Coonley Elementary
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      • ​Ms. Parsons room 217/ Ms. Butala room 211
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      • Ms. Foreman room 213
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Coonley’s Best Buddies (5th-8th) & Peer Buddy (1st-4th) Programs

Picture

(image from https://www.bestbuddies.org)



What are the Best Buddies and Peer Buddy Programs?
Coonley’s Best Buddies and Peer Buddy Programs are student-run friendship clubs with activities throughout the school year for students with and without disabilities. Coonley’s Best Buddies program is a chapter of the national Best Buddies organization, and both programs help foster an inclusive school climate and a community culture of acceptance. The clubs recognize friendship and differences among their members. Buddies participate in activities both in and out of school, including in school socials, dance/game nights and taking part in the annual Best Buddies Friendship Walk.  Coonley’s Best Buddies Program is for students in 5th-8th grades, and the Peer Buddy Program is for students in 1st- 4th grades.

How do students get to be Best Buddies or Peer Buddies?
Each year, students in select Neighborhood and Options homerooms are eligible to apply for the programs. The homerooms rotate from year to year and are determined by the rooms students from the special education program are included in for enrichment classes.

Applying for the programs is a student-driven decision. For both programs, students will need to complete an application and return it to their classroom teacher. For Best Buddies, students also need to complete the official national Best Buddies application by the deadline determined by Best Buddies.   

Membership in the programs lasts for one year, and selection is determined by random lottery if there are more students than spots. Priority will be given to students who have not participated in the programs before.   

What are the members’ responsibilities?  
If selected to be in one of the programs, buddies should spend time together at least once per week at recess and lunch. Other duties can include walking buddies to or from class and assisting them (based on teacher permission) in enrichment classes. Students are expected to be good role models at all times for their buddies.   

What can parents do?
If your child is selected to be in one of the programs, you can support his or her new friendship by talking about it and asking questions. Consider making arrangements for the buddies to spend time together outside of school, and encourage your child to continue the friendship after his or her time in the program ends.

Questions?
Contact Ms. Barrett (sabarrett@cps.edu) or Mr. Povilaitis (mdpovilaitis@cps.edu) for more information about the Best Buddies Program (5th-8th grades) and Ms. Johnson (aejohnson10@cps.edu) or Ms. Grant (twingram-grant@cps.edu) for more information about the Peer Buddy Program (1st-4th grades).

​Coonley Peer Buddies Website 

CPS's Non Discrimination Statement 
  • Home
    • Contact Us
  • About Coonley
    • Coonley News >
      • Coonley Eblasts
      • Coonley Calendar
    • Admission >
      • General Information About Coonley
      • Admission Information
      • Learning Spaces
      • Student Centered
      • Around Coonley
    • School Forms
    • Principal's Message
    • Coonley History
    • Vision and Mission
  • Coonley Classrooms
    • Org Chart
    • Supply Lists
    • Special Education Classrooms >
      • Ms. Johnson 5-8 CD room 004
      • Ms. Mahmud 3-5 cd room 008
    • Kindergarten (K) >
      • Ms. Morgan room 001
      • Ms. Murphy room 107
      • Ms. Thomsen room 108
      • Ms. Zaug room 007
    • First (1st) Grade >
      • Ms. Cabral room 103
      • Ms. Dul room 105
      • Ms. Heineman room 101
      • Ms. Turner room 106
    • Second (2nd) Grade >
      • Mr. Carpenter room 203
      • Ms. Clementz room 102
      • Ms. High room 205
      • Mr. Lair room 104
    • Third (3rd) Grade >
      • Ms. Ballew room 307
      • Ms. Behan room 206
      • Ms. Bertucci room 207
      • Ms. Crews room 208
      • Mr. Sullivan room 308
    • Fourth (4th) Grade >
      • Mr. Brandstrader room 304
      • Ms. Lezotte room 303
      • Ms. Michel room 306
    • Fifth (5th) Grade >
      • ​Ms. Parsons room 217/ Ms. Butala room 211
      • