physical education and recess activities. In recognition of Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. the children will discuss discrimination and when appropriate the civil rights movement. The Guidance Counselor will work on activities that focus on self-esteem and the uniqueness of individuals and the capability of all of us to make an impact. Career goals will be addressed and possible guest speakers.
There will be an at-home activity where the children discuss roles of family members.
-Honesty
Honesty will be taught in the month of February. The students will participate in a penny collection drive. Donations will be given to the Ray of Hope Mission. Other activities will include the need for trust gained by honesty. The Guidance Counselor will work on activities that focus on conflict resolution goals and address it through weekly goals. The students will focus on honesty in playing competitive games in physical education classes. The classrooms will review the concept on "Who Can You Trust?" from personal safety in the younger grades.
-Self-Discipline
The concept for the month of March is self-discipline. The classes that have established a buddy program will enjoy flying a kite. The students will construct their kites by reading to perform a task. The students will write for personal expression about their activity. The student will have an opportunity to demonstrate self-control by creating spring baskets for older members of the community. The guidance lessons will focus on the guidance career goal of careers. Especially careers that require a great self-discipline to attain.
There will be an at-home activity where the families identify times when each member has demonstrated self-discipline.
-Integrity
Integrity will be the concept for the month of April. The children will be involved in special activities that focus on establishing high standards for ourselves by creating rubrics for our work. The classes will focus on everyday heroes. There will be an emphasis on how we identify heroes. There will be writing prompts that focus on heroes. Certain music classes will learn the song heroes by Miriah Carey. The guidance lessons will continue to focus on the career goal, included in these lessons will be discussions of heroes and how they achieve in their chosen career.
There will be an at-home activity for the children, where they read the newspaper or watch news programs to identify common heroes in our own lives.
-Cooperation
In the months of May and June the concept will be cooperation. Students in grades 3 and 5 will prepare for MSPAP by participating in cooperative activities. Other students will prepare supportive notes or pictures to encourage students who are taking these assessments. Physical education, art, and music will conduct activities that focus on cooperative lessons. Guidance activities will include cooperative activities directed at the weekly topic.
There will be an at-home activity where families will participate in a cooperative activity.

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