Character Counts will be held once per month on Wednesdays and will again occur during the Advisory Period. On the Character Counts day the Advisory Period will be extended by 32 minutes making the total Advisory Period for that day 43 minutes long. An effort will be made to cover all the Character Counts Pillars. The Character Counts Extended Advisory Periods will meet on the first Wednesday of each month (except March). Dates are: Wednesday, October 7                Responsibility                                                    Wednesday, November 4            Citizenship Wednesday, December 2             Respect Wednesday, January 6                  Fairness Wednesday, February 3                Caring Wednesday, March 17                   Trustworthiness (3rd Wednesday instead of first because of ISAT tests) Wednesday, April 7                         Respect Wednesday, May 5                         Decision Making/Summarize Pillars

Embraced by thousands of schools, communities, public agencies and nonprofit organizations for a simple reason it works. These groups receive support and development from a national office, which offers training programs, free e-newsletters, resources and free consultation.

Nonprofit, not religious or political (though used by both secular and faith-based groups, and supported by public officials of both major parties).

Not a curriculum or add-on, but a powerful means to advance curricular and behavioral goals.

These six core ethical values form the foundation of all programs and materials.

 The Six Pillars Are:

Trustworthiness Be honest • Don't deceive, cheat or steal • Be reliable - do what you say you'll do • Have the courage to do the right thing • Build a good reputation • Be loyal - stand by your family, friends and country. Trustworthy people are reliable and honest. You can count on them to keep their promises.

Respect Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule • Be tolerant of differences • Use good manners, not bad language • Be considerate of the feelings of others • Don't threaten, hit or hurt anyone • Deal peacefully with anger, insults and disagreements  Displaying respect means showing regard for other people and for authority.

Responsibility Do what you are supposed to do • Persevere: keep on trying! • Always do your best • Use self-control • Be self-disciplined • Think before you act - consider the consequences • Be accountable for your choices. You show responsibility by being willing to accept the credit for blame for what you do.

Fairness Play by the rules • Take turns and share • Be open-minded; listen to others • Don't take advantage of others • Don't blame others carelessly. Being fair means treating everyone equally and honestly.

Caring Be kind • Be compassionate and show you care • Express gratitude • Forgive others • Help people in need. You can show others that you care for them by treating them with understanding and consideration.  Caring people are kind and try to help others when they can. 

Citizenship Do your share to make your school and community better • Cooperate • Get involved in community affairs • Stay informed; vote • Be a good neighbor • Obey laws and rules • Respect authority • Protect the environment. Good citizens obey rules and laws.  They do what they can to help their school, community, and country.

 This has been taken from the Character Counts Website and Teen Health Book

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