Theunis Dey Elementary School recently received the Promising Practices Award from the Character Education Partnership (CEP) for its “Celebrating Our Planet” program. The award was presented at the 19th National Forum on Character Education in Washington, DC.
The Promising Practice Award honors educators that have applied a unique education practice to their schools. CEP selected Theunis Dey’s program -- which focuses on increasing awareness of the environment -- to serve as a model for others to replicate and integrate into their character education initiatives. At the forum, the school's "Go Green" Committee Advisor Mrs. Laura Hoogstrate, along with the school's Principal Dr. Laura Russomano, presented an overview of the program, which was featured in CEP's annual National Schools of Character publication and is showcased in CEP's searchable database of winning practices (www.character.org).
As part of Celebrating Our Planet, Theunis Dey students -- with help from teachers -- formed a "Green Committee." Together, they built a community garden, learned about maple sugaring, and created an outdoor classroom for all academic subjects. The culmination of these efforts was celebrated at a "Party for the Planet," during which community organizations provided information to parents and students on a variety of environmental topics. Celebrating Our Planet has helped students learn to work together to care for the environment.
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CEP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, and nonsectarian coalition of organizations and individuals. Its goal is to benefit society through reform in the nation’s schools by addressing a wide variety of issues that affect education, such as academics, social and economic standings, mental health, and ethical issues.
About Wayne Township Public Schools
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Wayne Township Public Schools consist of two high schools (Wayne Valley and Wayne Hills), three middle schools (Schuyler Colfax, George Washington, and Anthony Wayne), and nine elementary schools (Theunis Dey, Ryerson, Randall Carter, Pines Lake, Packanack, Lafayette, John F. Kennedy, James Fallon, and AP Terhune). These 14 schools serve more than 8,500 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
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