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 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 begin at the elementary level, continue through the middle school grades and extend to the high school. The Mediation Program is for highly trained students in the high school who service their peers through mediation.
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 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 also will 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
Your building administrators will be able to provide you with additional information.