Larson Middle School Named 2018 School of Character

Larson Middle School has been named a 2018 Michigan School of Character by Character.org, a national advocate and leader for character in education. The program recognized Larson as a school that has demonstrated its use of character development to drive a positive impact on academics, student behavior and Larson’s cultural climate. Larson is the first school in Troy to receive this prestigious designation and is now in the running for the National School of Character award.

Larson Principal Joe Duda gave special acknowledgement to staff Nancy Lining, Charlie Tull, Jen Rogers and Cindy Christiansen for spending their time and energy preparing the application, also praising committee leaders for designing such great lessons, which were recognized as innovative by the judges. Lastly, Duda commended all LMS staff for taking the opportunity to shape the beliefs and character of their students by integrating Larson’s motto into daily classroom practices. “We strive each and every day to live up to our motto, Larson STRONG: Stand up for kindness, Teamwork, Resilience, Outgoing, Netiquette (think before you post), and Good deeds.”

The Schools of Character application process is an opportunity for schools and districts to receive thoughtful feedback for growth and excellence in the area of character development through Character.org’s 11 Principles of Effective Character Education framework. It is also a method of recognizing exemplary schools and districts in the nation.

“Utilizing components of character education is a large part of our student and staff’s daily routines,” concluded Duda. “We are grateful for Character.org for their efforts to create a state and national discussion on the importance of character in education. We are eager to carry this distinction for years to come and are hopeful our example will lead other schools in Michigan to participate in this program in order to enhance students’ lives statewide.”