CharacterPlus® Celebrates
2024 State Schools of Character
(January 26, 2024) St. Louis, MO… CharacterPlus®, the longest-running character education initiative in the country, is proud to announce the area’s fifteen schools named 2024 Missouri Schools of Character. These schools and district have demonstrated a focus on character development which has positively impacted academic achievement, student behavior, and school climate. In the 2024 nationwide evaluation process, conducted by Character.org, 87 schools were named State Schools of Character, one district was named State Districts of Character, and two international schools were recognized.
CharacterPlus is the Missouri affiliate for the State Schools of Character process and evaluates all Missouri schools and districts that apply. This recognition is given to schools and districts that have achieved a standard of excellence in the area of character development through their exemplary implementation of Character.org’s 11 Principles of Effective Character Education, a framework for whole-school improvement.
One of the highlights of our year at CharacterPlus is recognizing the hard work and dedication of these schools. This year’s State School of Character honorees include:
.png)
Blevins Elementary (Rockwood)*
Child of God Lutheran
Eureka Elementary (Rockwood)
Hancock Place High (Hancock Place)*
Hiram Neuwoehner High (Special School District)*
Ladue Early Childhood (Ladue)*
Lafayette High (Rockwood)*
Lindbergh High (Lindbergh)*
McKelvey Elementary (Parkway)*
Nance Elementary (St. Louis Public Schools)
Sperreng Middle (Lindbergh)*
Truman Middle (Lindbergh)*
Washington Middle (Washington)
Wilckens STEAM Academy at Hillcrest (Belton)*
Zitzman Elementary (Meramec Valley R-3)
​
*indicates the school/district has renewed its designation after five years
Additionally, two Missouri schools received the designation of Honorable Mention during this year’s evaluation process. Those schools are:
.png)
Nike Elementary (Meramec Valley R-3)
Truman Elementary (Meramec Valley R-3)
Lastly, five Missouri schools received Emerging Schools of Character during this year’s evaluation process. They include:
.png)
Frontier School of Excellence (Frontier Charter)
Frontier School of Innovation-Elementary (Frontier Charter)
Frontier School of Innovation-Middle (Frontier Charter)
Frontier STEM High School (Frontier Charter)
Hancock Place Elementary (Hancock Place)
Schools named a State School of Character hold the designation for five years and are eligible to be evaluated for recognition as a National School of Character. If a school is designated a National School of Character, they also hold that designation for five years. National Schools of Character are announced annually in May.
​
The State Schools of Character program in Missouri is managed locally by CharacterPlus. CharacterPlus, located in St. Louis, is a membership-based nonprofit organization committed to equipping school stakeholders with the resources they need to provide high-quality character education. Through CharacterPlus, schools receive evidence-based development and training in effective character education for school transformation. The 11 Principles of Character Education and State Schools of Character are trademarks of Character.org in Washington, DC. Character.org and CharacterPlus have been partners in character education since 1993.
​
For additional information about this recognition or each school’s journey to State School of Character designation, please contact Nicole Diehl, Missouri Schools of Character Coordinator, at ndiehl@characterplus.org.
Schools of Character is generously supported by:
%20-%20Print.jpg)
Learn more at PoettkerConstruction.com