P R E SS R ELE AS E
PENNSBURY SCHOOL DIS TRICT
O F F I C E O F C O M MU N I C A T I O N S
134 YARDLEY AVENUE • P.O. BOX 338 • FALLSINGTON, PA 19058-0338
www.pennsburysd.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: ANN LANGTRY
215-428-4178
Pennsbury is Recognized as the
2015 Pennsylvania State School District of Character
Seven Pennsbury Schools Also Named State Schools of Character
(FALLSINGTON, PA – February 21, 2015) There is great cause for celebration and Falcon
Pride in Pennsbury this year! The School District was recently named a 2015 State District of
Character by the Pennsylvania affiliate of Character.org, a national advocate and leader for the
character education movement based in Washington, D.C., At the same time, seven Pennsbury
schools were also recognized as State Schools of Character, including Afton, Edgewood,
Fallsington, Oxford Valley, and Quarry Hill elementary schools, as well as Pennwood and
William Penn middle schools. The State Schools and Districts of Character program recognizes
growth and excellence in the area of student character development through the 11 Principles of
Effective Character Education framework. Pennsbury’s Charles Boehm Middle School earned
State and National School of Character Honors in 2014.
According to the Dr. Gregg Amore, who leads the Pennsylvania affiliate of Character.org, this is
the first time that as many as seven schools in one district received recognition at the same time.
With a student enrollment of just over 10,500, Pennsbury is also the largest school district in the
country to earn the State District of Character designation.
“In Pennsbury, we are committed to increasing student achievement and improving school
culture through character education in all of our schools,” said Donna Dunar, Ed.D., Assistant
Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, who leads the character education initiative in
Pennsbury. “We are thrilled with this special state recognition of our work. A significant
component of Pennsbury’s Comprehensive Plan is focused on ‘Developing the Whole Child,’ in
which teachers and administrators support students in striving to do one's best in a caring and
respectful environment. Infused into our rigorous curriculum are elements that provide students
an understanding of the world with the pro-social skills to engage with resilience.”
Dr. Dunar continued: “Our goal is to help students feel safe and happy to learn. All of these
factors are integral to garnering these impressive distinctions. I am so proud of all of our
principals, teachers, and students in each of our schools. Even those schools on our roster that
were not singled out this year already have impressive character education initiatives underway,
and I know they all aim to apply for this honor in the near future, as well.”
Of the recent designations announced by Character.org, Pennsbury Superintendent Kevin J.
McHugh, Ed.D. stated, “The Pennsbury community has every reason to be proud of the good
work launched by the dedicated teams at each of our schools. Dr. Dunar has done an
extraordinary job of inspiring our school administrators and team leaders to follow the tenets of
character education in support of our students. I applaud all of their efforts, and look forward to a
special recognition of these accomplishments at the public meeting of our Pennsbury School
Board on Thursday, May 14th.
An important outcome of this collaborative effort is the focus on creating a “culture of caring” in
the Pennsbury schools, according to Dr. Dunar. “This recognition is an uplifting affirmation that
as a District, we are fulfilling our mission to develop the ‘whole child’ and increase student
achievement for ALL students.” Practices that are considered aspects of character education that
lead to such positive results include:
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Community engagement
Pro-social skills training
Peer mediation programs
Bully prevention initiatives
Service learning
Student leadership K-12
Cultivation of the growth mindset
Expectations of excellence
Positive reward systems
Reflections on one’s behavior and attitude
Infusion of critical thinking and ethics in curriculum
No Place for Hate designations
Restorative practices (secondary level)
“Responsive classroom” approach to teaching
The individual Pennsbury schools selected as 2015 State Schools of Character appear below,
with brief highlights of the schools’ site-based character education initiatives:
Afton Elementary School
The Afton team developed the acronym SOAR to inspire students to Show You Care, Open
Your Mind, Accept Responsibility, and Respect Yourself and Others.
Highlights of Afton’s school-wide culture of character include:
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Mosaic Pillars of Character in the school lobby
A Character Education Team comprised of committed teachers from across grade levels
and disciplines
Monthly SOAR celebrations
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Monthly Calendar of Character campaigns
Daily character education songs to start the day
Building Community through Literature program
Focus on random acts of kindness
Community service projects: Operation Kind Hearts, Operation Helping Hand, Baby
Bundles, Giving Tree, Souper Bowl food drive, coat drive, Red Cross blood drive, school
community garden and outdoor classroom, letters of appreciation to veterans.
Edgewood Elementary School
Using the concept of Edgewood Tigers ROAR, the Edgewood community embraces character
by educating the whole child through four core values: Respect, Open-Mindedness,
Appreciation, and Responsibility.
