Menominee Area Public Schools is pleased to announce its partnership with the Family Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs.
The Family Center offers grant opportunities for school districts looking to create a peer-to-peer support program that incorporates anti-bullying initiatives for children with special health care needs and/or expand an existing program (LINKS) to include anti-bullying initiatives for all students. Children with special health care needs include children who have physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional conditions that impact their activities of daily living.
“Peer to Peer Mediation” is an evidence based practice that has been found to have great impact on outcomes for students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder as well as other disabilities. In essence, typically developing peers learn about disabilities and how it affects their peer in their classroom so they can best support their friend with a disability to build his or her social and communication skills. Allowing staff an opportunity for training in peer to peer programming is the first step to building effective peer supports and a positive school community.
This grant was awarded to Central Elementary School for the 2021-22 school year. Kelly King, Behavior Coordinator, Dulcey Heinzelman-White, Special Education Teacher, and Michelle Spangenberg, ISD School Social Worker have all received prior training and are Peer to Peer Instructors for the district. A portion of the funding will be used to train staff on the START Peer to Peer Support Program. Students that participate in the program will receive incentives including t-shirts, water bottles, and attend an end of the year celebration.
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