Jefferson Elementary School along with Muskogee Early Childhood Center, are two of the 47 schools and 1 district named 2021 National Schools/Districts of Character.  Character.

Linda Tincher, principal of Jefferson Elementary school in Pryor, had this to say:
“Jefferson is honored to be recognized as a National School of Character for a second time. Since first becoming a School of Character in 2016 we realized that going through the certification process helped us celebrate our strengths and accomplishments in character education. The evaluations at both the state and national levels also helped us identify the areas of growth that we needed to address. The rigorous SOC application is a great ‘check-up’, and the 11 Principles of Effective Character Development provides us with an on-going blueprint for us to follow that ensures our learners are receiving a quality educational program in academics and character development.”

Dr. Arthur Sshwartz, President of Character.org said, “We are pleased to announce and celebrate the schools and school district that have earned this national recognition. The educators at these schools model and reinforce the core values of respect and dignity. They are teaching their students to be honest and trustworthy, to contribute their time and talents to the common good, and when necessary, to show the courage to stand up for what is right.”

Since its inception, the National Schools of Character program has impacted over 3 million students, staff, parents, and community members. The schools and districts that apply must meet the rigorous standards articulated in Character.org’s 11 Principles Framework for Schools. Each school is assessed by a team of trained evaluators. “We congratulate these schools for completing the application and review process in a year that has been anything but typical,” adds Lori Soifer, who directs the Schools of Character program. “Each of these schools has put in place a comprehensive approach to help students understand, care about, and consistently practice the character strengths that will help them flourish in school, in relationships, in the workplace, and as citizens.”