Tag: Dr. Madonna Murphy

USF News

Honor Society Donates School Supplies to Joliet District 86

Joliet, Ill. – With the start of the new school year just around the corner, members of the University of St. Francis (USF) chapter of the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education made sure to do their part to help students in Joliet District 86 prepare for the first day of classes.

On Monday, August 3, the group donated 17 boxes of school supplies to District 86 in an effort to create 15 backpacks filled with school supplies for students in need. 

“On behalf of Joliet District 86, I would like to thank the University of St. Francis Kappa Delta Pi members for their donation of boxes and boxes of school supplies for our students. We appreciate your partnership and ongoing support,” said Joliet District 86 Superintendent Theresa Rouse, Ed.D.

The collection and donation were the result of Kappa Delta Pi’s annual spring service project.

“The student officers made all the contacts with District 86 to propose a service plan to them. We had originally planned to conduct the drive in the spring term, but in light of the COVID-19 impact, they kept the drive going throughout the summer and had a wonderful result,” said USF Professor and Kappa Delta Pi Counselor Madonna Murphy, Ph.D.

Murphy added that both current and alumnae members of Kappa Delta Pi participated in the drive.

(Joliet District 86 Superintendent Dr. Theresa Rouse, USF Kappa Delta Pi President Kathryn Gutzman, USF Professor and Kappa Delta Pi Counselor Dr. Madonna Murphy and USF Kappa Delta Pi Treasurer Cindy Chavez, KDP Treasurer).

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Currently celebrating 100 years of higher education rooted in Franciscan values, the University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 50,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.

University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.

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USF News

Program Co-sponsored by USF’s College of Education Recognizes Forest Park I.E. School for Character Efforts

Joliet, Ill. – Character.org, a national advocate and leader for character development in schools and communities, recently announced that 84 schools and 7 districts in 15 states are certified as National Schools of Character. Among these honorees is Forest Park I.E. School, the first Joliet school to be recognized as a National School of Character and the only Illinois National School of Character this year. 

 “We are pleased to announce and celebrate the schools and school districts who have earned this national recognition,” said Arthur Schwartz, Ed.D., president of Character.org. “Each of these schools and school districts has put in place a comprehensive approach to help their students understand, care about, and consistently practice the core values that will enable them to flourish in school, in relationships, in the workplace, and as citizens.” 

“Mr. Jacob Darley, principal, along with the Forest Park I.E. faculty and staff have created a school-wide character-building environment based on four pillars: responsibility, resourcefulness, respectfulness and responsiveness. These pillars permeate the entire school curriculum, service projects and school climate where the whole child philosophy cultivates character development in each child,” said Madonna Murphy, Ph.D., USF College of Education professor and Illinois Schools of Character Program coordinator. “The committee was especially impressed by the exemplary intrinsic motivation program at the school.  Forest Park I.E. School has a goal to help develop students of character who will grow to become productive members of society who are responsive to the needs of others.”

Joliet Public Schools District 86 Superintendent Theresa Rouse, Ed.D., commends the entire Forest Park I.E. School community on the honor.

“On behalf of the Joliet Public Schools District 86 Board of School Inspectors and the entire administration, we congratulate Forest Park on this national recognition. I applaud the students, staff, and parents for working together to make Forest Park a successful school,” Rouse said.

The Illinois Schools of Character program is sponsored by the College of Education at the University of St. Francis and the Will County Character Coalition established by James Glasgow, Will County States Attorney. The goal is to promote character education throughout Will County, in schools, youth organizations, parks and sports programs. 

After being named National Schools of Character, schools serve as models and mentors, helping other educators transform their school cultures and improve academics and student behavior. Darley and the Forest Park I.E. Character Committee are willing to assist any Joliet school seeking to become a National School of Character.

For more information about Schools of Character program, visit stfrancis.edu/academics/college-of-education/character or contact Madonna Murphy at mmurphy@stfrancis.edu.

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Currently celebrating 100 years of higher education rooted in Franciscan values, the University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 50,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.

University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.

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USF News

Program Co-sponsored by College of Education to Recognize District 175 for Character Efforts

Joliet, Ill. – The Illinois Schools of Character Evaluation Team has selected Harmony School District 175 in Belleville, IL as the 2020 Illinois District of Character, a designation they will keep for the next five years. The College of Education at the University of St. Francis and the Will County Character Coalition with Will County State’s Attorney Jim Glasgow sponsor the Illinois Schools of Character program that seeks to recognizes schools or districts in Illinois that demonstrate an outstanding character education initiative that yields positive results in student behavior, school climate and academic performance.

Harmony School District 175 is one of seven 2020 State Districts of Character nationwide announced this week by character.org, a national nonprofit that works with schools and districts to inspire, educate and empower young people to be ethical and engaged citizens.

The Illinois Schools/Districts of Character program was established in 1993 and Harmony School District 175 in Belleville, Illinois is the second school district in the State of Illinois to receive this award. The District exemplifies the Eleven Principles of Effective Character Development, (which are nationally recognized, and research validated principles) which include providing students with opportunities for moral action, fostering shared leadership, and engaging families and communities as partners in the character-building effort. 

“Through the leadership of superintendent Dave Deets and with his team of principals, teachers and staff at each school in the district, Harmony School District 175 has created a caring climate where character is taught, celebrated and lived in service to the school and community,” said USF College of Education professor and Illinois Schools of Character Program coordinator Madonna Murphy, Ph.D. “To be named a State District of Character is the culmination of a multi-year goal that has involved every stakeholder in the Harmony School District. They have created a culture and climate in each school in the district that deliberate strives to build better citizens and a community of character.”

As a State District of Character, Harmony District 175 will serve as a model and mentor, helping other educators transform their school cultures and improve academics and student behavior.

The objective of Character.org is for all schools and districts to become National Schools/Districts of Character.  The process of applying, receiving feedback, and technical assistance from Character.org and affiliates will put all applicants on the path to excellence and making a way for every student to attend a National School or District of Character.  Visit www.character.org for more information.

Currently celebrating 100 years of higher education rooted in Franciscan values, the University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 50,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.

University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.

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