Liberty Elementary Named 2017 State School of Character

CANTON, GA -- A Cherokee County School District school has been named a 2017 State School of Character for its commitment to character education.

The honor, awarded to Liberty Elementary School in Canton by the international Character.org nonprofit organization, was bestowed to only 80 schools across the country.

Liberty is the only school from Georgia to win the designation, the Cherokee County School District said.

Recipients are considered models of excellence within their states for teaching students to recognize positive ethical and performance character traits and develop them in themselves.

Honorees are “role models for preparing students to live and lead with integrity, in addition to providing an engaging, dynamic education,” said Dour Karr, president and CEO of Character.org. “These schools represent the hundreds of thousands of people working on their character, showcasing the process of where ‘I’ meets ‘we’ for positive change. Their stories encourage us to take the character movement beyond schools and into our own individual growth stories. They are an inspiration to us all."

Liberty now will be evaluated for the National School of Character designation, which will be announced in May.

“We are so proud whenever our schools are recognized for outstanding teaching and learning, and this award is especially heart-warming,” Cherokee County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Hightower said. “We want every child to learn not only their academics and career skills, but also to be a good person and citizen, who treats others with kindness and respect. Congratulations to the entire Liberty Elementary community for this commendable achievement."

Principal Doug Knott said, in addition to thanking students, staff and the school community, he wanted to especially recognize Assistant Principal Dr. Pam L. Green, who has led the school’s initiative and previously successfully guided Carmel Elementary School to this state and national recognition.

“Her expertise has been instrumental in the growth of our school community in the area of character education,” Principal Knott said. “We are truly fortunate to have her experience with this process as we move toward this national distinction."

The school last year was named a Promises Practices award winner by Character.org – one of only four schools in the state to be honored. Liberty won two awards: one for its “Have a Heart for Seniors” service-learning program and the other for initiatives by its Student Leadership Team.

Liberty Elementary also has received statewide attention for its successful use of the #BeKind program to encourage positive behavior and acts of service.

Photo: Liberty Elementary Assistant Principal Dr. Pam Green, left, and Principal Doug Knott. Credit: Cherokee County School District