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Welcome to the mediation page! If you linked to this page from a location other than my home page, my name is Alison Bencivenga and I am proud to be the coordinator for the Peer Mediation program at Benold Middle School. At the beginning of each year, a group of students from each grade level is trained to facilitate the mediation process. Peer mediators do not advise students on how to solve a problem. Instead, they guide students through a process that gives each person an opportunity to discuss the problem. Once the problem has been fully shared to the satisfaction of both students involved, they are guided to find their own solution to the problem. The goal is for students to recognize a way to solve the problem and create a contract that is balanced, practical, and fair. Mediations are kept confidential unless something illegal or dangerous becomes an issue. A teacher sponsor is in the room, however, mediations are run by students. Our teacher sponsors are Lindsey Lanoue and Alison Bencivenga. Our counselors are Susan Holmstrom and Shannon Reagan. E-mail links for the teachers, as well as our counselors, appear below. We will be happy to answer your questions. We believe that Peer Mediation is particularly important for students of middle school age. It helps to teach our maturing young people many of the skills they will need to successfully solve problems. They take responsibility for making solutions work in a way they might not if someone else told them what to do. Mediation may be requested by any student. Mediation slips are available in all classrooms and may be dropped in one of the mediation mailboxes outside the library doors. Mediations are generally scheduled for recess the day after they are placed in the boxes, but if a problem warrants immediate attention, it may be handled during elective time or referred to a counselor. In addition, a teacher or administrator may arrange to have students mediate in an effort to avoid disciplinary intervention. Questions? Use the links below to e-mail!
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