> Programs > Character
Sonoran Schools embraces a spirit of mutual trust and intellectual honesty that is fundamental to the process of learning. As an institution, we not only hold our students to high expectations academically and behaviorally, we, likewise, have the same expectations of every staff member. We recognize that positive behavior is learned through modeling the behaviors of others, particularly those, such as our parents, our teachers, and others in the community whom we have been taught to respect.
Our shared Honor Code represents the highest possible expression of shared values among all members of the Sonoran Schools community.
I pledge to represent myself accurately and completely in my work, my words, and my
actions.
Code of Honour
I pledge to be responsible for my words, beliefs, and actions.
Code of Honour
I pledge to conduct myself in a way that exemplifies integrity.
Code of Honour
I pledge to hold my peers and myself responsible for our performance, as individuals and as a
school/organization.
Code of Honour
I pledge that my actions towards others will be civil and respectful, and to employ empathy in
my interactions with others.
Code of Honour
I pledge to respect the personal property of others and the community resources of the
school/organization, so that others may benefit from them.
Code of Honour
I pledge to value differences and practice fairness, so that every individual can experience an
environment that is free from injustice.
Code of Honour
I pledge to respect the learning process and employ academic honesty.
Code of Honour
I pledge to be receptive to change and supportive of innovation for the benefit of our
school/organization.
Code of Honour
I trust in others to act with honesty. When I become aware of a violation of the Honor Code, I
pledge to take action towards resolution, and expect my peers to do likewise.
Code of Honour
All Sonoran Schools use a Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework. Staff at each campus have worked closely together to develop the principles of PBIS that fit the goals and culture of their school.
PBIS is a research-based framework that has been proven to improve school climate, reduce problem behavior, and increase academic instructional time in schools (for additional information go to www.pbis.org).
Two primary areas of emphasis in PBIS are prevention and instruction of social behavior. PBIS is based on the idea that when students are taught clearly defined behavioral expectations and provided with predictable responses to their behavior, both positive and corrective, all students are more likely to meet those expectations.
Every Sonoran School has developed school-wide procedures to accomplish the following:
Every occurrence of problem behavior is an important opportunity to teach the appropriate, desired behavior to the student and get the student back to being engaged in academic learning as quickly as possible.
PBIS is a three-tiered program that takes three to four years to achieve full implementation. Tier 2 adds a targeted student support mechanism while Tier 3 supports target all students in need of individualized, intensive strategies to sufficiently achieve or maintain desired student outcomes and prevent future student problems. Tier 3 supports provide individualized, intensive supports matched to a range of specific student needs.
Character.org is a national organization founded in 1993, “devoted to fostering character development in our schools and communities”. The organization’s 11 Principles Framework for Schools: A Guide to Cultivating a Character-Inspired Culture is a comprehensive framework developed by school leaders and character education researchers. During the past 20 years, more than 800 schools – after an independent and rigorous evaluation process – have been recognized by Character.org as National Schools of Character. More recently, school districts have also been certified for their success in fostering character development. (Source: character.org)
In August 2019, all Sonoran Schools took their first step towards fully implementing all eleven principles of this program, with the ultimate goal of earning national certification.
Promotes core ethical values as the basis of good character
Defines “character” comprehensively to include thinking, feeling, and behavior
Uses a comprehensive, intentional, proactive, and effective approach to character development
Creates a caring school community
Provides students with opportunities for moral action
Includes a meaningful and challenging academic curriculum that respects all learners, develops their character, and helps them to succeed
Strives to foster student self-motivation
Engages the school staff as a learning and moral community that shares responsibility for character education and attempts to adhere to the same core values that guide the education of students
Fosters shared moral leadership and long-range support of the character education initiative
Engages families and community members as partners in the character-building effort
Evaluates the character of the school, the school staff’s functioning as character educators, and the extent to which students manifest good character
