Keys to Citizenship
An integrated character development and service program in Laguna Blanca’s Lower School
Our purpose is to create an atmosphere in which important qualities of character are understood, modeled, valued, and practiced. We aim to have our students grow to be caring, giving, and purposeful citizens in our world by guiding and supporting their decision-making skills. These are the basic keys of citizenship for our Lower School, held together by a circle of caring:
Kindness
Responsibility
Respect
Honesty
Service
Program Overview
Weekly Meetings
Each class has a weekly meeting where students join together in a community circle to focus on the affective or social-emotional areas of development. By creating a time to pause, reflect, and commit ourselves to teaching and modeling specific character traits, we create a climate that encourages dialogue and changes attitudes toward problem-solving and social interactions. The community circles provide time and space to discuss issues, express compliments and concerns, and make suggestions to enhance the social climate in the classroom and on the playground.
Resources
We begin the year by role-playing social interactions in the classroom and on the playground to teach communication and problem-solving skills. During school assemblies, we review the ideas, attitudes, and behavior for good citizenship. Teachers have many resources to use including stories, tapes, role-playing, and each student writes in a Keys to Citizenship booklet. Our Parent Library is a resource for books and videos on parenting. Guest speakers are invited for our Parent Connections program.
Key Players
As the students practice these Key skills within the school community they are recognized as Key Players, those who demonstrates the practice of a given Key within the community, and are invited to sign the Key Player Book. By signing this book, students are recognized and supported within the school community as these values become intrinsic and as the students are able to recognize and value the best decision making for themselves and their community.
Complementary Circles
Lunch Bunch Circles
We encourage friendships to develop with students in all of the grades. In order to support these relationships, students sit at designated tables one day every week to socialize while eating lunch together.
Service Circles
It is important to create a climate of caring which extends outside of our school community. Each class plans a service activity and participates in several whole school projects to reach out to others.
Reading Circles
Guest readers are invited on special days to read in the library during recess time to share their love of literature and joy of reading.
