Character Counts!
This scorecard holds semi-annual and annual performance measures for reporting purposes for the Character Counts program in Queen Anne's County.
Story Behind the Curve
Queen Anne’s County public schools have implemented a variety of strategies to address poor subgroup performance, including specialized training, individualized learning plans, and co-teaching. Mentors, tutors, reading/math specialists, and the after school programming are current resources for students who need additional support. Challenges facing the public schools include funding reductions which have resulted in the loss of learning support specialists.
It has become more difficult (at least in the short term) to monitor continued progress in this area due to the fact that the State recently changed measuring tools and the two measures can’t be compared with each other. For that reason charts from both the MSA and the PARCC are posted above. Initially we have chosen to measure eighth grade performance for both English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics as our Headline Indicator for this result area. However, this could change next year as the LMB reviews all of the potential indicators.
Demographic factors which influence student achievement include the rise in the number of single parent households and high out-of-County commuter rates. Children often remain at home unsupervised after school until 6:00 p.m. or later.
Due to the change in the focus from MSA to CORE curriculum, the school system anticipated a drop in data for the percent of middle school students in Queen Anne’s County Passing the MSA in Math and Reading. Their prediction was correct. We are unable to draw conclusions from the data in the first year of the PARCC assessment yet.
The members of the Local Management Board continue to be strong advocates of the Character Counts! program believing that a community with strong character can achieve a lot. The Six Pillar Inventory was administered in the County for the sixth time (it’s administered in January of every odd year). The 2015 findings for the students aged 10 -15 years of age indicate that they had higher scores in 2015 than in 2013 for five pillars. On Trustworthy, the scores remained the same. They continued to have the most variable practice of qualities in Trustworthiness. For example 81% said that they always honored another's property, whereas only 31% said that they “tell the truth even when it may cost me.” The item that demonstrated the largest increase was doing volunteer community work. Overall among all age groups it was noted that the middle-income group scored higher than the no-income/low and high-income groups on all 6 pillars. This is another data item leaning towards a need for a continued high focus on sub-groups.
In regards to bullying, three years ago the Board of Education partnered with the LMB and community leaders to establish the ABC Committee (Anti-Bullying Committee). Since its inception, this committee has been extremely active. During that time they have held annual Anti-Bullying Days, implemented the evidenced based Olweus Bullying Prevention Program system wide and signed on with Text2Stop program. This is a text messaging (SMS) program made available to all parents, students, and community members in Queen Anne’s County that allows anyone with a cell phone to leave tips and messages, through texting, that will alert someone to the fact that they are aware of bullying events, that someone has suicidal ideation, or is planning other dangerous behavior. It has been getting a lot of use. The data in chart above shows that bullying in Queen Anne’s County peaked around 2010 while State numbers continue to climb. Many on the ABC committee feel that these strategies and others have helped to turn this curve in Queen Anne’s County. However we still desire to decrease the numbers further.What We Do
Character Counts! is a coalition founded by the Josephson Institute of Ethics, a non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian coalition of schools, communities, and non-profit organizations working to advance character education by teaching the Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship
A national character development initiative which utilizes the 6 pillars of character; includes weekly volunteer character coaching in schools, community capactiy buildings and social marketing of character development.
www.peopleofcharacter.org
Story Behind the Curve
Partners
Queen Anne's County Public School System
Queen Anne's County Local Management Board
Queen Anne's County Department of Social Services
Queen Anne's County Recreation Department
Queen Anne's County Sheriff's Office
Out of School Time
University of Maryland Cooperative Extension
Queen Anne's County Family YMCA
What Works
Coaches deliver lessons weekly to classrooms each month focusing on a different pillar.
Coaches are able to create their own lesson plans with guidance and/or examples from the CC! Coordinator.
Participating in marketing events, social media, press releases or cable coverage to recruit more CC! Coaches.
Coaches present anti-bullying lessons to their classrooms.
Action Plan
Implement the Character Counts! Program in all eligible classrooms and the family support center to increase character among children.
Who We Serve
Queen Anne's County Elementary schools grades K-5.
Queen Anne's County Middle Schools grades 6 (Sudlersville Middle includes grade 5)
Family Support Center
What We Do
Story Behind the Curve
Partners
What Works
Strategic Plan Part 1: The Community
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Strategic Plan Part 2: The Program or Committee's Role in Achieving Part 1
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Possible Future Goals:
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Meeting Updates, Announcements, and Decisions (Notes from Meeting)
Place a line above the note below and then enter information about the most recent update on top of it starting with the date of the note
Old Information
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