Building CharacterStrong at South-Doyle Middle

For students at South-Doyle Middle, the school day begins with more than academics. Each morning, students gather for KEE Time, a dedicated opportunity to set goals, build relationships, and practice the skills that shape how they move through the rest of the day.

Built around the school’s guiding motto, Be a KEE—showing kindness, energy, and effort—KEE Time is part of a broader effort to create a stronger foundation for every student.

South-Doyle partnered with CharacterStrong to provide staff coaching and a Tier 1 curriculum for all students in grades 6–8, creating consistent opportunities to develop character, relationships, and social-emotional skills. The school’s implementation also includes teacher training, ongoing coaching, fidelity checks, and a CharacterStrong Action Team that helps support staff and maintain consistency.

“We were working really, really hard and doing a lot of things without a true system,” said Principal Anthony Norris. “We realized that if we wanted to support students who needed more intensive help, we first had to strengthen our foundation for every student.”

KEE Time has become an important part of that foundation, giving students a consistent space to connect before transitioning into academic instruction.

“The goal was really to create a safe place to start the day,” Norris said. “Students are learning social skills in the process, but it was about building a community where they could feel connected.”

The results reflect meaningful progress: chronic absenteeism decreased by 5%, behavior incidents fell by 8%, and suspensions decreased by 20%.

For South-Doyle Middle, the goal goes beyond any one program. It’s about building a school community where students feel connected, supported, and ready to learn every day!