Schools

Orono School District Receives Prestigious National Distinction

Only three school districts in the country were named a National District of Character, and Orono was the only one in the Midwest.

Orono Schools has been named a National District of Character by the Character Education Partnership (CEP)—one of only three districts nationwide to receive the prestigious distinction, and the only district in Minnesota and the Midwest.

Twenty-nine individual schools were also recognized. 

Orono Schools will be acknowledged for its accomplishments at the National Forum on Character Education in Washington, D.C., October 24-27. District representatives have been asked to present and share the district’s success story.

Find out what's happening in Lake Minnetonkawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"There is no honor more important to this district," Orono Superintendent Dr. Karen Orcutt said. "Now, more than ever, the future of our children depends upon strength of character. Orono has long been recognized for its academic rigor. We have worked hard to purposely build this program to complete the package of success for our graduates. Parents have asked for this, and it’s wonderful to be recognized for work that is above and beyond what a typical school district offers."

Orono and the other honorees have been spotlighted for their commitment to character education and for fostering a positive environment for social and academic learning. 

Find out what's happening in Lake Minnetonkawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Character” is one of three goals in the district’s Strategic Plan, which was adopted by the School Board in 2012. The initiative permeates the entire culture of the school community, from the board table to athletic fields to classrooms to any number of locations where students are involved in service learning projects.

In Orono, character education goes much deeper than simply a special event or colorful posters in the hall. Character Education Partnership has 11 principles that define a successful character education program. Every day, in every aspect of the district, faculty and staff do their best to embody these principles in School Board actions, budget decisions, classroom discussions and the behavior of our students and staff.

Applying for the national award required a lengthy and detailed process in order to document the district’s efforts. When Orono was designated as a finalist for the national award in March, CEP sent an evaluator to the district. Dr. David Wangaard, director of The School for Ethical Education in Milford, CT, visited April 3-4. He spent the two days interviewing students, principals, teachers and parents, while also observing each of the district’s schools “in action.” 

The district’s program was then evaluated by a second individual following Dr. Wangaard’s visit. 

The other districts honored are a high school district in East Hanover, NJ, and a large urban district in Greensboro, NC. The 29 schools come from a variety of settings—urban, suburban and rural—in 15 states.

The Character Education Partnership is a national advocate and leader for the character education movement. Based in Washington, D.C., it is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nonsectarian coalition of organizations and individuals committed to fostering effective character education in the nation’s schools.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Lake Minnetonka