Character Education

"With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity." – Keshavan Nair

“The Barnesville Way” is defined by nine core VALUES. Students participate in community service on and off campus.

Our teachers, staff, and administration work hard to educate the “whole child” and, accordingly, character education is an important part of the Barnesville School experience. From the first day of preschool until graduation from eighth grade, Barnesville students learn to be global citizens who respect different points of view, yet also develop confidence in their own voice.

Many of the character-building activities—such as a monthly focus on value words, community service programs, and "buddy" interactions—are part of the character education curriculum. Regular meetings are held in the classroom, among divisions, and in whole-school assemblies to reinforce respect, responsibility, integrity, and concern for others. Barnesville students learn:

• to embrace the following core values: Kindness, Service, Perseverance, Respect, Initiative, Courage, Cooperation, Responsibility, and Honesty;
• to be caring and compassionate to those less fortunate through community service projects such as Help the Homeless Walk-a-thon, greeting cards for injured servicemen, and support for the Frederick Rescue Mission; and
• to value friendships both inside and outside the classroom through activities with classmates and with paired "buddy" grades.