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Hello Peer Mentors,

Pink Shirt Day has provided us the opportunity to have conversations around bullying, acceptance, kindness and mental health. This is a good time to remind you that your work is so important and means so much to your mentee, your mentee's families, and our school community. High Five's all around! Please know that your hard work does not go unnoticed and that you are supported! This poem by Kid President is dedicated to all of you!

“Keep going. Keep going. Keep going”

The world is so big,

and we’re all so small.

Sometimes it feels like

we can’t do anything at all.

But the world can be better

(in spite of its flaws).

The world can be better,

and you’ll be the cause.

Even though the waves

are bigger than our boats…

The wind keeps us sailing;

Its love gives us hope.

Some days it’s dark,

but we’ll keep on rowing,

Because people like you whisper

Keep going, keep going, keep going.

Hello Peer Mentors!

What an amazing group of individuals you all are! When we talk about the heart of our school, this is what we are talking about!

Thank you all for the important work you do! Your hard work and dedication does not go unnoticed and all the teachers and staff are deeply appreciative of your efforts and commitment. As we dig into your peer mentor feedback, your responses strongly indicate that you are making a difference and for that you should feel proud!

In the spirit of Pink Shirt Day Day, it is a fitting time to reflect on how we foster inclusion?

What does inclusion mean to you?

How do you make your mentee feel welcome, wanted and accepted?

TheCGBros Presents "Ian" by Mundoloco CGI Ian Foundation - He was born with cerebral palsy. All he wants is to make friends, although it seems impossible to achieve when discrimination and bullying keep him away from his beloved playground. However, this young boy is determined and won’t give up easily.

• Ask your mentee if they want to reach a certain goal before the time is over. Help them achieve it then celebrate it!
• If you know your mentee is more excited for the social time, try breaking up your time. i.e 10 minutes of this, 10 minutes of that, 10 minutes of this and that.
• Spend some time in their classroom, show interest in their space.
• Try doing something that isn’t school related, develop a special project, create a gratitude journal, write a story, check the resources tab for ideas!
• I know quiet space is tough to find sometimes, but there are several classrooms that are available for quiet work.
• Have fun and keep your time together lighthearted!
• When in doubt, always ask for help.

Lastly, be sure to check the ideas and resources tab on the website for some ideas. You can also now stop by Ms. Groeller's classroom to pick up some worksheets with crafts and games. https://sites.google.com/connectcharter.ca/peermentoring/resources/ideas

Please know that we are here for you and are very grateful for your patience and determination! You are why our school has such a big heart!! Thank you for dedicating yourself to this very important work!

Hello Peer Mentors!

Happy Mentoring Month!

How are things going? Now that we've been getting together for a few months, are you and your mentee feeling settled? Do you have any concerns or questions? I thought I would post the video we just made that celebrates You for some inspiration!

We will be planning a check in soon, so please let us know if there is anyway we can help you or your mentee. You may not realize it some days, but the work you are doing to support your mentee and our school is so important and very meaningful!

Thank you for all of your dedication and hard work!

We really appreciate it when you ask for help and share your concerns in your log form. Your input is so valuable and helps us help you, it also helps us ensure the program is running smoothly or if we need to makes any changes. Thank you for your commitment to peer mentoring, your work is very important!

Hello Peer Mentors,

I wish you all could see what we see when we are walking around the school during peer mentoring, but how could you when you are so thoughtfully engaged with your mentee.

So, I wondered if providing a small sampling of your highlights (taken from your log forms) would paint a picture of how important and meaningful your work is.

• When she said " I know this is the first time we met, but do you think I am smart?" And this hit me hard, because everyone should think they are smart. So I told her that she is smart, and very capable of doing good things.

• One highlight about today was asking each other questions and getting to know each other more.

• She told me that she liked peer mentoring.

• We played basketball in the gym together. We had a lot of fun and helped expand our friendship.

• She really let out her fun side and we got to laugh a lot.

• When I was showing him some strategies to win our game.

• At the end of the period, we were saying goodbye to each other, and when she was leaving she gave me a hug and it felt like a huge relief. I didn't know if she liked me or not, or if she was bored, this was completely new to me because I never had a peer mentee that had given me a hug before or memorized my name. This felt like the best feeling in the world at the time and I was smiling for the rest of the day.

• It was fun playing the place value game because she taught me. So I was learning from her instead of me teaching her, so it was fun and unique.

• Just being with my peer mentee, upon asking him,”What was one highlight of our time today,” and he replied, ”Being with my you,” that may have been my highlight.

• When I learned we both love art and drawing, our conversation became really enjoyable, and it was fun to learn about the art that she likes to do.

• Seeing each other again after a while.

• We had a good time getting to know each other.

Do you know what all these means? Do you see what’s happening here?

Your time and friendship are making a meaningful difference for your mentee. On behalf of your mentees, our teachers, our families, our school communities...

Thank you Thank you Thank you!

Whether you are new or have known each other for a while now, here are ways to ensure you keep things going:

• We love the idea of working with another pair, that is sometimes what is needed to help your student (or you) feel comfortable. Please keep groups to only 2 pairs. Any more than this will inhibit the development of trust and friendship with your student. Large groups tend to get rowdier which can make your student feel uneasy.
• You only need to use one device at a time. When both of you have your device open it gives the illusion that you are not working together and not making an effort to connect. You may be asked by a teacher what you're up to.