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FEATURE

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Continued from page 1 the book to each one of his teachers and strategic work group that produced our National Title I Distinguished School
Building a copy to 38 elementary schools. Chesterfield County Social Emotional Educator, and Teacher of the Year. He

Cole and illustrator Scott Nista Learning Standards. We made decisons has presented workshops related to
In the book, Tough talked about have been friends since the first grade. after listening to CCPS stakeholders cultural competency and to equity in
character traits and Social-emotional “He is an amazing artist. When I and it definitely makes a big difference education as it relates to how Social-
skills being in his view the aspect of asked him if he’d work with me on in implementation because there is emotional Learning is a vehicle for
children’s lives educators should focus this project, he was all for it,” he said. support from the very beginning.” educators to use in building empathy
on more to help students reach their “We spent a lot of time developing Cole said they can see the changes and understanding for meeting the
academic and life goals. He decided to the characters to represent a diverse in their students overall empathy diverse needs of our students and
turn the seven character traits he spoke array of gender, race, and cultural towards others to include learning, families. For more information on his
of in the book – self-control, gratitude, backgrounds to represent the diversity listening, and caring for others. “I organization, A New Angle, visit www.
curiosity, social intelligence, optimism, that exists in our schools.” often hear from parents who share joshuapcole.com. “The Character Club:
zest, and grit – into actual superpowers Superintendent James Lane and the same perspective with us in terms It’s Time to Power Up!” can be found on
that superhero kids would embody. the school board have been very of the changes they’ve seen in their Amazon.com.
“The idea was to just teach these supportive of the efforts at Ecoff children,” he said. “New students to Cole, 40, and his wife, Heather,
skills to students at Ecoff in creative to institutionalize Social-emotional Ecoff quickly acclimate to the school have a six-month-old son, Silas. “It’s
ways to help them identify with these Learning and of Cole’s book. “The culture as a result of the veteran been busy and blessed year! Becoming
expansion of social students showing the new ones the a dad has provided me a whole new
emotional learning to Ecoff way.” perspective on education and life,” he
six more schools this Cole received his undergraduate said.
year is a testament to degree in elementary education from
their commitment to Central Michigan University, his
the process of allowing Master of Education in Administration/
schools to be innovative Supervision (PreK-12), from Wayne
and original in their State University, and his Ph.D. in
process of making their Educational Leadership atVirginia
learning environments Commonwealth University. “I wrote
reflective of the strengths my dissertation on Richmond Public
of their communities,” Schools: Post-Court Mandated School
said Cole. Curtis and Desegregation. I’ve always had an
Marguerite Christian interest in issues of social justice and
elementary schools are how history has shaped our current
part of the six schools for culture. My education has led me
the pilot project. to where I am and has inspired me
Bermuda school to create opportunities for students
board representative succeed in new and innovative ways,”
STUDENTS CAN LEAVE QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED Carrie Coyner is very he said. COLE DEDICATED HIS BOOK TO ALL OF
BY “QUERY.” COLE HAS GATHERED AS MANY AS much in support of Social- Cole has been honored as a Milken THE SUPERHERO TEACHERS, STAFF,
40 QUESTIONS AT A GIVEN TIME. emotional Learning in the Family Foundation National Educator, PARENTS, AND STUDENTS AT
schools. a National School Change Educator, a ECOFF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
traits [and] become self-motivated. “The school division chose pilot
It quickly took on a life of its own schools based on principals who
with students asking questions about wanted to implement [a] Social-
the back stories of these fictional emotional Learning curriculum, so A Completely Different Experience in Dining
superheroes. So I decided to write a there is no hard sell when folks are
story connecting them all together asking to be next,” she said. “ It’s LUNCH HOURS
as a team to help empower other also much easier to implement new Sun-Fri 11:00 am - 2:15 pm
students with the same inner character strategies when it is homegrown, DINNER HOURS
strengths,” he said. It took him a year and our elementary school teachers, Sun - Thu 4 pm - 9 pm
and a half to write and publish “The counselors, psychologists, principals, Fri - Sat 4 pm - 10 pm
Character Club.” He has given a copy of and other stakeholders were part of the
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