Character Education
Vidor Middle School is proud of our committment in working to advance character education
through our new Keystone Curriculum.
Keystone is a life-changing character education and leadership development curriculum.
The curriculum is presented through stories and activities to
captivate the attention of all students. Teachers set aside time each week to teach the lessons
in the Keystone Curriculum. The curriculum is built around the following core principles:
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Kindness - Helping, Sharing, Giving, Manners, Empathy, Accepting
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Courage - Admitting Mistakes, Personal Growth, Handling Peer Pressure, Facing a Fear, Standing up for What is Right
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Self-Control - Not Hitting, Not Seeking Revenge, Being Responsible, Keeping Promises, Not Putting Others Down, Setting Priorities, Listening, Not Judging, Asking Permission, Patience
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Forgiveness - Asking Forgiveness, Forgiving, Compromising, Not Holding Grudges, Accepting Others' Flaws
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Respect - Respectful Behavior, Not Talking Back, Being a Good Follower, Being Polite, Respecting Differences, Respecting Rules, Asking How You Can Help
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Diligence - Learning Through Practice, Setting Goals, Making a List, Completing Responsibilities, Leadership, Finishing a Task, Excellence
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Loyalty - Teamwork, Not Playing Favorites, Faithfulness, Volunteering, Standing Up for a Friend, Commitment, Confidentiality, Being Positive
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Honesty - Being Fair, Being Truthful, Not Exaggerating, Returning Lost Items, Not Making Excuses, Not Cheating, Integrity, Not Stealing
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Confidence - Doing Something Difficult, Believing in Someone Else, Encouraging, Trusting, Knowing Your Abilities, Confidence in Your Choices and Decisions
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| In support of the Keystone Curriculum, each student at VMS receives a new CHARACTER COUNTS! School Agenda at the beginning of the year.
The agendas are more than a planner and organizational tool. The Profiles of Character
found in the 2004-2005 CHARACTER COUNTS! School Agendas are inspirational stories
of people of character based on the Six Pillars of Character which are as follows: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility,
fairness, caring, and citizenship. Our children are faced with many difficult decisions in their lives. Knowing what is right
from wrong is a good start at making the right decision. Children are encouraged to use
their school agendas, to complete the character-building exercises, and to apply them to their
everyday lives. |
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Readers are Leaders
Librarians and Teachers have collaborated to create a reading motivational
program which encourages students to read a variety of books and become lifelong readers. |
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Odyssey of the Mind
The Odyssey of the Mind teaches students to learn creative problem-solving
methods while having fun in the process. By tapping into creativity and through encouraging imaginative
paths to problem-solving, students learn skills that will provide them with the ability to solve problems --
great and small -- for a lifetime. Each year Vidor Middle School supports teams to participate in this
global competition. |
The Houston Chronicle Spelling Bee
The Houston Chronicle Spelling Bee helps students improve their
memories, their vocabularies, and their competition skills in addition to their spelling. The winner of the
competition wins an expense-paid trip to the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
Vidor Middle
School students have often progressed to regional competitions. |
Accelerated Learning Lab
Our Accelerated Learning Lab (ALL Lab) provides extra help to students who
need
help with the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test or who are having
difficulties in the regular classroom in certain subjects.
Staffed by three teachers and two
teacher aides, the ALL Lab is helping VMS students to reach
their full academic potential. |
Kinderbuddies
Kinderbuddies began in l992 when VMS teacher Sally Sessions needed an esteem
builder for her sixth grade students. With her husband Richard, who was then
Principal of Oak Forest Elementary next door, a reading tutoring program was developed.
Middle Schoolers are paired with Kindergarten students in once-weekly reading sessions.
They may also tutor their young charges in counting, colors, the alphabet,
or letter sounds. Other activities include making holiday crafts together and an
end-of-year
picnic and games day. Involvement in the Kinderbuddies program grew from about fifty
people in l992 to
several hundred at present. It has also expanded to include Amigos,
a program in which middle school magnet program students teach Spanish
to first, second, and third grade
gifted and talented classes. |
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Community Service
Community Service is important to everyone at VMS. We hold an annual Food Drive before Thanksgiving for the Vidor Christian Care Center. VMS students receive lots of satisfaction knowing they have helped many needy families. Students also participate in the St. Jude Research Hospital Math-A-Thon. In the past, VMS students have raised thousands of dollars which was all donated to the hospital. Through these donations, many children have been helped. Each year the students and staff at VMS participate in Put a Cap on Cancer. This fundraiser benefits the American Cancer Society. Many of our VMS faculty members also participate in fundraising efforts for Orange County’s Relay for Life. |
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UIL Events for 6th Grade
Vidor Middle School 6th grade students have the opportunity to team up with Vidor Jr. High to compete in academic events for UIL. Students can try out for storytelling, spelling, calculator, number sense or general math events. Tryouts begin in January and competition is set for April. |
Kids for Christ
Kids for Christ is a Christian based organization that focuses on and reinforces positive character and Christian values using devotions, music, occasional student skits, monthly drawings and guest speakers. Meetings are at 7:30 Wednesday mornings in Mrs. Parker's choir room.
*Parents are welcome; please sign in at the front office first. |
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