Five Rockwood Schools Earn 'Promising Practices' from Character.org

Crestview, LaSalle Springs, Rockwood Valley and Wildwood middle schools and Ridge Meadows Elementary have been recognized for enacting “Promising Practices” by Character.org, a national organization that advocates for character education in schools and communities.

The five Rockwood schools' initiatives are among 290 from around the world and 41 from the state of Missouri certified by Character.org as “unique, effective initiatives that inspire ‘goodness in action’ and contribute to the field of character development.”

“We are incredibly proud to recognize the schools and organizations that have developed and implemented Promising Practices,” said Diana Dodson, director of Promising Practices, in a press release. “Each of these practices demonstrates meaningful impact while bringing to life the principles that inspire ‘goodness in action’ and cultivate a culture of character in schools and organizations.”

Read below for more information about Rockwood school's Promising Practices.

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Crestview - School-to-Home Leadership Connections: Bridging Character from Classroom to Community

Crestview invites parents to share authentic examples of students applying monthly leadership challenges at home and in the community, fostering character development beyond the school walls without external rewards.

Each month, the school focuses on a specific leadership theme, and Principal Dr. Chris Brandriff sends a call to action to parents, inviting them to submit stories of their children demonstrating these specific leadership traits in their homes or local neighborhoods. By highlighting these real-world applications, Crestview encourages students to see leadership as a consistent way of life, leading to stronger, more authentic leadership applications as students develop into well-rounded citizens.

"The impact has been a measurable shift toward authentic leadership," Crestview school leadership wrote in its application. "We have seen students take greater ownership of their actions, understanding that their 'character' is who they are at all times, not just when a teacher is watching. Parents have reported feeling more connected to the school’s mission, and the community benefits from a middle school population that is actively looking for ways to serve and empathize. This practice has successfully cultivated a culture where leadership is seen as a lifelong developmental journey rather than a school requirement."

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LaSalle Springs - Kindness Crew Upstander ONE Training

The LaSalle Springs Kindness Crew empowers eighth-grade leaders to mentor younger peers through the ONE training, transforming bystanders into active, pledged Upstanders to foster a schoolwide culture of respect and integrity.

Led by 10 dedicated eighth-grade student leaders, this 30-minute monthly initiative reaches up to 45 students per session and teaches the importance of Upstanders in our school community. Student leaders facilitate critical discussions on the courage required to intervene and the vital distinction between a bystander and an Upstander. A key component of the training is teaching students to recognize when peer intervention is unsafe, emphasizing that seeking a trusted adult is a powerful form of advocacy. The training culminates in a personal Upstander Pledge, which is decorated and displayed on the participant’s locker door. These signs serve as a tool for personal accountability while providing a visual message of hope to the entire student body, signaling a growing network of allies in every hallway.

By the conclusion of this past school year, the Kindness Crew will have trained approximately 250 students, representing 28 percent of the school population.

"By fostering a partnership between eighth-grade leaders and sixth- and seventh-graders who show the potential to also be character leaders, our practice creates a sense of collective responsibility and pride," LaSalle Springs school leadership wrote in its application. "We are not just teaching a lesson; we are building a community where students feel empowered to 'not just stand there and watch.' The result is a school community where kindness is the standard, and every student has the tools to be the "ONE" who makes a difference."

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Ridge Meadows - Hearts Around the World

Ridge Meadows students received Valentines from around the world, discussed their origins, mapped their locations and displayed them. Inspired by the joy of receiving, students created Valentine cards for community members.

Fourth-grade students asked family members, friends and neighbors to share Valentines from where they live or travel to help the students collect correspondence from as many locations around the world as possible. They presented the learning experience to each class and invited them to invite others to participate,  too. As the fourth-graders excitedly opened each envelope, they discussed what they noticed: who and where it was from, any differences in the postage and where to locate the origin on a map. Teachers used this as a real-life connection to the Rockwood curriculum and Missouri Learning Standards, making the curriculum come to life.

Students placed pins on a schoolwide map to indicate locations from which they received correspondence and displayed all of the cards in the trophy case for all to enjoy. Realizing the joy in receiving, each grade level created Valentines for different community helpers, such as police officers, firefighters, military members and residents at local senior care facilities.The school Best Buddies chapter furthered the endeavor by working together to create cards for another school’s Best Buddies to spread love during February.

"Grandparents received calls from their grandchildren, where they explained the project and how they could help; you bet those grands were running out the next day to purchase a card or make one to send," the school leadership team wrote in its application. "Parents were just as excited as the students when an anticipated card from a loved one arrived, especially those from other countries. Staff would talk about who they knew from what states so they could contact the remaining few states to receive something from each state. Fourth-graders discussed how cool it was to receive something from the president of the United States! They were full of pride as they located a state or country we had not received from and added a pin to the map. All of these unique experiences brought joy to their learning and kept them engaged in learning about maps, unknown places in the world and the importance of connecting with others."

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Rockwood Valley - Turkey Smash

Each year heading into Thanksgiving break, Rockwood Valley hosts a Turkey Smash coin drive and assembly. The school has a weeklong coin drive to raise money for its Adopt a Family program. This helps cover holiday gifts, utilities, groceries and other essentials that our students and staff need. The drive typically raises around $8,000.

The coin drive concludes with a Turkey Smash assembly. Students participate through theme choices, T-shirt designs, creating chants and playing games at the assembly, along with a volleyball match between staff members and eighth-graders.

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Wildwood - Core Value Initiatives

A student-driven focus group created core values of Grit, Kindness, Fun and Responsibility that are implemented across student organizations and affirmed by staff members and the school community.

Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, student groups from each grade level identified school values that reflect their priorities as students, adolescents and innovators at Wildwood by getting input from their peers and collaborating as a student group to identify the essential values. These values were presented to students and are being integrated by labeling values that exist in various school clubs and events demonstrating the values in action. This allows the community to see how to live out the school's values.

To further reinforce these values, student-led groups, such as the Values Group and the Student Advisory Council with the superintendent, gather diverse perspectives. This helps the school understand strengths and areas for growth through the lens of the core values. By consistently labeling and connecting school programs to these values, Wildwood empowers students to see values in action and develop positive habits.

"Our practice is vital to the development and success of our school community and our whole community, and the impact has been apparent," the school leadership team wrote in its application. "Through the development and implementation of focus groups, our community has achieved growth in connectedness, a sense of belonging and an overall understanding that every community member has a voice and the power to use it. This practice encourages voice within our school. Students, staff and community members alike have a say in our processes and are seeing direct results of this inclusion."