The program focuses on prevention of conflict by providing children, parents and teachers with a step-by-step process to understand conflicts and find ways to quell a situation before it comes to the point of a heated dispute or physical altercation.

Daves Avenue School started the program at the beginning of the year, and Blossom Hill School is now laying the foundation to initiate the program. Fisher Middle School plans to enact the program by the year's end, according to Principal Ken Lawrence-Emanuel.

Susan von Felten, principal of Daves Avenue, believes the conflict management program has already been very successful and informative for the kids, as well as teachers and parents.

"The kids feel heard," she said. "It is a very positive program that teaches kids that they are both winners when they solve problems and that it's important to listen to others."

Charlotte Basinger, principal of Blossom Hill, believes the conflict management program is a way to "encourage continuous improvement in the school," and is looking forward to initiating the program.

The three basic guidelines of the program, as stated on cards used by teachers and parents, are for children to first "agree to work out a solution so both will be winners," secondly to "agree to listen as others are talking," and, third, to "tell the truth."

There are then two steps to follow for resolution. The mentor assesses the situation, explaining to the children what they did or did not see happen. The children are then asked to explain in their own words what happened and how they felt while the situation occurred. Adults act more like sideline mentors who get the conversation going between the children instead of acting as an authority who forces children through the motions of "making up."

Once the children describe the event, they can then begin to reflect on how the conflict affected them. The group then brainstorms on solutions or ways to prevent in the future what happened or was about to happen before adult intervention.

Guidelines emphasize the importance of not expecting or directing any apologies, although children may offer that up on their own.

Once the conflict has been settled, children are given a bright green sticker stating "I found a solution!"

Von Felten says the children are very receptive to the program and seem to be making progress. As for the stickers, "the kids love them. They run up after recess, saying, 'We found a solution. Can we have a sticker?' " von Felten said.

Daves Avenue and Blossom Hill began the program for similar reasons—to attempt to address playground situations that are common yet problematic at school.

Scripts and training are provided through monthly training seminars by the Triad Consulting Group, based in Massachusetts, which specializes in "helping clients navigate complex problems where important values are at stake and emotions run high."

The program not only takes place on the playground during lunch and recess but in the classroom as well.