By Sara Ballenger

Communication and conflict resolution skills are also being taught in the Los Altos School District.

“What we do at almost all of our schools is have conflict managers, run by the fifth- and sixth-graders,” said Dick Liewer, assistant superintendent of curriculum. “It’s a definite curriculum where they are taught how to get kids to brainstorm both sides of a problem and to find a solution and to work it out.”

Liewer said each classroom is made aware of the conflict managers at the school.

Oak School is one of the schools in the district that has a conflict resolution program in place.

“Here at Oak School we have a conflict resolution program, where we train our fifth- and sixth-graders how to handle conflict. They are our conflict resolution managers,” said Principal Leslie Crane.

Parents can also go through training, Crane added.

If students have a conflict, the involved parties sit down with a conflict resolution manager and agree to talk out their issues. Once a solution is met, the parties agree to the solution, Crane said.

“We have had incredible success with this program,” she said. “Children are learning to use words rather than their fists or feet to solve problems. We are building a culture of talking it out.”

The older students are also empowered through leadership roles in helping the younger students, which can also help with communication.

“It helps with peer relationships when students can turn to peers and not always have to rely on adults for help,” Crane said.

Junior high students also get training in how to deal with conflict as part of the health guidance curriculum, Liewer said.