Bayless Elementary Celebrates National Recognition

Bayless Elementary School marked a milestone achievement yesterday, celebrating its ranking as a “National School of Character” by the Character Education Partnership.

The honor was awarded by the D.C.-based group to only 43 schools across the nation this year, 16 of which were from the St. Louis area. Bayless students and staff marked the accomplishment Tuesday afternoon with an assembly that was also attended by Missouri lawmakers and education professionals.

To earn the right to be called a school of character, Bayless Elementary had to prove it fully incorporates the teaching of 11 principles of character education into its curriculum. Addressing the crowd of students and parents at the assembly, Principal Gina Siebe said it is a mission teachers and staff follow whole-heartedly.

 “We believe that teaching character traits is just as important as teaching academic skills,” Siebe said.

Siebe added that the effort to build the moral fiber of students has academic benefits as well. She said the school has seen a drop in the number of students referred to the office for discipline and an increase in overall reading scores.

Liz Gibbons, the director of the Cooperating School District’s CHARACTERplus program, said there is research that proves when schools focus on character development, students do better academically. Classes are disrupted less, students help each other more and are more involved with their own education, she said.

Gibbons particularly lauded the Bayless School District, which she said has set an example for schools across the country. Bayless Junior High was named a National School of Character two years ago.

“Your school is a model of mastery,” Gibbons said during the assembly. “Others want to know what you are doing here that makes it so successful.”

The festivities ended outside with songs by a choir made up of students from the elementary and high schools and the unveiling of a new school sign incorporating the honor.