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WHAT IS THE PEER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM?
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The purpose of the Peer Mentor program is to provide support for our school community, especially 9th graders and transfer students in their transition to the high school. The peer mentors are sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have shown an interest in and capacity for helping others. The program has been up and running at Wayland High School for over twenty years.
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WHAT EXACTLY DO PEER LEADERS DO?
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For many years, our Peer Leaders filled one essential role on campus: supporting our incoming 9th graders and new students, both before the school year started and throughout the 9th Grade Seminar class. More recently, we added additional roles to the Peer Leader Program, such as being a Student Ambassador for new students or a Peer Tutor in the Academic Support Center.
Supporting the 8th to 9th grade transition and mentoring in 9th Grade Seminar remain two of the most popular roles our Peer Leaders fill, but we are excited to expand our program into other areas as well.
When students apply to the Peer Leader Program, they choose which Peer Leader roles interest them the most and fit their schedules the best. The roles, their descriptions, and their time commitments are detailed below.
How do I become a Peer Leader?
Students apply to become peer leaders in early spring. They are signing up to be a Peer Leader for the next school year. The application asks questions about students’ experience at the high school, interests at school and outside of school, and reasons for wanting to be a peer leader. All students will receive an email with application information in early spring.
What are the Peer Leader Roles?
8th-9th Grade Transition
There are 3 specific days/programs when we will need mentors' help: 1) Step Over Day (mid-June): Mentors will give the incoming 9th graders campus tours, answer questions, and help them get acclimated to the high school, 2) 9th Grade Orientation (late August): Mentors will continue to give 9th graders tours, answer questions, and help them get acclimated to the campus before the school year begins, and 3) March MS Visit: Mentors will accompany counselors on our annual trip to the Middle School in mid-March. We will begin talking about the transition to high school with 8th graders, reviewing the course selection process, extracurriculars, etc. Mentors will be there to provide the student perspective on what’s being discussed. In addition to these three events, Mentors will also be encouraged to help with 8th and 9th grade Family evenings and other community events.
Grades: 11th and 12th
Time Commitment: 6-8 hours, 1 day in June, 1 day in August, and 1 day in March
Questions? See Mr. Buffa or Ms. Bodi
9th Grade Seminar
The purpose of the 9th Grade Seminar mentors is to provide support for 9th graders and transfer students in their transition to high school. The peer mentors are juniors and seniors who have shown an interest in and capacity for helping others.
9th Grade Seminar mentors will be assigned to 9th Grade Seminars for the first quarter. Mentors will help co-lead these seminars and offer the student perspective of what is being discussed. These seminars meet once during the eight-day cycle and have 15 - 25 students. Sessions are led by counselors, administrators, Academic Support Center staff, and Library/Media staff. The curriculum addresses the major issues of transition and adjustment to the high school. In addition, the seminars focus on academic requirements, expectations, and the realities of the high school program. Time management, stress management, and study strategies are also addressed. Discussions also focus on resources in the high school and how to access them - from academic assistance from teachers, the Academic Center, to accessing social-emotional support.
Grades: 11th and 12th
Time Commitment: 1 block per cycle for first quarter
Questions? See Mr. Buffa and Ms. Bodi
New Student Ambassador
This program is for students who are interested in helping new transfer students who are entering into WHS. We’d love our former transfer students to be a part of this, and anyone who understands and can be empathetic to leaving in the midst of their high school career, to move to a new school/town/state/country. Ambassadors will help with a variety of things related to the transition - from understanding the schedule, navigating to and from classes, meeting key people at school, understanding the culture of WHS, how the Commons and lunch work, describing supports available, etc. Ambassadors will be asked to communicate with new students even prior to them enrolling and starting at WHS via text and email.
Grades: 10th, 11th, and 12th
Time Commitment:
*Communicating with new students (sometimes over the summer)
*Possible individual tours for new students during the spring and summer.
*Continuing a connection for the first few weeks/months of the year
*Ongoing support of students who may need further support
Questions? See Mr. Buffa
Peer Mediator
Peer Mediation is a program that supports collaborative problem solving between peers. Students in conflict meet with a trained peer mediator, who is neutral and confidential, to try and solve problems productively before things get worse. Peer mediators are trained by professional mediators and gain skills and experience with facilitating, active listening, restorative justice practices, conflict management and leadership. The time commitment is two full days out of class in the fall (these are excused) for the training, a minimum commitment of one hour of mediation per month (you can do more if you want), and periodic refreshers and training sessions throughout the year, which vary according to need.
Grades: 10th, 11th, and 12th
Time Commitment: 2 full days in the fall and then 1+ hours per month
Questions? See Mr. Gass
Academic Support Center Peer Tutor
Interested students will volunteer for one or more blocks per cycle to be present in the Academic Center to tutor. These students may also participate in additional projects in the Academic Center to improve their tutoring skills and/or to help WHS students. Students will need approval from content area teachers in the subjects that they wish to tutor.
Grades: 10th, 11th, and 12th
Time Commitment: 1 or more block per cycle
Questions? See Ms. Lima
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WHO CAN I TALK WITH TO GET MORE INFORMATION ON THE PEER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM?
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Please feel free to access any of the Peer Leadership Team below.
Mr. Buffa and Ms. Bodi Ms. Lima
School Counselors and Academic Center Coordinator
Peer Leader Advisors