Christel House Academy South has been honored as a 2017 State School of Character, the only school in Indiana to receive the designation. “Character education is central to our daily routines for students and staff,” says Carey Dahncke, Head of Schools. This is evident in classrooms as teachers integrate building character and instilling values into their daily lesson plans. The “CHOW” rubric—Character and Habits of Work—helps educators objectively assess the effectiveness of character education. “Character is just as important as academics for us,” says Dahncke. “It helps establish a positive culture that supports learning.”