Mennies Elementary School is one of only five in the state to receive a $1,000 character education grant from Rutgers University’s project for Fostering Change in School Culture Through Character Education (FCSCCE).
Mennies’ application was among 30 received from across New Jersey, and was selected, “based on the team you have assembled for the project, the quality of your responses, and the motivation and commitment you expressed regarding participation in the project,” wrote Dr. Philip M. Brown, Director of The New Jersey Center for Character Education.
Mennies will be working with the Radix School in Williamstown, a 2007 New Jersey School of Character, as well as having been recently selected as a National School of Character.
“Through participation in the project we expect that you will work with the principal and staff of Radix to improve your character education practice through your professional learning communities; receive guidance and support to address challenges you identify in the social and character education process; and learn how to assess and sustain you character education program,” wrote Dr. Brown.
The grant was written by Kristen Estep, a third-grade teacher, and Leslie Smith, the school social worker. Also on the team are Lisa Arena, Assistant Principal, Tanya Bruce, Heather Johnson, and Caleb Howard.
“This is a year-long project,” said Estep. “Our goal is to get our entire school involved in a comprehensive character education program here at Mennies. The character ed. team at Mennies, with guidance from Radix's team, plans to look at all of the programs we have in place --- Skills for Growing, Mentoring Programs, Peer Mediation, and Words of Wisdom, and develop and create a plan to tie all of these programs together.”
“We will work with Radix throughout this school year,” said Estep. “They are a school recognized for best practices in character education and have won awards at the state and national level. We've had an initial meeting with Radix, and we are going for a site visit in December.”
“We are working with Radix to develop a plan to involve all of our students and staff,” said Estep. “It will probably take us a year to get to the beginning stage. Hopefully, we will keep in touch with Radix over the next couple of years.”
“We are very pleased and excited to be involved with this project,” said Annette Rudd, Mennies Principal. “Not only will we be enhancing our character education program, but this project will allow us to work with colleagues in another district for our mutual benefit.”
In addition to the staff of the New Jersey Center for Character Education, Mennies personnel will be receiving direct assistance from Project Coordinator, Dr. Marian Helfant, who is joining the project after retiring as principal of the Bedwell Elementary School in Bernardsville.
“We are pleased to have found an educator of Dr. Helfant's reputation and commitment to character education to help lead the FCSCCE project,” wrote Dr. Brown.