Whole Child Education

Port Jervis's school improvement efforts over the past few years have completely changed the school into a thriving learning environment that focuses on more than just student academic achievement. One of the first recipients of the NYSASCD Whole Child for the 21st Century Award, the school has initiated programs that fully prepare students for work, college, and citizenship by keeping them healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. The culture motivates students and engages them in learning through programs such as the Seven Habits of Highly Effective Students, community outreach activities, health fairs, and proactive assemblies.
 

Alexander Graham Middle School (PDF), a 2012 North Carolina Middle School Association Redesignated School to Watch, is a diverse school that draws from a diverse population in Charlotte, N.C. The school has does an excellent job of establishing a culture that meets all students' needs, which allows students to coexist and get along. The school provides a rigorous curriculum to students at all levels, yet is one of the few schools we've seen that has stayed committed to the concept of recess. At Alexander Graham, "Fresh Air Time (FAT)" is taken seriously, and students truly enjoy their breaks. They have managed to find the balance between hard work, high achievement, and physical activity.
 

If a middle school needs tips on how to improve, it can turn to the Indian Lake school district for help. Indian Lake, a K–12 school in New York, has been picked for the “Essential Elements: 2012 Schools to Watch” program, an initiative that recognizes middle schools that demonstrate excellence. This is the first time this school has been recognized for this honor for its practical and cultural experiences that address the mental and physical needs of each student. Although the school is small in population, the culture is rich in academic excellence and expectations. Students leave the school feeling inspired in self sufficiency, lifelong learning, creativity, responsibility, and citizenship.
 

Pleasantville Middle School is an education community that is dedicated to understanding and facilitating the positive transition from childhood to adolescence. Community and staff are committed to providing educational experiences where learning is valued, differences are accepted, wellness is encouraged, and accountability is realized, to assure the development of each students’ intellectual, educational, physical, personal, and social growth.
 

South Allegheny Middle School has been redesignated as a 2012 Pennsylvania School to Watch by the Pennsylvania Middle School Association (PMSA). South Allegheny Middle School is part of a very select group of 21 schools in Pennsylvania and 300 nationwide that have been designated as Schools to Watch. South Allegheny was selected for its academic excellence, its responsiveness to the needs and interests of young adolescents, and its commitment to helping all students achieve at high levels. In addition, South Allegheny's strong leadership, teachers who work together to improve curriculum and instruction, and a commitment to assessment and accountability bring about continuous improvement.
 

Established in 1995 as one of the first charter schools in Massachusetts, Benjamin Frankilin Classical Charter Public School (BFCCPS) also has the distinction of being among the first schools in the country to be named National Schools of Character, in 1998. Named a National School of Character again in 2011 by whole child partner the Character Education Partnership, the mission of BFCCPS is to assist parents in their role as primary educators of their children by providing students with a classical academic education coupled with sound character development and community service.

One of the key strengths of BFCCPS is its determination to maintain its original unique and focused vision to integrate virtues not only into its mission but into what takes place there every day—and its history of success in doing so. In addition to providing an education based on the cardinal virtues of the ancient Greeks, BFCCPS uses a teaching strategy borrowed from an American founder, Benjamin Franklin, to set weekly character goals which enable staff and students to focus on these virtues in both academics and personal interactions, in order to help develop virtuous habits. Also, the school incorporates current research based strategies taken from Responsive Classroom, such as class meetings and service opportunities, to facilitate reflection on the character goals and practice in achieving them.

Corpus Christi College is a co-educational high school of nearly 1,200 students located just south of Perth. The school provides a modern, exciting, and forward-thinking education experience for students, nurturing confidence, compassion, and personal excellence. The school is committed to educating young people to serve as school and community leaders and students are prepared to become life-long learners and global citizens.

Recognized as a MindMatters School in 2011 by whole child partner Principals Australia Institute, Corpus Christi College has established a functional school-based core health and well-being team with clear processes and roles to support their work. The school has increased the number of trained staff and the range of professional development opportunities available to support staff wellness. Students are encouraged to take proactive leadership roles in mental health and well-being initiatives and mental health and resilience themes are integrated throughout the curriculum and extracurricular activities. Parent, family, and community involvement has expanded with regular parent information forums and direct links with community mental health services.

Balga Senior High School is located in a northern suburb of Perth, a metropolitan area that is culturally diverse. The school has strong pastoral care programs that address the social and emotional needs of students. The school motto, "Strength in Unity," implies that cooperation is the key to providing a happy and pleasant environment in which all can strive for excellence in their educational pursuits.

Recognized as a MindMatters School in 2011 by whole child partner Principals Australia Institute, staff at Balga Senior High School are a vibrant and active team committed to ensuring that all students feel safe in a supportive environment and that the students' social, emotional, and physical needs are met. The school is a leader in connecting with the local community and has built relationships with many community organizations, including The Smith Family, North Migrant Resource Centre, and the Youth on Health Festival, Western Australia's largest youth performing and visual arts festival. Students participate in the festival annually. Student spirit groups provide practical opportunities for student voice in school thinking and activities and promote tolerance of differences through extra-curricular activities.

Recognized as a MindMatters School in 2011 by whole child partner Principals Australia Institute, Castlemaine Secondary College serves 760 students and is located 120 kilometers northwest of Melbourne. The school recently dedicated itself to improving relationships between all members of the school community, improving the personalization of student learning, and developing the school's community partnerships. This has in turn resulted in the school developing the capacity of all teaching staff to be teachers of well-being. The introduction of a new pastoral care structure, including small small mentor groups, has also aided in improving relationships and the personalization of student learning. In addition all teaching staff have become mentors, and they have a key role in serving as the first point of contact for parents and other teachers whenever there are any concerns about students in their groups.

Recognized as a MindMatters School in 2011 by whole child partner Principals Australia Institute, Victor Harbor High School is the only government high school on the south coast of South Australia. The school uses a distributive leadership model across the school and has developed a whole school approach to pastoral care. Well-being teams meets regularly throughout each term and smaller student support teams meet on a regular basis to help with identification and case management of students experiencing high support needs. The school has been able to promote well-being across the school, increase levels of student-staff connectedness, document an increase in positive relationships between students, and practice a more holistic approach to case managing individual students.