Day of good character honors the late Pirrone

Former District 24 Assistant Superintendent Diana Pirrone has been described by many as a woman of character. She along with educational consultant Maureen Florio, created the district’s character education program.

On Monday, the three schools held a full day of character education activities in honor of Pirrone, who died in July after a battle with cancer. Dr. Lisa Conte, principal of the Robert W. Carbonaro School, described the day’s events as a way of keeping Pirrone’s memory alive.

Carbonaro kicked off its character education day with an assembly. Students were able to enjoy a skit about choosing friends with good characteristics. The children were even more delighted when the actors turned out to be their teachers. The character Super Friend was torn between her old friends, such as Captain Acceptance and Kindness Kid, or her new friends, Toxic Bully, Rude Guy and the Dictator.

In the end, Super Friend chose her old friends. “Toxic Bully was put in his place in the end because the friends stayed together,” Librarian Kate Lallier said. Lallier wrote the play with her 17-year-old daughter, Erin. She explained that each of the “good guys” was named after the positive traits that students are taught through the character education program.

Lallier said that reading teacher Jen Mechetti made the costumes, which Laurie Arnone did the casting. Some teachers were just like their characters, Lallier said, while others had to do some serious acting. “The joke is our rude guy happens to be the most nice, polite guy in the world,” she said, referring to second-grade teacher Keith Goldstein.

Conte noted that Rude Guy, at the end of the play, ditched Toxic Bully and The Dictator, and joined the good group of friends. But he couldn’t be Rude Guy anymore and was transformed into Polite Guy. She said this was an important message for students. “We wanted them to know you can have bad character traits but you can change them to the good,” Conte said.

After the performance, a pink rose bush was dedicated in Pirrone’s honor. It will be planted outside of the school this week. Florio told the students that the plant symbolizes how Pirrone felt about children. “We’re going to watch the rose bush grow the way Mrs. Pirrone’s love for you grew,” Florio said.

There were numerous other activities throughout the day. For mystery teacher book swap, students were read a book about good character by a staff member other than their own classroom teacher. Children also were able to design a super hero based on their own positive personality traits.

Every class also designed its own character education tree, which will be on display outside each classroom. Each child got to put their name and a brief description of how they are a caring person onto a leaf.

Conte said that the character education program has really made a difference in the school and throughout the district.

Superintendent Dr. Edward Fale noted that shortly before Pirrone died, she requested that each year, a day be devoted to character education in the district. She would have celebrated her 68th birthday on Oct. 18 and the district’s program was held a day later. Fale said in future years, he would like to use the day to recognize the positive characteristics of other district leaders who have died.