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Character Education



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Learning About Good Character

GFA celebrates and reinforces character development in a variety of ways. We come together as a school for our monthly character assemblies on the first Friday of each month. We recognize and reward our students and staff members for demonstrating the foundation stones through U Rock! cards, Stepping Stone Awards, and Foundation Awards. We set aside 90 minutes per week for character instruction using the Character First curriculum and related resources. We actively connect positive examples of character from history, science and literature to our students' lives. The GFA community regularly seeks to demonstrate the foundation stones through service to each other and our community. At Good Foundations Academy, character education is a continual process, guided by clear expectations and great examples from history, literature, and our community.


Good Foundations Academy has seven foundation stones that are interwoven through all that we do and teach. These foundation stones are Respect, Cooperation, Citizenship, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-Control, and Responsibility. We understand that there are many schools that would consider these important values, but seeing them as something important and having them clearly spelled out as school goals are two totally different scenarios. The "Seven Foundation Stones" are not meant to be a nice-sounding platitude for the school, but actualized behavior among the faculty, parents, and student body. As part of the ongoing development of the school culture, we see the Director, teachers, parents, and great literature as the four main avenues by which the foundation stones will become part of the student core.

The Seven Foundation Stones

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RESPECT
Showing consideration for others and their property; listening to and following instructions of those in authority; honoring others; following the Golden Rule; being courteous and polite.
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COOPERATION
Listening and paying attention to others, sharing and taking turns, doing a fair share of the work, acknowledging the contributions of others; serving others with patience and a positive attitude; working well with others.
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CITIZENSHIP
Using the rights and privileges one has a member of the community to make that community a better place; being socially responsible; obeying the laws and rules; doing one's part for the common good; respect authority; helping your community by volunteering service.
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INTEGRITY
Knowing the difference between right and wrong and having the courage to do what is right, even when it is not easy to do so; living up to the highest ethical standard not compromising one's value; building and guarding your reputation.
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PERSEVERANCE
Sticking to a purpose and never giving up on what one has to do; being determined to improve; being committed to justice; not leaving things unfinished; striving for excellence.
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SELF-CONTROL
Being rational - acting out of reason, not anger; knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do; being in control of yourself, not letting others influence your decision as to what is right or wrong; being disciplined; having power over what you do.
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RESPONSIBILITY
Doing what we have said we will do; being accountable for our actions and consequences because we know right from wrong; being dependable and reliable; not making excuses or blaming others.

Character First

Character First is a professional development and character education program that is delivered many ways—training seminars, books, magazines, curriculum, email—that focus on real-life issues at work, school, home, and the community. Our materials describe good character and talk about the attitudes a person needs in order to improve relationships and make ethical choices. This vocabulary helps colleagues challenge and applaud one another for good character.