Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 05/02) - Yellowknife Education District No.1 will take on a leadership role when it comes to stopping schoolyard violence in Northern Canada.

A $1.5-million grant announced this week will expand the Restitution Peace Project to 10 schools across the NWT and Nunavut.

The project started at J.H. Sissons school two years ago.

Lynn Taylor, who spearheaded the J.H. Sissons program, and is the restitution co-ordinator there, said the goal is to reduce bullying and acting out among pupils while encouraging them to become better students.

The program teaches children ways to solve their problems in a non-violent manner without using fear and coercion to correct their behaviour.

"We hope it will improve students' grades," said Taylor. "It's been shown to do that in other places."

The restitution program is already widely used in other schools across North America.

Two jobs will be created as the program expands.

The first step, said Taylor, who plans to apply for the co-ordinating job, is to reach out to community schools and find out who's interested in signing up.