W. Babylon Students Know Character Counts

Character education is an integral part of the West Babylon School District learning process.

It is the mission of the district to assist students in becoming morally responsible, self-disciplined citizens who learn to utilize problem-solving, decision-making and conflict resolution skills. It is imperative for this system that students learn how their actions affect other people.

All district schools participate in a character education initiative known as Character Certainly Counts. The district highlights specific character traits including caring, citizenship, fairness, respect, responsibility and trustworthiness, and these traits, referred to as the “six pillars” of character education, are often displayed throughout the schools to serve as a reminder of their importance. Every month a new trait is highlighted and included in morning announcements, discussed in classrooms, and explored through the use of books and student examples.  

The highlighted traits are used to promote another districtwide character education initiative called SEAL, referring to the social, emotional and academic learning of each West Babylon student. Research has shown that students are capable of learning how to recognize and control their emotions and do better academically as a result. The five competencies of SEAL include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making.

Individual schools supplement these initiatives with additional character education programs such as “Bucketfillers for Life,” in which students explore the concept of filling or emptying someone’s emotional “bucket,” as described in Carol McCloud’s character education book series of the same name.