PeaceBuilders

PeaceBuilders Program for Safe, Positive Learning Environments

PeaceBuildersPeaceBuilders is the research-validated violence prevention youth program approved for the federally funded Safe and Drug-Free Schools Act. It is a comprehensive program launched in organizations that shifts the entire climate to a peaceful, productive and safe place for children, teenagers, parents, staff and faculty. PeaceBuilders has been proven to reduce injuries and victimization symptoms resulting from exposure to violence, bullying or aggression. PeaceBuilders increases social competence with a focus on increasing peace in every aspect of our climate. PeaceBuilders has an array of strategies which are essentially behavior vaccines like daily tooth brushing, washing your hands or getting some exercise. It is through these routines, that persons in a PeaceBuilders atmosphere will learn ways of increasing the peace. PeaceBuilders absolutely models, fosters and encourages children to become everyday heroes with small acts of kindness that can change their world (often, the classroom, our school or their homes) and their lives. An unusual focus of PeaceBuilders is that the children are heroes or agents of the change. They are not simply the targets of change, nor simply the victims of circumstances. The idea that children and all the people who love them are heroes of building peace provides a meaningful view of a positive future, an essential factor to overcoming adversity. There are six essential peace-building behaviors that our students and staff will be practicing. They are:

• Praise People
• Give Up Put-Downs
• Seek Wise People
• Notice Hurts
• Right Wrongs
• Help Others

These behaviors are modeled daily through the PeacePledge which is recited during our morning prayer time. For more information, please visit the PeaceBuilders website at www.peacebuilders.com or visit with Principal David Arwood.