Media Release

For Immediate Release

September 12, 2008

Workshop to help resolve conflicts in the classrooms and workplace

People skills are just as important as job skills when it comes to making your classroom or your workplace a more productive place.

That’s what area teachers from all academic levels will learn more about Sept. 26 when an expert in conflict resolution and mediation visits Saint Mary’s University to conduct a workshop called “Strategies for Building Positive Climates.”

The workshop is a collaborative effort by Peaceful Schools International, Saint Mary’s University, Oxford School and the Department of Safe Schools for the School District of Palm Beach County in Florida. The objective is to help educators learn and practice proven techniques for gaining cooperation from difficult people by using skills of persuasion. It will also explore the ethical use of power in gaining cooperation from initially-resistant people.

“The partners in this collaborative initiative understand that the way we treat each other matters as much as the problems we are trying to solve,” said Dr. Hetty van Gurp, President, Peaceful Schools International. “The strategies that will be presented in this workshop are invaluable to people in all walks of life.”

Rick Lewis will facilitate the workshop. Lewis has served as the Training Coordinator in the Department of Safety and Learning Environments in the School District of Palm Beach County since 1993. Prior to that, he worked as a counselor and educator in a wide variety of therapeutic settings, including the 45th Street Mental Health Center, PRIDE probation, the Drug Abuse Foundation, Sabal Palm Youth Service Center and Congress and Omni Middle Schools. This is Rick’s third workshop at Saint Mary’s University.

“Mr. Lewis’ workshop provides both students and adults with skills to help solve problems not only in a school environment, but also in everyday life,” said Joe Morrison, Principal, Oxford School. “The staff at Oxford School is looking forward to working with Rick Lewis to enhance their classroom conflict strategies.”

Dr. Tatjana Chorney, Assistant Professor Department of English, Saint Mary’s University, said she’s impressed by the commitment of the partner organizations to promoting principles of innovative conflict resolution and nonviolent communication.

“It illustrates a firm belief in the possibility of educating us and our students as current and future global citizens in most valuable and often neglected lessons in living,” said Dr. Chorney. “I am very excited to be part of this initiative.”

The workshop will be held Friday, September 26 from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. in rooms 107 and 108 of the McNally Building at Saint Mary’s.

For more information or to register for the workshop, please contact Ward Carson at wcarson@mail.com or call toll free 866-532-0228.

Peaceful Schools International is highly regarded for its dedication to the development and implementation of conflict resolutions skills and programs within more than 270 different schools locally, regionally and internationally. Hetty van Gurp founded the organization not long after her son died from an incident with a bully at a local school in Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM). She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Commerce from Saint Mary’s in the fall of 2005.

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For more information:

Blake Patterson
Public Affairs Officer
Saint Mary's University, Public Affairs
(902) 420.5514
E-mail: blake.patterson@smu.ca
www.smu.ca