PRINCETON, N.J., May 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Center for Supportive Schools (CSS), an educational nonprofit organization, has expanded its portfolio of peer leadership offerings to include Peer Group Connection-Elementary School (PGC-ES), a new cross-age peer leadership program aimed at cultivating connections among elementary students. The debut of PGC-ES during Teacher Appreciation Week highlights the essential role educators play in shaping the school environment and underscores CSS’s commitment to equipping teachers with tools that promote student growth, well-being, and connection.
PGC-ES is an evidence-based and school-based program designed to foster peer leadership and student connectedness. This program nurtures both older and younger elementary students as they form a mentorship connection and establish a sense of identity as members of a school community. This new offering draws on 45 years of CSS PGC programs in middle and high schools (PGC-MS and PGC-HS) that have demonstrated proven success, including decreased suspensions or disciplinary referrals, increased school engagement and higher weighted GPAs.
CSS Chief Executive Officer Dr. Jonathan Mathis emphasizes the power of peer leadership to enhance school connectedness for our youngest students, noting, “Leadership skills can and should be nurtured early in students’ school experiences. PGC-ES equips young students with the tools and experiences they need to succeed throughout their academic journey, while also providing teachers with the resources to positively impact students’ lives and foster their growth.”
To kick off the program, carefully selected faculty members participate in CSS-led train-the-trainer professional development where they receive the training, tools, and resources necessary to train peer leaders to conduct outreach sessions with first grade students and implement PGC-ES effectively year after year.
According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics’ School Pulse Panel, more than 8 in 10 public schools say they’re seeing stunted behavioral and socioemotional development in their students. Behavioral problems can cause disruptions in the classroom, pull teachers’ attention from other students who need academic help, and lead to higher levels of teacher burnout. PGC-ES can help students learn self-regulation strategies through peer modeling, empowering older students to gain leadership experience as they facilitate themed outreach sessions (in pairs) with trios of first graders as part of their regular school schedule. Beyond this benefit for older students and the built-in support for younger students, targeted outcomes of the program include first-grade students demonstrating improvement in listening skills, help-seeking skills, and academic achievement and a decrease in disciplinary incidents. As elementary students learn the essentials of attending, engaging, and succeeding in a school environment and receive encouragement from their peer-to-peer connections, PGC-ES aims to promote a sense of belonging, a top priority for all CSS programs.
CSS Chief Growth & Reach Officer Catherine Bell stated, “We hope this launch paves the way for more Peer Group Connection programs for all students in schools across the country. Early support from a young age makes a profound difference for students, and we are glad to play a role at each stage of students’ school careers.”
Over the next few years, CSS plans to refine the PGC-ES program to ensure it is replicable and scalable to address the diverse needs and structures of elementary schools.
To learn how PGC-ES can support students in your elementary school, visit https://www.supportiveschools.org/ or email [email protected].
About Center for Supportive Schools
For more than 45 years, CSS has helped schools become places where students want to be. CSS partners with schools in three areas: developing all students into leaders; empowering teachers to collaborate with students; and engaging entire school communities to improve how learning happens. For more information, visit www.supportiveschools.org.
Press Contact
Name: Margo Ross
Phone: 609-375-8513
Email: [email protected]
SOURCE Center for Supportive Schools
