results in education
Supporting Schools
Extensive experience is what sets Sharp Resolutions apart from other conflict resolution providers. While each situation is unique, we have worked with education organizations large and small to help manage, resolve or avoid disputes. Below is a sampling of education organizations who found solutions working with professionals from Sharp Resolutions.Â
These case study summaries are provided as informational only. Actual results depend on many factors. Contact us for more information. To protect confidentiality, names in some summaries have been changed or removed.
- Custom Dispute Management System Helps Middle School With Multiple Conflicts The complex structure of schools creates a large array of conflict and challenges. Rather than continuing to try to address the problems one at a time – and often ineffectively and inefficiently – a Southern California middle school was determined to find a comprehensive way of handling them. A dispute management system was specifically designed for this school after initial interviews, assessments and evaluations were conducted with school staff. The system created included: staff training in communication; school-wide ground rules for meetings; facilitated meetings to resolve current issues (e.g., use of a multipurpose room and bell schedules); and, a mediation to resolve a simmering dispute between the Physical Education Department and the Principals’ office.
- High School Uses Mediation to Resolve Sensitive Staffing Issue A prominent, nationally-recognized private high school engaged Sharp Resolutions to assist them with very thorny and delicate conflicts that arose as the result of hiring a new teacher the year before to head up one of their departments (in one of the subjects taught there). During this first year, numerous conflicts arose on a personal and professional level between teachers of this department and the new head. After initial consultations with the principal, the department head and the affected teachers, Sharp Resolutions designed a two-step process to deal specifically with their needs: first, by conducting private, one-on-one mediations with each of the teachers and the department director; and, second, by conducting a full department consensus building process. After addressing and mediating the personal conflicts, the full group, in a series of meetings facilitated by Sharp Resolutions experts, reached consensus on their shared educational mission and goals, created specific approaches to meet their objectives and developed mechanisms for dealing with future conflicts within the department.
- Law School Enlists Facilitator to Resolve Conflicts Within Education Program Contract
A California law school that administered due process proceedings on behalf of the state of California for over 20 years found itself in the middle of disagreements among disputants about its hearing process. After trying to resolve the issues directly with less than fully effective results, the school engaged a facilitator to conduct several meetings with the highly contentious stakeholders. After working through the strongly felt perspectives, the facilitator helped the disputants create a plan to modify the hearings to address the concerns, needs and interests of all. - Conflict Prevention and Management Services Provided Throughout California and U.S. Since 1989, professionals at Sharp Resolutions have worked extensively with school districts, parents, teachers, administrative staff and government agencies to mediate and facilitate highly contentious individual and large group controversies. Our professionals have also created dispute prevention and management systems for numerous school systems, including training management and staff in state-of-the art skills in communication, conflict resolution, group process, mediation and others. For more specific examples and references, please contact us.
