Lee’s Summit R-7 School District Curriculum Emphasizes Character
character, development, education, highland park, lee’s summit r-7 school district, trey broker, wesley coombs,
In Lee’s Summit R-7 School District, students learn much more than reading, writing and arithmetic. Thanks to a citywide effort to promote and encourage the development of character, students also learn valuable lessons in patience, honesty and responsibility.
Through the Lee’s Summit Community of Character, sectors including families, schools, city government, law enforcement, parks and recreation, media, businesses and the chamber of commerce, faith-based organizations and health-care institutions collaborate to promote a different character trait each month.
“The program has become part of our culture, with principals and teachers working to promote and emphasize character and character development in our curriculum,” says Sharon Early, director of Library Media Services at Stansberry Leadership Center and coordinator of the district’s character education program. Early and representatives from each of the district’s schools meet regularly to discuss the initiative as well as the district’s character education database, which is continually updated with age-appropriate activities relevant to each month’s focus.
At Highland Park Elementary School, students and staff learned first-hand the importance of generosity after collecting hundreds of gloves, mittens, scarves and hats for the school’s first-ever Mitten Tree. Teachers first read books about generosity, and families were invited to contribute items for the school’s tree.
Meanwhile, students at Bernard Campbell Middle School learn about positive character traits through homeroom visits from the school’s media specialist, who uses picture books to introduce specific traits and engage students in relevant conversation.
“If you constantly emphasize a trait, it becomes part of the students’ learning,” Early says. “Students find that adults, principals and parents value these traits, and they become ingrained in their character.”
In Lee’s Summit high schools, more than 2,000 students learn the value of giving back to their neighbors through the district’s mandatory community service program. Prior to graduation, students are required to complete at least 10 hours of non-profit volunteer work such as tutoring, medical or elderly care.
“A lot of times, kids volunteer and find their loves or interest to match,” says Linda Geurin, community service coordinator at North High School. “They learn early how to help others and have empathy for people and see how they can make a difference in people’s lives.”
Story by Melanie Hill
