U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos recently recognized a New Jersey Catholic school as a National Blue Ribbon School, an honor credited in large part to an intentional focus on developing good character in students.

Sociologist James Davison Hunter writes in his most recent book, The Tragedy of Moral Education in America:

Moral education can work where the community, and schools and other institutions within it, share a moral culture that is integrated and mutually reinforcing: where the social networks of adult authority are strong, unified, and consistent in articulating moral ideals and their attending virtues; and where adults maintain a ‘caring watchfulness’ over all aspects of a young person’s maturation. These are environments where intellectual and moral virtues are not only naturally interwoven in a distinctive moral ethos, but embedded within the structure of communities.

It’s the type of environment that played a large role in St. Francis Cathedral School’s recent recognition as a 2017 National Blue Ribbon School—high performing institutions where students excel in academics and life.

“National Blue Ribbon Schools are active demonstrations of preparing every child for a bright future,” DeVos said.

St. Francis Cathedral students score in the top 15 percent of students in the country in English and math, subjects that are part of a comprehensive curriculum that also incorporates technology and focuses a lot on science and engineering.

But it’s a lot more than just a challenging curriculum that’s fueling the academic success.

My Central Jersey reports:

Faculty, led by Principal Barbara Stevens and Vice-Principal Judi Monteleone, plans strategically for the socio-emotional development of their students through a character development program entitled Character Counts and a Middle School Advisory Program. Both cultivate the values of respect, justice, and responsibility while encouraging students to develop qualities of leadership, teamwork, and character.

A strong Home and School Association (HSA) is an integral part of the school. Parent volunteers offer countless hours of their own time to assist with a variety of school activities. The entire school community is supported by their rector, Rev. Msgr. Robert J. Zamorski and parish family.

The school’s 90-year tradition of promoting good character by incorporating parents and other resources like the church is exactly the kind of shared moral culture and strong social networks Davison describes.

At St. Francis, the shared expectations for behavior, communication and accountability translated into recognition as one of the top 342 Blue Ribbon schools in the nation and positively impacted the lives of countless students.

The national award is encouraging, and it also serves as a challenge for public school leaders to build on similar partnerships with parents and the community to work together to instill good character and civic responsibility in all students.