|
|
Peer Leadership & Mediation Programs
The West New
York School District is dedicated to maximizing all students’ potential for
success. In combination with a strong academic course selection, the Peer
Leadership Program offers our children the skills necessary to flourish in a
world of change.
What are the Peer Leadership and Mediation Programs?
The Peer
Leadership Program exists as three cohesive programs that begins at the
elementary level, continues through the middle school grades and extends to the
high school. The Mediation Program is for highly trained students in the high
school who service their peers through a mediation process.
What is the Elementary School Peer Leadership Program?
This program
has been established in each of the six elementary schools and consists of
approximately 120 students selected from the 5th and 6th grades. Each school
program meets individually before and/or after school. Chosen through a
vigorous selection process, these students work with their advisors and are
trained with skills that positively impact both their school and neighborhood
communities.
What skills are taught in the Elementary School Peer Leadership Program?
This Peer Leadership Program teaches students numerous invaluable
life skills and provides them with ample opportunity to put those
skills into practice. Among these worthy lessons are:
self-awareness, diversity, active listening, respect, communication,
group dynamics and empathy. Peer leaders are proactive, conducting
numerous activities to benefit both their school community and the
community of West New York.
What is the Middle School Peer Leadership Program?
Unlike the
Elementary Program, the Middle School Program consists of two classes, each of
which meets after school three times a week for forty minutes. This program
includes approximately 30 students selected from the 7th and 8th grades who may
have previously participated in the Elementary Program. Expanding upon the
skills that they were taught in the Elementary Program, each student continues
to expand his/her abilities and receives class credit and a report card grade.
What is the Middle School Peer Leadership Program about?
This Peer
Leadership class teaches students numerous invaluable life skills and provides
ample opportunity to put those skills into practice. Among these worthy lessons
include: self-awareness, active listening, accountability, communication, group
dynamics, empathy, personal responsibility and conflict resolution.
How does the Middle School Peer Leadership Program positively impact the school?
Another pillar of the Middle School Program is bullying prevention.
Students in this program are taught techniques that assist them in
playing an active role in prevention and intervention. Students
take on an active role in creating a sense of school unity within
the Middle School and acquire the skills necessary to ease the
transition into the high school program.
What are the Peer Leadership & Mediation Programs at Memorial High School?
This three or four year program enlists approximately 50-60 selected
students, from grades 9-12, who are willing to make personal
commitments to one another in the hopes of creating a safe,
trusting, and caring community. The program is comprised of three
five-credit courses that assemble on a daily basis.
What are the three classes about?
-
The “Peer Leadership” class is a selected 12-student freshman
program that addresses an individual’s character and emotional
intelligence. Areas that our students will explore include:
self-awareness, managing feelings, personal responsibility,
empathy, communication, group dynamics and conflict resolution.
-
The “Peer Mediation” class contains 15-20 selected sophomore and
junior students that will continue to build a connected
community and become skilled in the techniques of conflict
resolution and mediation. Trained as Peer Mediators, they will
now assist their classmates in the peaceful resolution of
disputes and disagreements that arise during the school day.
-
The “Advanced Peer Mediation” Class will contain the program’s
most senior members. Their individual and group skills are at
this point, highly developed. Including performing student
mediations, this group has been trained to design and facilitate
workshops and trainings for elementary and high school students,
Memorial High School staff, and parents.
How can I get more information about the programs?
In addition to the school administrator, you may contacted Edwin
Donnelly by email at
edonnelly@wnyschools.net or by phone at (201) 553-4000 ext. 7072
regarding the high school program and Zoila Correa at
zbroncano@wnyschools.net or at (201) 553-4000 ext. 3031
regarding both the elementary and middle school programs.
|
|
