The moral and ethical tone of the school is maintained by a commitment to the Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship.
I. TRUSTWORTHINESS is being honest, telling the truth, keeping promises, and being loyal so people can trust you. Trustworthy people don’t lie, cheat or steal. They have integrity and the moral courage to do the right thing and to stand up for their beliefs even when it is difficult to do so.
II. RESPECT Recognize that we have different backgrounds, abilities, and attributes. It means never insulting or making fun of others who are different. A respectful person is polite, and does not use bad language or hit. A respectful person will never bully, harass, or isolate another person.
III. RESPONSIBILITY is doing what you are supposed to do. Responsible people think ahead, set reasonable goals, control their temper and always do their best. They don’t give up easily and they are accountable for the consequences of their choices; they don’t blame others for their mistakes.
IV. FAIRNESS is playing by the rules, taking turns, sharing and listening to what others have to say. Fair people do not take advantage of others. They consider all sides before they decide, and they don’t blame other people for something they did not do.
V. CARING is being kind, helpful and generous to everyone. Caring people are unselfish. They are considerate they think how their conduct affects others and how others feel. Caring people are charitable and forgiving, and they do good without expecting a reward.
VI. CITIZENSHIP is doing your share to make your community a better place for everyone. Good citizens are also good neighbors. They cooperate with others, and obey laws and rules. They respect authority and protect the environment.
“Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.”
Abraham Lincoln
16th U.S. president (1809-1865)
“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically… Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
American civil rights leader (1929-1968)
Resources for Parents and Teachers
The Aspen Declaration on Character Education
In July 1992, the Josephson Institute of Ethics hosted a summit conference in Aspen, Colorado. A diverse group of ethicists, educators and youth-service professionals convened to find ways to work together and boost their character-education efforts. The declaration that concluded this meeting would form the intellectual foundation for the CHARACTER COUNTS! movement, started by the Institute the following year.
National CHARACTER COUNTS! Website
Character Education – Free Resources
Josephson Institute of Ethics
The Case for CHARACTER COUNTS!
Program’s Goal: Build character
CHARACTER COUNTS! at Webster
Take a look at our annual Character Counts parade
Biographical Sketches
Some famous people of character
Reading List for Children
Children’s books that build character