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School board adopts Character Strong K–5 social‑emotional curriculum
Summary
The Little Falls board voted to implement Character Strong at the elementary and preschool level after principals described the program's weekly lessons and evidence of reduced office referrals in other districts.
The Little Falls Community School Board voted to adopt the Character Strong social‑emotional learning curriculum for preschool through grade 5 after presentations from the district's elementary principals and teaching‑and‑learning staff.
Superintendent Greg Johnson framed the proposal as meeting strategic‑plan priorities for wellness and mental health and said the program would provide tier‑1, districtwide instruction to teach traits such as kindness, respect, responsibility and perseverance. "This program helps us under strategic plan priority number 3, wellness and mental health," Johnson said.
Principals who addressed the board said staff surveyed in their buildings overwhelmingly supported adoption. Dr. Leah Roski, principal of Dr. Knight Elementary, said Character Strong brings common language and explicit skills to the classroom: "Giving those kids the skills at that level to be able to handle problems on their own with their peers ... really does benefit the whole child," Roski said. Lincoln Elementary principal Chris Dobis reported that his staff supported implementation in elementary and preschool settings and emphasized ties with the district's existing "Flyer Pride" work.
Board members asked about cost and professional development; presenters said Character Strong is a subscription, electronic curriculum with teacher training built in, that can be taught in a single 35–50 minute weekly lesson or broken into shorter daily segments. The principals said the program also contains tier‑2 small‑group components for students needing additional support.
The board approved the program in new business on a voice vote (motion by Sharon, second by Kelsey). No specific dollar amount for the subscription was shown in the public presentation on the night of the vote; trustees said they would include cost details in implementation planning.
