The school has 23 active members who pair up with feuding students to resolve conflicts. And whatever goes on in the room, stays in the room. We stress confidentiality. The sophomore first joined the peer mediators as an fifth grader at P.B. Smith Elementary School in Warrenton. Piedmont Dispute Resolution Center in Warrenton provides the training in two six-hour sessions.
Students watch training videos and participate in role-playing.
A certificate of completion is given to all students who finish the sessions. Afterward the peer mediators meet on a monthly basis to hone their skills. Teachers and students can refer students to mediation should conflicts arise. They first complete referral forms provided in the school's main office. The feuding students must both agree to the session and to resolving the problem.