LES Counselor's Corner - Character Counts! at Laytonsville

We are very pleased to announce that Character Counts! is continuing at Laytonsville this year. Character Counts! is LES�s way to help children become people of good character, who understand, care about and act upon core ethical values that we all can agree upon. Building good character will benefit every person, not only in school, but also in personal relationships and achievement throughout life.

photo of �We promise to make our Character Count!� bulletin board

All students made a pledge in the beginning of the year: �We Promise To Make Our Character Count!� Students all signed the bulletin board, making this promise.

At LES we will focus on one of the Character Counts! virtues each month. In Character Counts! these virtues are referred to as "pillars" because they are considered the supporting foundation of good character. Children will be learning about each pillar through classroom guidance lessons with Mrs. Ward as well as daily messages on the morning announcements. Teachers will be reinforcing these messages and making connections to curriculum on a daily basis. Here is the schedule for this year:

Character Counts Schedule:

September	=	Responsibility
October	=	Trustworthiness
November	=	Citizenship
December	=	Caring
January	=	Fairness
February/March	=	Respect
April	=	Trustworthiness
May	=	Caring
June	=	Fairness

We hope you will take the opportunity to teach your child about your family values, and to reinforce the virtues we are teaching at school.

History of Chaacter Counts! Program

The City of Gaithersburg recognizes the need to tell children "this is right" or "that is wrong." The CHARACTER COUNTS! program is an ethics education program that people of all cultures, races and religious affiliations can embrace. Gaithersburg did not invent this program. It is a national one that was carefully developed and is endorsed by the United States Congress, many state, counties, local governments and school systems.

You might ask, "Why get involved with CHARACTER COUNTS!?" "When?" is a better question--and the answer is NOW! Children make up 27 percent of our population, but they are 100 percent of our future. Which way they turn in life depends on the guidance of adult role models. Community leaders, local government, the school system, nonprofit organizations, youth groups and individuals must join together in order to stand for values in today's society.

Gaithersburg began the CHARACTER COUNTS! program in February 1996 with a commitment to bring it to every child in the City. The City's largest event was held in May with a special kickoff presentation, featuring special guest speaker and CHARACTER COUNTS! program founder Michael Josephson. An attendance of more than 700 people of all ages proved how hungry the community was to learn more about the program. CHARACTER COUNTS! did not start and end with parents and their children. Businesses and other community organizations, big and small, embraced the program and have joined the City's effort.

The Gaithersburg Mayor and City Council have incorporated CHARACTER COUNTS! into the City's mission statement and vision. City leaders are committed to teaching ethics education to young people, citizens and business leaders. The City has trained numerous people from all different organizations to help teach CHARACTER COUNTS! and the Six Pillars of Ethics to children and others in the community that want to learn and live by the base values the program endorses.

The City is striving to build a consensus in the community that no matter how diverse opinions, cultures and personalities are, there are clear values that define people at their best. The City promotes respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, trustworthiness and citizenship and endeavors to repair mistakes where these values have faltered.

CHARACTER COUNTS! and the Six Pillars logo are service marks of the
National CHARACTER COUNTS! Coalition, a project of the Josephson Institute.

Learn more about the Character Counts! program by clicking the logo below: