Chilean Educators Toured Bayless High School

International visitors studied how the district weaves character development into daily lessons and leadership.

Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Administration

Screen-print poster illustration of two open books on a wooden table, representing the study of character education. — Educators from the Fundación Educacional Nocedal visited Bayless High School in St. Louis to study the district's character-based education programs. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Educators from the Chile-based Fundación Educacional Nocedal visited Bayless High School on October 6, 2026, to observe the district's character education program. The visitors met with district leadership to examine how values are integrated into teaching and decision-making.

Why it matters

The delegation sought to learn from the district's long-standing success with programs managed by CharacterPlus. This exchange highlights the district's influence as a model for character-focused school administration.

Bayless School District has earned the National District of Character designation twice, in 2016 and 2022. Additionally, every school in the district has earned National School of Character recognition multiple times since the program began in 2009.

The players

Fundación Educacional Nocedal

An educational foundation based near Santiago, Chile, focused on implementing character-driven learning models.

Eric Lawrence

The principal of Bayless High School who facilitated the observation of school leadership practices.

Amy Ruzicka

The superintendent of the Bayless School District who provided oversight during the international site visit.

CharacterPlus

The professional organization that manages the character education curriculum and framework used by the district.

The details

The visiting educators observed how character education functions as a core pillar of the school environment, influencing both academic instruction and student leadership. During their visit, they engaged in direct discussions with district administrators to understand the logistical application of the CharacterPlus framework. These discussions focused on how leadership teams embed these values into the daily management of student life and administrative decision-making.

2009: Bayless schools began earning National School of Character recognition.
2016: Bayless School District was named National District of Character.
2022: Bayless School District was named National District of Character.
October 6, 2026: Chilean educators visited Bayless High School.

The Home Front

The district's consistent success with the National School of Character recognition program serves as a benchmark for local school excellence. This status continues to draw international attention to the district's long-term administrative and pedagogical strategies.

Families can review the district's character education framework to understand the values-based curriculum currently being taught in the classroom. If you have questions about how these programs affect your child's daily school experience, contact your school's main office to request program information.

The takeaway

The visit reaffirms the district's standing as a leader in character-based school management that now serves as an international case study. Parents interested in these initiatives can check the official Bayless School District website for updates on how these programs are integrated across grade levels.