Welcome to Character Counts! ala’ Hinsdale Central!
 



Since 2001 Hinsdale Central has been using a common language to talk about issues of character. This language was established by CHARACTER COUNTS!, a nationwide organization sponsored by the Josephson Institute. Over the years, data from surveys and student behavior referrals confirm what members of the Hinsdale Central school community already know: Character Counts! is making a positive, sustaining difference in the culture of our school!

 The Six Pillars of Character Counts! are: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship.

Character Counts! founder Michael Josephson
spoke at Hinsdale Central on November 25, 2008.

The Character Counts! program at Hinsdale Central has achieved national recognition. Hinsdale Central was selected as both the Illinois School of Character and the National School of Character by the Character Education Partnership. Hinsdale Central was invited to the inaugural National Consortium on Character-Based Leadership by the Center for the Study of the Presidency. Break Down The Walls, the anti-bullying, anti-harassment initiative created by HC students in 2000, was highlighted in the September 2006 Character Counts! Chronicle.  And the leaders of the National Character Counts! Organization selected Hinsdale Central as the best character education program in the US!

The Character Education Partnership recently (2009) sent a letter to the new U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. It it Hinsdale Central is prominently mentioned as an example of success in improving school climate by building character schoolwide. The CEP has also created a page on their site dedicated to Hinsdale Central's efforts. You can find it at http://www.character.org/hinsdalehighschool. It is also available in pdf form here.

Our faculty's initiatives are divided into three teams . . . CC! Curriculum Committee, CC! Student Life Committee, and CC! Community Connections Committee.  Our leaders are Jeanne Donaldson and Janelle Marconi (Curriculum), Lisa Bucciarelli (Student Life), and Pam Kalafut (Student Activities).  Assistant Principal Pam Bylsma provides Administrative Support. A new brochure for 2008-2009 is available - see the Documents Library at the bottom of this page.

Please call Pam Kalafut, Character Counts! Coordinator, at 570-8580 or
 e-mail her at pkalafut@hinsdale86.org should you have any questions or comments regarding Character Counts! at Hinsdale Central.