Message from Head of School
January, 2012
Dear Friends,
As I was walking down the school hall the other day, my mind went back to my first day at St. John’s. The first thought I had was that every student I encountered had a smile. That alone says a lot about an educational institution. Since that first day, St. John’s has become a large part of my life.
Today, to become a productive citizen of the future, children need to do more than learn the three R’s. They also need to develop a set of core values that they need to call on throughout their lives to guide their attitudes and behavior. To meet this need, the administration, faculty and staff will implement Character Education.
Six pillars of character – trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship – form the foundation of Character Education. These pillars are in line with the Episcopal teachings. Although we will be addressing these individually, these pillars are inseparable parts of a complete attitude that can help children reduce risk behaviors, improve achievement, and develop overall integrity.
Character Education is not add-on curriculum. Rather, it is a method for accomplishing the existing goals of education – to help children develop all the skills they will need to become successful adults.
Happy New Year,
Warmly,
Joe Norton
Head of School