Academics
Character Formation
“Moral education is not a new idea. It is, in fact, as old as education itself. Down through history, in countries all over the world, education has had two great goals: to help young people become smart and to help them become good.” – Thomas Lickona, Ph.D.
Virtues are good habits, acquired through practice and effort. Kingswood’s virtue based Character Education program teaches students to develop virtue by:
- learning the virtue
- motivating them to live the virtue
- giving them opportunities to practice the virtue
Our teaching staff is trained to mentor the students through our Advisory Program. Teachers help the students develop a strong moral character so they can cultivate their full potential by becoming responsible, committed, considerate, and competent individuals. Education in character is a necessity if we want our students to practice virtues and ultimately make good moral decisions.
Our virtue program is designed to focus on positive character growth. It is meant to challenge our students to be the best they can be ~ for themselves, for others, and for God. Our ultimate goal is making the world a better place ~ one child at a time.
While virtue is its own reward, we believe that positive acknowledgement of a student’s virtuous actions will strengthen and encourage young people to continue to grow in virtue.
In 2014, the National Schools of Character awarded Kingswood Academy the “National and International Promising Practices in Character Education” for the scope and sequence of our Character Education Program.
Virtues are good habits, acquired through practice and effort. A key aspect of Kingswood’s philosophy is helping our students grow in virtue to become the best persons they can be.
Natural virtues empower an individual to become a more complete person. It is the growth in virtue that leads to the development of competent, responsible, considerate, and committed people.
How the program works:
> Each month there is a school-wide virtue featured in the curriculum
> Each grade has a pertinent, age appropriate sub-virtue on which it focuses
> These virtues are then incorporated into the daily curriculum and discussed during homeroom
We believe that “catching” a student doing good deeds is a positive and attractive way to encourage virtuous behavior. When an adult or a fellow student notices a student living one of the virtues, he or she may write on a leaf how that person lived the virtue. All the virtue leaves are put on the virtue tree and we watch how the tree and our students grow.
At the end of each trimester, when the report cards are distributed, the Principal presents a Virtue Achievement Award to those students who have achieved 3 or fewer check marks on their report card in the Character Development columns. This award is the culmination of positive affirmations the students have earned for the trimester.
All elementary and secondary schools in the Diocese of Joliet shall actively seek to
provide a supportive, caring environment in which all persons are safe from all forms of
intimidation including bullying, which is unacceptable, unchristian and strictly prohibited.
For the purpose of this policy, bullying is defined in conformity with Illinois Law as follows:
“Any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or electronically, directed toward a student or students that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following:
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- Placing the student or students in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s or
students’ person or property; - Causing a substantially detrimental effect on the student’s or students’ physical or
mental health; - Substantially interfering with the student’s or students’ academic performance; or
- Substantially interfering with the student’s or students’ ability to participate in or
benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school.” 105 ILCS 5/27-23.7 (b)
- Placing the student or students in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s or
Bullying Conduct
Bullying conduct covered by this policy is conduct that occurs on school property or at
school sponsored activities or events; while students are being transported or walking to or
from school or school sponsored activities or events; while students are waiting at school
bus stops; or cyber bullying as defined hereinafter.