The 2023-24 school year at Brilla College Preparatory Elementary (BCPE) marked a remarkable milestone in the school’s ongoing commitment to character education. Under the leadership of Dr. Denise McCrummen, Principal at BCPE, the school achieved an impressive 88% character target, a reflection of the school’s deep investment in nurturing both the hearts and minds of its scholars.
“The character education component of Brilla, as a vital part of the Mission, is what drew me to work here.”
For Dr. McCrummen, this success is deeply personal. “The character education component of Brilla, as a vital part of the Mission, is what drew me to work here,” she explained. One of her key strategies included weekly classroom walkthroughs during the Character Block to ensure that the virtues curriculum was being taught with fidelity. Dr. McCrummen also made it a priority to incorporate the virtues into Bird Call each morning, creating a consistent rhythm of reflection and character-building across the school.
Reflecting on what set this year apart, Dr. McCrummen noted the increased integration of virtue language in every aspect of the school’s culture, from parent interactions to staff meetings. “When you prioritize the Character Block, staff formation, and use virtue language consistently with scholars, they are better prepared to lean into those virtues when completing a rigorous academic curriculum,” she shared.
Supporting Dr. McCrummen’s vision were dedicated members of the BCPE staff, including Ms. Anyelis Taveras, Behavior Specialist, and Ms. Kacie Kusinski, Learning Specialist. Both played critical roles in achieving the school’s character targets. Ms. Taveras provided empathy-driven responses to scholars experiencing difficulties and worked proactively in small group settings to build social-emotional learning skills. Ms. Kusinski, on the other hand, connected character education with academic rigor, especially during test prep for 3rd and 4th graders. Their commitment to fostering both character and academic excellence was evident in their approach to integrating character into daily lessons.
“Our success was driven by a clear, focused strategy that emphasized the importance of character development as a fundamental aspect of our educational approach,” Ms. Taveras explained. “By setting specific, measurable goals and celebrating small victories along the way, we kept the momentum going.”
Perhaps one of the most inspiring achievements this year came from the Kindergarten Team, led by Ms. Karen Ramirez, along with her colleagues Ms. Sarah Kwan and Nihal Tabak. Through consistent reinforcement of expectations and relationship-building, they helped their scholars grow in character from 34% to an astounding 91%. Ms. Ramirez emphasized the importance of embedding virtue language throughout the day. “The props made it real for the scholars, and they bought into it,” she noted.
“When academic work was hard, we connected it to a virtue—wisdom, courage, etc. Scholars looked forward to this routine, and it became part of their day-to-day experience.”
The kindergarten team also prioritized character development by seamlessly connecting virtues to academic work. “When academic work was hard, we connected it to a virtue—wisdom, courage, etc. Scholars looked forward to this routine, and it became part of their day-to-day experience,” shared Ms. Ramirez.
In celebrating this achievement, the role of BCPE’s teachers cannot be understated. “Teachers are the role models for our scholars. By supporting them in their virtue growth, it transcends to our scholars and families,” said Dr. McCrummen. Teachers at BCPE documented character development in report cards and engaged families in discussions on scholar growth during conferences.
The most satisfying aspect of this achievement, as Dr. McCrummen proudly expressed, was seeing the scholars grow into compassionate, responsible individuals. “Reaching 88% lets us know that families are seeing character growth and that BCPE is highly committed to our Mission,” she shared.
This remarkable success is a testament to the collaborative spirit of BCPE’s community, where leadership, teachers, and families work hand-in-hand to shape the future leaders of tomorrow. Congratulations to the entire BCPE team for this outstanding achievement in character education!
Brilla Public Charter Schools 