Pals: Fostering Friendships at the DEEC

A new Peer-to-Peer program named Pals was started last school year at the Dexter Early Elementary Complex (DEEC) by a team of special and general education teachers, speech therapists, social workers, and counselors. The inspiration, initial guiding resources, and staff training come from the START Project (Statewide Autism Resource and Training), a statewide grant-based program based at Grand Valley State University. The START project has been a reference point for special education inclusion initiatives since 2001. Funded by the Michigan Department of Education Office of Special Education, START provides evidence-based training, technical assistance, and resources to educators in Michigan. 

Pals is a friendship program with the goal of creating accessible social opportunities for students with social needs. Pals is structured around proven peer support practices that lead to improved outcomes in socialization, communication, and independence for students. In addition to identifying students with social instructional needs, the team has thoughtfully identified peers in their class to participate in this program. The goal is to foster opportunities for students to make authentic connections with one another. 

The DEEC Pals program includes approximately 25 students participating in first- and second-grade groups. Once a week, students in Pals share lunch in the Marketplace (located between the Anchor and Beacon wings) and participate in activities that encourage conversation and connection. “We love hearing the students’ excitement when it is Pals day,” says team member Emily Arbour.

This school year, Pals is expanding to include third-grade students at Wylie Elementary.  The intention is for the PALS program to become a feeder program for SNAP (Students Need Accepting Peers) and Unified Sports when Dexter’s younger students reach the older grades.

“Over time, we hope to increase the reach of Pals from lunchtime to include social opportunities in the classroom and at recess,” says Arbour.  “Pals is successful thanks to the strong partnership between general education and special education staff. Our team feels very fortunate to have strong support from teachers and administrators.”  

The Pals team includes Emily Arbour, Jill Covington, Lauren Garleff, Kelli Gatecliff, Jessica Leonard, Joanne McGinnis, Jody O’Bryan, Jennifer Porcaro, Kaitlyn Schmoekel, and Michelle Sherman.