The First Step
Let Us Help Customize Your Character Journey!
Your school’s character journey takes work and coordination from multiple directions. But where do you start?
Making changes in schools, educating parents, and empowering young people are just some of the important parts of creating a culture of character. Most schools do not become a National School of Character overnight, but methodically work at it over time, trying new ideas and keeping what works. Explore the options below to find out how you can support better futures for kids in your community.
Please download our Guide to Applying for an overview of the Schools of Character process.
Contact Our Schools Of Character Director, Lori Soifer
Reach out to Lori Soifer to learn more about the School Of Character process and to discuss first steps and how to customize your schools character journey.
You can reach her at lori@character.org.
Attend Our Annual International Forum
Our International Forum will bring together hundreds of educators passionate about character with real-world experience on transforming a schools culture. Connect and begin networking with school leaders who have already put the 11 Principles successfully into action.
Understand Each of The 11 Principles
Schools of Character are selected based on their implementation of the 11 Principles Framework. Learn about how each principle will help your school develop a comprehensive approach to character development and how they shape your character journey.
Build Your Character Team
Whether it’s a task force or a committee, SOC schools are guided by a group of committed stakeholders that include faculty, parents, students, and community members.
Conduct An 11 Principles Self-Assessment
School teams examine current character practices aligned to each Principle. Reflect on the good things you are already doing! Seeing where you are now can help you decide what steps to take next. Self-assesment and scoring guide
Integrate A Practice Or Two From Your Self-Assessment
School teams create short- and long-term objectives for implementation that help strengthen their character development work.
Submit A Promising Practice
Character.org annually recognizes specific classroom or school-wide initiatives and practices that are based on one or more of the 11 Principles. This is a great step for schools who have been working hard! Click here to learn more about Promising Practices.
Work With A Character Trainer Or Coach
Reach out to Tamra Nast, our Director of Training & Coaching to learn how Character.org can support your school. She loves helping schools learn about the 11 Principles! You can contact her at tamra@character.org.
Conduct An 11 Principles Mock Audit
The Mock Audit can be done at any point prior to submitting an application for certification. Schools receive robust, professional feedback on their overall character initiative and can use the audit as a roadmap for strengthening their application.
For more information contact Tamra Nast: tamra@character.org.