Highlights of Edgewood’s school-wide culture of character include:
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Core values of ROAR reinforced through signage, stakeholder interactions, classroom
discussions, and other means of nurturing students to become caring citizens
Strong interconnectedness among families, school personnel, and the community
Character-related themes embedded within curricula so that students connect to lessons in
a meaningful way
Service learning opportunities that cultivate caring: Breakfast Club for Seniors, Children
Helping Children, Recycling Program, the 5th Grade Legacy” project, Baby Bundles, and
many more
Inclusion of District’s Autistic Support classrooms at the elementary level
Fallsington Elementary School
Fallsington’s core beliefs are expressed through PAW Pride – with the PAW acronym standing
for Put Safety First, All People Deserve Respect, and We Are a Responsible Community.
Highlights of Fallsington’s school-wide culture of character include:
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PAW Pride Awards for behaviors displaying core beliefs
PAW Pride Awards in Reading and Math for noted academic achievements
Paw Pride weekly events
Community events, such as Family Dinners and Family Activity Nights, Bully
Prevention Puppet Shows, Fallsington Day
Service learning projects, such as Pennies for Patients, Hoops for Heart, Safety Patrol,
Read-a-Thon for St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, Valentines for Veterans, food
and clothing drives
PTO-Sponsored Activities
Outreach and active partnerships with local firms and agencies
Oxford Valley Elementary School
Oxford Valley Elementary School adheres to and promotes the school’s adopted “Cornerstone”
principles of character, which incorporate four main traits reflective in certain behaviors:
Respect, Responsibility, Cooperation, and Sportsmanship.
Highlights of Oxford Valley’s school-wide culture of character include:
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Daily Cornerstone reminders and curriculum-based activities
In-school and after-school programs that promote teamwork, positive peer relations, and
good sportsmanship
Special focus on skills for learning, empathy, emotion management, and problem solving
Community partnerships that help to foster a safe and enriching learning environment
Engagement of active learners in acts of good citizenship and development of high
aspirations
Fundraisers and community events that provide opportunities for students, families, and
staff to demonstrate moral action and caring for others
Mentoring programs to build relationships between students and adults through weekly
meetings
Assemblies that promote bully prevention, encouragement of others, building of
relationships, tolerance, and a sense of community
Quarry Hill Elementary School
PAWS is Quarry Hill’s acronym to encompass the four aspects of character development:
Practice Respect, Accept Responsibility, Work Together, Stay Positive.
Highlights of Quarry Hill’s school-wide culture of character include:
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Character education themes woven daily through every element of the school day
Partnerships with parents and the local community to foster the academic, emotional, and
social growth of students in order to develop responsible, productive, and caring citizens
Community service initiatives, including: candy and cards for the military, Grand Friends
Forever (an inter-generational partnership with Sunshine Assisted Living) Sunshine
Fund, Hoops for Heart, Give A Christmas, Thanksgiving and Souper Bowl food drives,
Nor’Wester Canine Assisted Learning Program, coat and dental hygiene collections
Collaborative and nurturing school and PTO-sponsored events, such as NFL Fuel Up to
Play 60, Reading Olympics, Big Buddies, Art Show, Science Fair, after-school
enrichment, Pizza Bingo, Young Authors’ Night, Family Formal, Reading Olympics.
Pennwood Middle School
The Unity Team at Pennwood reflects the “united” nature of this school community. UNITED
stands for Unique, Nurturing, Involved, Together, Empowering, Diverse.
Highlights of Pennwood’s school-wide culture of character include:
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A Unity Team comprised of students, faculty, administration, parents, and support staff
An annual Unity Week with themed activities to foster a supportive learning environment
for students
No Place for Hate student-signed resolutions
Annual cyber-bullying prevention assembly for 6th graders
Philadelphia Police Heads Up program for 8th graders
Bully awareness assemblies, Bully-Busters program, Student Council-generated bullyawareness programs
Thriving in Middle School program
Lessons in respect and citizenship in Language Arts, Health, Physical Education, and
Social Studies
Sportsmanship Mondays, Unity Wednesdays, Pennsbury Pride Fridays
Community service projects, such as Pennwood Has Heart, Little Dresses for Africa,
Toys for Tots, Letters of support to the troops and veterans, Letters of support to police
and firefighters, greeting cards for nursing homes, Thanksgiving food drives, NJHS
Halloween candy collection for the troops, and NJHS tutoring program
William Penn Middle School
The school’s acronym, SOAR, stands for: Strive for Success, Own Our Actions, Accept
Responsibility, and Respond Respectfully.
Highlights of William Penn’s school-wide culture of character include:
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Annual Character Ribbon awards, Bully Prevention Pledge, Mix it Up Day, and Chalk it
Out Day
Girls Unlimited program, Boys to Men group
Kindness Club
Mad Hatters after-school community service club
Pink Out Day for breast cancer awareness
Letters to veterans
Evening events for parents, including a presentation on cyber-bullying
Curriculum-based Holocaust presentation
Souper Bowl food drive
Buddy groups
Princesses’ Closet
Little Dresses for Africa
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