"This program comes from a positive angle," said Principal Jane Daigle. "It creates a positive environment because it is not about punishing bad behavior. This is simple but effective."

Assistant Principal Teri Barnett was on the team researching programs for the school and cited the positive angle of PeaceBuilders as the most attractive factor for Sacred Heart. "We really like the positive approach of this program," Barnett said. "It dealt with verbal communication instead of just bullying. With this the kids will be aware of verbal conflicts and know how to deal with them."

PeaceBuilders is a multi-level program that begins with a pledge that Sacred Heart students say every morning in their collective assembly. After the pledge of allegiance and prayer, the students recite a six-line mantra—"I am a PeaceBuilder. I pledge to praise people, to give up put-downs, to seek wise people, to notice the hurts I have caused and make amends, to right wrongs, and to help others. I will build peace at home, at school and in my community each day."

"By going through these six points, the kids take an active role in building peace," Daigle said. "They have control in interacting—they are not victims just reacting to things that happen to them."

Binders, activities, resolution scripts and team-building ideas are provided for teachers to help integrate the program into their existing curriculum. There are also "peace notes," which students can give to peers, teachers or staff in order to praise them for something they have done. To further encourage peace, the school has themed months, such as "generosity" and "honoring faith and wisdom," which are conveyed through PeaceBuilder activities and tied to the students' religious education.

Given the range in grade level, the teachers have adopted age-related activities and peace-building methods. The children in the higher grades have been a little harder to reach and get involved in the program, but they are coming around, said Barnett. However, the younger grades have taken to the program quickly. In the kindergarten class, the kids have created the popular "power pocket," which contains please, thank you and four phrases—right wrongs, seek wise people, give up put-downs and praise people—that they make a conscious effort to use throughout the day.

"The young grades take it very seriously," said kindergarten teacher Terri McClenahen. "It is a good little system, and it helps the kids learn to speak in a respectful way and be polite."

Although the concept of preventing conflict was what initially drew the school to the program, fostering good manners has been a subsequent, and very appreciated, effect.

Natalie Keyes, a mother of two Sacred Heart students and a board member of the Parent Teacher Activity Group, has seen a difference since the program began.

"It has been like a virus," Keyes said. "The kids are really reacting to this because I think they see it as a program and not a rule. It is just the way to do things, and that has made it easy to bring home and follow there."

"I have seen a huge decrease in manners over my years of teaching," Barnett said. "Saying 'thank you' should be a normal response, and I think we are going in that direction with this program."

Parents and teachers believe the program has been effective because it is teaching the kids that put-downs and taunting are not only unwelcome in the classroom but are also not socially acceptable in general. "This program is teaching kids how to live their lives," Daigle said. Barnett and Keyes agreed that the lessons being learned are not only for the classroom. "PeaceBuilders starts in the classroom, but it is really meant to grow into families and the community as a whole," Keyes said.

Principal Daigle said that the school plans to expand the program year by year, slowly incorporating more parent activities and instruction, as well as circulating into the community.

Community reaction might happen sooner than anticipated, however, as the program has only been at Sacred Heart for two months and is already taking hold.

"I think it has been very successful so far," Daigle said. "I feel a different atmosphere is already beginning."