The brand new Character Counts Coordinator position at The Columbus School is intended to improve our character-building programs and solve issues with student involvement.

The recently created Character Counts Coordinator role aims to make character development throughout the school, ensuring student engagement and uniform application of school principals across all ages.

“We saw a need to strengthen Character Counts activities, particularly in middle and high school,” Dr. Ruth, principal, said.

Drake University acknowledged The Columbus School as a regional development in character education and sent an invitation to make this position possible: the school decided to take this opportunity to create a better TCS community.

“Drake University designated us as the center for Character Counts in Colombia, which led to the creation of this role to coordinate workshops and training,” Dr. Ruth explained.

Having a character education with greater intentionality and efficacy is very important and is ensured by having a dedicated coordinator for this important job, particularly for younger children, to form them and educate them with the character counts pillars in order to create a better society.

“I think Character Counts is a great program, especially for younger students, and having a coordinator helps us be more intentional and effective,” David Murphy, a high school teacher, said.

The character counts coordinator influences not just the classroom through programs like the VIDA program. Parents are also encouraged to become involved to understand better what character counts are and apply them in their daily lives and their children’s.

“You can see the improvements in the VIDA program thanks to the coordinator’s efforts; it’s also helped engage parents positively,” Dr. Ruth said.

Teachers also understand the importance of the character count qualities such as caring, responsibility, and respect, looking forward to creating a more positive learning environment in every classroom.

“Character traits like respect, responsibility, and fairness can positively impact all interpersonal relationships, creating a community conducive to learning,” Mr. Murphy emphasized.

In the end, this position hopes to promote a culture of character counts among students as well as motivate them and the Columbus School community to create a better environment and community among everyone.

“We want to see students take more responsibility for their behavior, creating a culture where everyone thrives together,” Dr. Ruth concluded.