Dover Middle School honored as state school of character; principal outlines ROAR, student programs
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Summary
Dover Middle School told the Board of Education it earned state-level recognition from character.org after applying with essays, artifacts and a virtual site visit; school leaders described PBIS-driven ROAR values, student mentoring and service programs and plans to pursue additional promising-practice designations.
Dover Middle School earned state recognition from character.org as a school of character and presented the board with the programs and practices that won the distinction.
Mike McCauley, principal of Dover Middle School, told the Board of Education the school submitted an application that included "22 essays and 60 pages of artifacts" and hosted a virtual site visit that included staff, parents and students. "We're very excited to be here tonight," McCauley said during the presentation.
The recognition centered on the school’s character-education work rooted in its PBIS (positive behavioral interventions and supports) framework. McCauley and staff said the school this year adopted the ROAR core values—resilient, observant, accountable and respectful—and rolled the program out with a kickoff pep rally, staff T-shirts, posters through the building and a postcard-based recognition system that sends positive notices home to families when a student models the values.
McCauley described several programs the district highlighted to character.org. Heritage Accounts pairs seventh- and eighth-grade mentors (and some sixth graders) with elementary classes to teach lessons tied to character traits; the mentors select books curated by the school librarian and lead lessons in partner elementary classrooms. Helping Hands, a newer service-learning project started by seventh graders, pairs middle-school volunteers with elementary classes once a week and was described as aligning with Family Life health curriculum standards.
The presentation also listed other school initiatives cited in the application: a student ambassador program to help new students acclimate, a care closet started by school nurse Stephanie Borges, a summer bridge program for rising seventh-graders and a student mentor program led by teacher Kyle Madison. The school said it has three recognized "promising practices" with character.org and must recertify every five years if it wishes to maintain the designation.
A video from character.org played during the presentation congratulated Dover Middle School; the video said, "What an incredible honor ... that reflects your deep commitment to shape not just smart minds, but also strong hearts." McCauley credited a broad team—teachers, central-office staff, parents and students—with preparing the 2024–25 application and interview.
School leaders said the district-level goal remains to advance multiple schools to earn the recognition and ultimately apply to be named a district of character when enough schools qualify. McCauley asked board members to accept the celebration with staff T-shirts and banners, and thanked the district staff who supported the application process.
Board members did not take formal action on the recognition during the presentation; the item was presented as an informational honor and as a description of ongoing programs and next steps for the school.
