Character Strong is a behavioral program put into place by Austin Independent School District (AISD) in response to a requirement from the Texas Education Agency (TEA). TEA investigated AISD’s compliance with required special education services. TEA discovered AISD was out of compliance with these services, they also found the district did not have a campus behavioral program. AISD was then required to implement one on all of their campuses.
Instructional coach Wendy Uzzle and assistant principal Crystal Keck attended an in-person training for Character Strong in September. This training was to prepare for the enforcement of Character Strong on campuses, it was provided by the program to teach representatives from each campus about the program, and the benefits of it.
“We learned about the research behind it, and that some secondary middle and high schools are having trouble fitting it in,” Uzzle said. “We realized we’d have to be creative with that, which has been a challenge but we’re working ways around it.”
The decision was then made for Character Strong to take place on Mondays during Flexible Instructional Time (FIT) sessions. FIT is designed to work into the school day after first period as a 25 minute slot for students to attend a class they need some extra help in. During FIT, students are able to finish up homework and ask questions they might not have during class. Character Strong will now take up this time slot on Mondays. Teachers will host their third period classes for the Character Strong sessions. The option for a specific department (such as the English department) to host character strong was suggested. This was ultimately rejected and the decision was made to build the tine into the FIT schedule instead. This decision involves the whole campus, with the goal of students and staff who engaging with the program will reccive some benefit.
Some students have mixed feelings about the program and are struggling with the adjustment.
“I honestly think it’s a waste of time,” junior Abby Evington said. “I could be studying and using that time to do my work.”
Since Character Strong takes place during FIT, students are required to attend and participate in the program. Mandatory attendance is taken by teachers, and those students who do not attend their Character Strong FIT session will be assigned lunch detention.
“We are treating these absences just like we would for any other FIT session,” Uzzle said. “Administrators get a report each day of students who were not in FIT but were present in class (and had not been checked out) and those students are assigned lunch detention.”
History teacher Ross Anderson has some previous experience with Character Strong. The program was used at Clear Falls High School where he taught before teaching at Bowie. At his previous school, Anderson was able to see how the program helped students in the long term, and how the experience they gained while participating manifested in the students’ behavior.
“It gave them a place where they knew someone’s name and could be genuine with their classmates,” Anderson said. “I thought it was a really neat classroom community that we built and we all looked forward to it.”
According to the Character Strong website, the program is a collection of curriculum and training that is designed to provide a sense of belonging, improve well-being, and expand student engagement. The lessons are also designed to improve behavior patterns, increase student safety, and support the mental health of the students partaking.
“As with anything in life, I think you get what you put into it,” Anderson said. “If you make a commitment to showing up once a week, it can create an environment unique to that group.”
