News

Character.org Recognizes 290 Promising Practices in Schools and Organizations
Washington, DC (May 15, 2026) – Character.org, a leading advocate for cultivating character development throughout American society and worldwide, today certified 290 character-centered Promising Practices that have been implemented in schools and organizations.

“We are incredibly proud to recognize the schools and organizations that have developed and implemented Promising
Practices,” said Diana Dodson, Director of Promising Practices. “Each of these practices demonstrates meaningful
impact while bringing to life the principles that inspire ‘goodness in action’ and cultivate a culture of character in
schools and organizations.”

This year, Character.org received applications highlighting a wide range of practices, including integrating core
values into school culture, fostering a sense of belonging and caring relationships, empowering student voice
and leadership, inspiring acts of service, encouraging students to do the right thing for intrinsic reasons, and
peer mentoring. 

Parkway Early Childhood is proud to be recognized and grateful for the efforts of Lindasay Kottomann for organizing this initiative. 

We are thrilled to celebrate a true Parkway legend! Julie Dobson is marking 35 years of incredible service to our district.

From her start in 1991 to her current impact in our Early Childhood "Partners in Play" program, Julie has been a champion for our youngest learners. Her dedication to the "power of play" has shaped thousands of lives across three and a half decades

https://youtu.be/4XfsrxZS36c

Congratulations to Karlon Bishop, Early Childhood special education social worker, honored with a Starfish Award from the Special Education Foundation.

This honor celebrates individuals making an extraordinary difference for students with disabilities through dedication, innovation, and heart.

We are ParkwayProud of Karlon!

Photographed: Kate Day, SSD Early Childhood teacher, and Karlon Bishop, SSD Social Worker

Dec 11 2025

On December 10, the Parkway Board of Education agreed to purchase an early childhood center in Town & Country, taking a significant step toward reducing long waitlists for Parkway’s early childhood programs.

The facility at 2100 S. Mason Road is currently home to the Raintree School, which announced relocation plans to its families. Parkway intends to purchase the property for $4.3 million using Prop S bond funds, honoring the commitment voters made in November 2022 to expand early childhood opportunities. The funds are separate from the district’s operating budget and can only be used for this purpose. They cannot be used to cover salaries, offset healthcare costs, or the revenue loss from the Senior Citizen Property Tax Freeze.

The agreement, yet to be finalized, comes one year after the Board halted plans to build a new early childhood facility in Manchester, between Wren Hollow Elementary and Southwest Middle. After hearing concerns from neighbors about traffic and loss of green space, the Board promised to look for a more workable solution.

“Tonight’s action delivers on that promise,” Board President Jeff Todd said before the vote. “We plan to expand early childhood access in a way that both honors our voters and respects the feedback we heard from the community.” 

A child-centered place to learn and grow

The new center is a 12,000-square-foot facility on 11 acres with woods and a small stream, offering rich opportunities for outdoor play and exploration. Inside, the building includes eight classrooms, a multipurpose space, and a kitchen — all designed specifically for young children.

These spaces will support developmentally appropriate teaching, therapies, and play for Parkway’s youngest learners.

The center will allow more families to access Parkway’s early childhood programs, significantly reducing the waitlist next school year, and potentially adding more space for more children in a later phase. 

Raintree plans to continue using the building for its early childhood program through May. This summer, about $1.9 million in renovation work will begin to improve accessibility, build a new playground, and do other work such as roof repair and HVAC upgrades to prepare the building for Parkway students. The center will open to young learners in August 2026 — sooner than if the district had built a new facility from the ground up.

Superintendent Dr. Melissa Schneider said the agreement and impending purchase reflect Parkway’s long-standing commitment to early childhood education. “Parkway is invested in equipping our earliest learners for success as future K-12 students,” she said. “This facility was designed exactly for that, and we are proud to be able to offer increased services and opportunities for this age group.”

Looking ahead: consolidation and other improvements

To better support students and reduce the time early childhood staff spend traveling between locations, Parkway will consolidate parts of its early childhood program, thanks in part to the additional center:

• The early childhood classrooms at Barretts Elementary will relocate to the new center at 2100 S. Mason Road.
• The early childhood classroom at Carman Trails Elementary will relocate to Wren Hollow Elementary.
• The early childhood classroom at Central High will relocate to McKelvey Primary.

The purchase of the center is not the finish line — it is the next step in making sure Parkway’s youngest learners have world-class classrooms and facilities. Approximately half of the Prop S bond funds dedicated to early childhood will remain after the purchase and renovation work.

Those remaining dollars will be held in reserve for future early childhood facility needs. Parkway’s long-range Facilities 2050 planning effort will guide how those funds are used to support young learners across the district in the years ahead.