Peers Making Peace at Shepard Intermediate

Twenty-two fifth and sixth grade Donna Shepard Intermediate School students have completed nine hours of conflict resolution training to officially become drug-free role models and neutral third-parties through a program called Peers Making Peace. The program is designed to help students provide peer mediation services for their peers who lack the skills to successfully resolve their conflicts. The goal of the Peers Making Peace program is to improve the school environment by reducing violence, assaults, discipline referrals, and increasing academic performance.

The program was purchased through an innovative teaching grant awarded by the Mansfield ISD Education Foundation in the fall of 2009. The project title of the grant: Mustang/Colt Care Team - Mary Jo Sheppard Elementary (Colt Mascot) and Donna Shepard Intermediate School (Mustang Mascot) teamed up to submit this grant to address school leadership and character on both campuses.

On Friday, November 12, 2010, twenty-two students received their certificates of completion in a graduation ceremony in the Donna Shepard Intermediate School's library. Parents, teachers, and administrators were on hand to congratulate these students for successfully completing the Peer Mediation Training to become a Peer Mediators at Donna Shepard Intermediate School. (Photo: Jerry Cooper, Shepard Assistant Principal, shakes hands with a new Peer Mediator at the graduation ceremony.)

For more information about the Peers Making Peace program, visit paxUnited - The National Mediation Center website.