Journal-News.com

HAMILTON — A district-wide character education program which has been a strong focus in Hamilton city schools for the past three years will benefit from a grant awarded by the Joe Nuxhall Character Education Fund.

Board members tonight, March 24, will be asked to accept a grant in the amount of $5,000 from the organization. Funds will be used for consultant services.

Fairfield resident Kim Nuxhall, an educator for 31 years, has focused on character education in his classes and serves as director of the Joe Nuxhall Character Education Fund, established in 2003 to fund programs in the Fairfield City School District.

Superintendent Janet Baker has encouraged district administrators to view themselves as role models and "ensure that character education is taught with intentionality in their buildings the same way academic subjects are taught," Nuxhall said. "Character education has to be driven from the top and she gets it."

The Hamilton City School District character education program was created three years ago.

For the 2008-09 school, district officials said they had a plan and a vision for instituting character education that is going to be a higher priority.

"We want our students to develop both their minds and their hearts and we don't want to leave the character education to chance," Baker said.

HHS football coach Jim Place was named director of social responsibility two years ago as a step in building character education in students.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2158 or lebbing@coxohio.com.