At MRES we strive to create an atmosphere of kindness and caring which permeates every aspect of our school. We also want our school to be a place where students are motivated to learn and explore new ways of thinking and acting. We believe our students, along with our adults, should serve as models of good choices and actions. We realize that student awards and rewards can be very powerful in building school spirit. A positive school culture is essential to fostering a love of learning for students and adults alike.

As a school, we believe deeply in building well rounded students who are growing academically, socially, emotionally and physically. In addition to a strong focus on academics, we also see character education as a critically important aspect of our work with our students. Consequently, we strive to celebrate students who exhibit the behaviors of the Pillars of Character (Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship) we emphasize each month.

We realize that many students make a difference just by their presence and involvement in school. Therefore, we have put in place several opportunities to celebrate students making the right choice or who are putting forth a positive effort both in and out of the classroom. We celebrate our students' successes and hard work in several ways. Classrooms and grade levels implement specific strategies of reinforcing positive behavior and success. Classroom strategies are directly tied to our efforts as a whole school. We also utilize the leadership of our student council to acknowledge positive efforts.

Throughout the year, our student council hosts and leads a "Breakfast of Champions" to honor the Character Counts Student of the Month. In addition, at our Friday Flag ceremony Dr. Newman acknowledges students who were caught being good. These students serve as a model for others and have become members of Dr. Newman's Celebrity Club. Students can also earn butterfly catches in their classrooms and on campus for their efforts and good deeds. Once a student collects five butterfly catches they can turn them in to the office. Each Friday students are randomly selected from those turned in and called up to receive a certificate from one of our community partners. These efforts, along with others, help us bring character education alive and provide a barometer to help guide our students' decision making.

We believe that students will have a better idea of the specific behavior that is desired if, from time to time, the outstanding efforts of individuals are celebrated and recognized. We are working one child at a time to build a community of learners where all students feel welcomed, valued and cared for in a manner that helps all of us (students, staff and parents) reach our potential.