Virtues stressed at CCHS

By MAUREEN MCGUINNESS- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

Students at Catholic Central High School in Troy have been more courteous this year.

It's common for students to hold the door open for each other and to pick up litter in the hallways. Graffiti in the bathrooms or on school desks seem to be things of the past.

Such changes can be attributed to the school's involvement in the "School of Character Partnership," a movement which emphasizes the teaching and implementation of moral virtues in conjunction with academic learning.

Key part

Teaching moral virtue has been something that CCHS and other Catholic schools have done as part of their mission.

"It's always been a part of Catholic schools," explained principal Sister Katherine Arseneau. "But because our world is changing, we have to look for a new way to present them. The Gospels talk about values. This is a new way to drive home the same message. It's not a new message; it's a more focused way of presenting it."

To implement character education at the school, the faculty and administration developed a list of 10 virtues -- one per month -- to emphasize: respect, honesty, responsibility, compassion, courtesy, patience, forgiveness, faith, self-control and hard work. Signs state the virtue of the month. The virtue is also incorporated into the school-wide morning prayer and into the curriculum.

The school also purchased motivational posters that depict the virtues. Every few feet throughout the school, they remind the students and faculty of the virtues important at CCHS.

Message heard

"From the comments I've gotten, I think it's touched the hearts of many kids," the principal said, adding that students say to others who are littering: "Pick that up. That's not very respectful to the janitor."

One teacher commented that a student found an envelope containing $280 in tuition on the stairs and returned it to the school office.

Andrea Sibincich, a junior, has noticed a difference in her peers. "If you drop your books, so many people stop to help you pick them up," she said.

Values in view

She is one of the students who is pleased with the emphasis placed on virtues at the school.

"It's a great program," she said. "It reminds you of the basic things you should follow."

According to Andrea, the faculty has done a good job of incorporating values throughout the curriculum. For example, she had to write an essay for chemistry on the virtues needed in science, such as patience.

Taking notice

Students, Andrea said, have taken notice of the signs and look for new ones each month. Her peers are also attentive to the morning prayer. Sister Katherine has noticed that as well.

She leads the prayer over the school's closed circuit television system. "Everything stops during prayer," the principal said.

One morning, she noticed a student who was late at his locker. When prayer began, he stopped what he was doing to listen. "It's in the minds of kids," the principal said.

Change in students

Mary Ann Galarneau, a junior high social studies and English teacher, has noticed a change in the students. Now in her ninth year at the school, she noted that this year "has been different from previous years."

She has seen the students apologizing more frequently, as well as saying please and thank you. "Their behavior reflects many of the virtues," she said.

One reason this effort is taking off, she believes, is the involvement of the adults. "It's being modeled from the adults," she said. "The adults treat them with respect. It comes from the top down."

Parents' view

Students and staff aren't the only ones pleased with this effort. Parents have commented as well. Ed Dyer, a graduate of the school and parent of a junior, said this effort can do much to change the direction of the future.

"One of the circumstances today is that people don't respect one another," he said. "I was a [state] trooper for 30 years, and I found that people don't care about the other person. Courtesy has slipped away. If our young people grow up in families where ethical values are important, this can change."

While the school has put a new emphasis on virtues, Mr. Dyer said the message isn't different from the one "we got 35 years ago."

Instilling virtue

The living out of these virtues is what Mr. Dyer said he and his wife expect from their children. Other CCHS parents agree. Teri Marchese, parent of a freshman, is pleased that the school is emphasizing the virtues that she has long held important in her home.

"I try to instill these virtues in my children," she said, adding that it's comforting that the school is promoting the same values.

Because of the emphasis on virtues at school, Mrs. Marchese has noticed her son is more aware of the virtues. She posts the virtues in her family room each month to support the school's efforts.

"I look up the word in my Bible's concordance or other scriptural source and then go to the computer and type the word in bold type across the top of the page with the verse and reference beneath," she said. "This serves as a daily reminder to my children as to what is expected of them, and to my husband and me that we are responsible for teaching them the best we can."

(To learn more about the "School of Character Partnership," visit Catholic Central High School's website at www.cchstroy.org.)

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