SE Oakland News

Greenfield, Beverly and BCS each were recently selected as a ‘School of Character’ for Michigan. 

BIRMINGHAM, Mich.-- Birmingham Public Schools (BPS) announced that three schools in the district have been recognized as a state-level “School of Character” for 2023 by Character.org., a national advocacy organization. 

Greenfield Elementary, Beverly Elementary and Birmingham Covington School each were selected for Michigan, which only had four schools in the entire state recognized through a rigorous process. The organization empowers people of all ages to practice and model core values that shape the hearts, minds and choice of every person.

“As a national district of character, we are proud of our schools for continuing to seek their individual designation,” Birmingham Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Embekka Roberson said. “Our staff understands the importance of cultivating the whole child.” 

BPS is not a stranger to having schools being recognized by the organization. In fact, every school within the district has earned a state or national designee at least once, dating as far back as 2004. Seaholm High School was the most recent, earning national recognition in 2020.

The trio of BPS schools could eventually earn national designee status. Schools recognized as national “Schools of Character” will be announced in May and ultimately honored during the organization’s annual forum in Washington D.C. in the fall.

"We are excited to announce the 2023 State Schools and Districts of Character," said Dr. Arthur Schwartz, Character.org’s president. "Each of these schools and districts have put into place an initiative that equips and empowers their staff to reinforce and model a range of positive core values that will shape and form the hearts, minds, and choices of their students.”

Selection criteria are based on the organization’s principal framework, which includes key indicators for creating a caring school community where everyone feels they belong, providing students with opportunities to practice and reflect on their character strengths and engaging families and communities as partners in the school character initiative. 

Original source can be found here.