Historic Fox River Country Day School is Only Chicagoland School to Win 2011 State School of Character Award for Illinois

ELGIN, Ill., March 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Fox River Country Day School (FRCDS) is pleased to announce they will receive the "State School of Character Award" for 2011 from the Character Education Partnership on Monday, March 7th at 2:45 p.m.  An independent, non-profit school, FRCDS is one of two schools statewide to win the award and the only school in the Chicagoland area; the second school is in Collinsville, IL.  The educators at FRCDS utilize a total immersion program of character development, incorporating their students' CBQs (Character Building Qualities) into every accelerated subject they teach, from math and science to art and environmental courses on their 53 acre forested campus.

"We know that amazing things happen at schools of character—students treat one another and their teachers with more respect, violence and bullying decrease, substance abuse declines, disruptive behavior diminishes, teacher morale and retention improve, school pride and parental involvement increase, achievement gaps narrow, and overall academic achievement goes up," stated CEP President and CEO Joe Mazzola. "Schools of character contribute to a nation of ethical citizens who know what is right, have the moral courage to do what is right and, at the same time, pursue excellence. We simply need more of them."

"Since our school began in 1913, we have always had a culture of character development. We are very pleased to be recognized with this prestigious designation," said Karen Morse, FRCDS Head of School. "It is important to recognize that we earned this award because we were already a school of character.  We did not become a school of character to earn an award." To be considered for the State School of Character Award, Morse collaborated with the faculty, staff and parents in gathering data and submitting a 25-page application identifying how FRCDS incorporates The Eleven Principles of Effective Character Education into their curriculum.

Why the State School of Character Award Matters to the Business World

For the business world, students taught with a foundation of character have an inherent added value in terms of honesty, discernment and decision making abilities.  Studies have shown that students who learn and grow in a comprehensive culture of character development will better develop their E.Q. (Emotional Intelligence), which positively affects I.Q. (Intelligence Quotient). These students are more prone to value higher learning, achieve higher scores on tests and make better life decisions.

About Fox River Country Day School

Since 1913, Fox River Country Day School, formerly known as The Chicago Junior School, has been educating children ages Preschool – Grade 8. The school is internationally renowned for its accelerated curriculum, character education, arts programs, architectural landmark buildings and rolling, wooded 53-acre campus and has been designated as a Natural Heritage Landmark.  It is the only school in the Fox River Valley offering full-time boarding for international and domestic students. Please visit www.frcds.org for more information.

SOURCE Fox River Country Day School