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At Grand Rapids' Ridge Park Academy, we believe great schools develop both a student’s heart and mind. Our moral focus program is designed to support our elementary and middle school parents' efforts to teach character at home by reinforcing and modeling universal human virtues, such as compassion, respect, and integrity. A different virtue is featured each month of the school year and is supported by curriculum in the classroom. Students more readily absorb the true meaning of character qualities when they are presented in the context of everyday life. Because of this, Ridge Park Academy seeks to make these universal moral principles a part of all learning that occurs in our elementary and middle classrooms. Teachers model behavior that exemplifies the virtue and recognize students when they do the same. Classrooms may be selected to perform a skit at a school-wide assembly that highlights the virtue of the month. The moral focus creates a school environment that is not just physically safe, but also emotionally safe. Students are taught to respect their classmates, make smart decisions, and resolve disputes in a manner that displays strong character. |
