UPPER MARLBORO, MD—Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) is the joint winner of the Maryland Center for Character Education’s school system award.

The annual award recognizes a school district’s ability to effectively incorporate character education and core ethical performance values in the classroom setting. Character education allows students to develop qualities such as justice, diligence, compassion, respect, and courage, and to understand why it is important to live by them. The district’s success was measured by the Character Education Partnership’s (CEP) “11 Principles of Effective Character Education.”

“Our goals of high student achievement and highly-effective teaching are meaningless without safe and supportive schools,” said Verjeana M. Jacobs, Esq., Chair of the Prince George's County Board of Education. “By promoting character education, we encourage intellectual, emotional, and ethical development to help our students become responsible and contributing members of society.” 

PGCPS aligns character development with academics, sports and professional development, including research-based initiatives such as peer mediation, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and the “Character Counts” program.

PGCPS will share the award with St. Mary’s County Public School System. The districts were selected by the Maryland Center for Character Education at Stevenson University in Owings Mills. Both systems will receive the Maryland School System Award on Oct. 4 at the annual awards program at Stevenson University.

MCCE’s efforts are focused primarily on identifying, celebrating and sharing character-development “best practices” of schools throughout the state of Maryland.