Hanover Park Named National District of Character

The Hanover Park Regional High School District was named a National School of Character by the Character Education Partnership (CEP).

Only 29 schools and school districts made the national roster this year. Each will be represented at the National Forum on Character Education in Washington, DC this October.

This year's National Schools of Character (NSOCs) include 18 public elementary schools, two public middle schools, one K-8 charter school, two public alternative schools, one public high school and three school districts: One large urban district, one small rural district, and Hanover Park Regional, the only high school district.

Each school and district must demonstrate growth in academics, behavior and climate through increasing test scores, falling disciplinary actions and student surveys showing that students feel safe and respected while on campus.

Programs in the Hanover Park district which helped them earn this position include an annual gallery walk by the Genocide Studies students, a peer buddy system for developmentally challenged students, mandatory service projects for all freshmen students and an outdoor classroom which students helped to design and build.

Superintendent Carol Grossi said, "Each and every one of our district's students, staff, and parents has played a major role in the re-culturing of our schools. We strive each day to live by the core ethical values established for the district-Caring, Citizenship, Fairness, Trustworthiness, Respect, and Responsibility."

The district was already named a 2013 New Jersey District of Character by the state Alliance for Social, Emotional and Character Development (NJASECD) in February.

Leigh Cline of the NJASECD said Hanover Park is the first regional high school district to apply for a District of Character designation. "This district attended meetings at our Northern Regional Networking Center and gained a greater understanding of the CEP’s 11 Principles of Effective Character Education that are the basis of the application," Cline said.

"This award validates for us the important role that service and character education has on human development. Walt Whitman once said, 'Make good people; the rest follows,”' Grossi said.

CEP President and CEO Mark Hyatt said schools have faced myriad challenges in recent years, including budget reductions, a lack of resources and growing class sizes. Still, Hyatt said, the schools named as this year's National Schools of Character have "managed to maintain a focus on the students and holding high standards. We want to help tell the stories of these schools to give inspiration to others, to say you can succeed too.”

CEP designations remain in place for three years, and National Schools and Districts of Character designations remain in place for five years. When these designations expire, the district can apply again.