May 14, 2020

🎥 Stockton school wins state 'School of Character' honors

Posted May 14, 2020 10:37 AM

SHESC

SALINA - The Smoky Hill Education Service, along with the Kansas State Dept. of Education,  and Character.org announce the 2020 Kansas Schools of Character recipients in a virtual ceremony May 12.

USD 271 Stockton Grade School was recognized as an Honorable Mention School of Character and for a Shifting School Culture. 

Stockton Grade School is one of the original Mercury 7 redesign design schools in Kansas and social-emotional development has been one of their key initiatives.

Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson announces the State Schools of Character and honorable mentions.

Criteria for selection are based on Character.org’s 11 Principles of Character, which include providing students with opportunities for moral action, fostering shared leadership and engaging families and communities as partners in the character-building effort.

In Schools of Character, adults embrace their critical role as models. Teachers work together as professionals - along with parents and community members as partners - to positively shape the social, emotional, and character development of the young people entrusted to them each day. Students in these schools feel safe, respected, and connected to those around them, allowing them to thrive academically and socially and be motivated to give back to their communities.

State School of Character

Complete High School Maize - USD 266 - Maize, Kansas

Honorable Mention School of Character

Beloit Elementary School - USD 273 - Beloit, Kansas

Stockton Elementary School - USD 271 - Stockton, Kansas

Tiger Touchstones - Confidence, Creativity, Honesty, Integrity, Responsibility, and Respect - are the guiding light for professional decision making and to establish student and staff norms and expectations at Stockton Grade School. 

Shifting School Culture Recognition

Recognizes schools and districts that have developed and implemented an SECD initiative or program for at least one year and are transforming the school culture, district culture, or both - as well as growing student SECD skills. These initiatives or programs must support the KS SECD Standards and the school or district KESA goals, the Redesign Principles, or a combination of the above. 

Beloit Elementary School - USD 273 - Beloit, Kansas

Cottonwood Elementary School - USD 305 - Salina, Kansas

David Brewer Elementary School - USD 453 - Leavenworth, Kansas

Fowler Grade School - USD 225 - Fowler, Kansas

Fowler Junior/Senior High School - USD 225 - Fowler, Kansas

Lakeside Elementary School - USD 250 - Pittsburg, Kansas

Stockton Grade School - USD 271 - Stockton, Kansas

As a way to build relationships, Community Groups were started in the spring of 2018 and meet one day a week for 30 minutes with Kindergarten through 5th grade. 

Sunset Elementary School - USD 373 - Newton, Kansas

Enhanced Spotlight Recognition

Recognizes schools and districts that are implementing new initiatives or are enhancing existing initiatives that will strengthen the social, emotional and character development skills in their students and school climate. Initiatives must support at least one of the KS SECD Standards strands and support one or more of the KESA 5R’s, the Redesign Principles, or both.  

Caldwell Elementary School - USD 360 - Caldwell, Kansas

Green Springs Elementary School - USD 233 - Olathe, Kansas

Lakeside Elementary School - USD 250 - Pittsburg, Kansas

Lakeside Elementary School - USD 272 - Cawker City, Kansas

Marais des Cygnes Valley District - USD 456 - Melvern, Kansas

Olathe West High School - USD 233 - Olathe, Kansas

Spring Valley Elementary School - USD 475 - Junction City, Kansas

Trail Ridge Middle School - USD 231 - Gardner, Kansas

Whittier Elementary School - USD 465 - Winfield, Kansas

The Smoky Hill Education Service Center was organized July 1, 1990. It is a consortium of more than 50 school districts in 25-counties, formed to cooperatively provide a variety of educational services to its participating members in a more cost-efficient and beneficial manner.