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Character Development

Rossman School interweaves character education throughout its program and community. We believe that children must first possess a strong character before they can begin to gain other forms of knowledge and wisdom. Rossman provides a safe learning community where students learn the core values of kindness, honesty, respect, and responsibility in a variety of social and academic contexts including:

  • academic lessons 
  • the Rossman School Family Program
  • the Sixth Grade Advisory Program
  • class meetings, discussions and advisories
  • service learning opportunities
  • student leadership roles and democratic processes
  • daily interactions within the school community
  • the positive role modeling of faculty, staff and administration

Rossman School’s approach to character education extends from the following beliefs:
  • We love and respect our students.
  • We build strong relationships with children so that they are willing to ask for guidance and prepared to accept our advice.
  • We teach the four Rossman Rules most effectively when we model them ourselves.
  • We hold high expectations for our students and ourselves, providing adequate support to achieve these high expectations.
  • We help children to set goals and teach them strategies to achieve success.
  • We encourage students to always strive for their personal best.
  • We nurture students through their mistakes. 
  • We help students understand friendship and teach them how to be good friends.
  • We help students to work with and appreciate others.
  • We teach students conflict resolution skills and allow them the freedom to practice these skills in the school environment.
  • We believe discipline is a learning process.

 

  • We use rules and natural consequences to develop reasoning and respect for others.
  • We believe that consequences should help children understand their mistakes and learn how to make appropriate choices in the future.
  • We offer students a voice in the school and in the classroom.
  • We encourage all of our students to be leaders and offer them sufficient opportunities to lead and model for their peers.
  • We teach about character in meaningful contexts through reading, writing, and research. 
  • We offer students opportunities for community service where they can actively help others.
  • We involve parents as partners in building our students’ character. 
  • We offer parents support and educational opportunities to help them be stronger parents and to develop stronger relationships with their children. 
  • We communicate frequently and effectively with parents regarding issues of character development.