Schools

Trautwein Elementary Earns Missouri School of Character Award

Six district schools earned recognition this year.

After receiving an honorable mention last year,  has received the Missouri School of Character award. The recognition qualifies Trautwein to be considered for the Character Education Partnership's (CEP) highest honor: a National School of Character. Six district school were recognized by the CEP this year.

“Trautwein Elementary’s continued character education efforts have been outstanding, and I knew it would only be a matter of time before the school was honored as a Missouri School of Character," said Deputy Superintendent Dr. Eric Knost in a statement. "The Trautwein students, staff and community are very deserving of this prestigious award.”

The State Schools of Character program recognizes schools for embedding the CEP’s Eleven Principles of Effective Character Education into their daily practices. After receiving an honorable mention in last year’s program, Trautwein Elementary was honored with its Missouri School of Character designation this year following an in-depth application process and site visit by the CEP.

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"I think the difference is that the students have really internalized this character education," said Trautwein Elementary Principal Dr. Donna Wagener. "The site visitors want to know that the teachers are involved, that the kids are polite and respectful, but that they also understood what it was to have integrity, what that was all about and how the teachers brought it in out lessons." 

The 2011 Missouri Schools of Character honored Bierbaum Elementary and as Emerging Future Schools of Character. , and Oakville Middle Schools received honorable mentions for their continued character education efforts. 

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"One of the site visitors said that she has never been in a building where the students are as polite and respectful as in the Trautwein building," Wagener said. "When we went down this road we said 'If you can help kids develop good character you have succeeded in the long run.'"


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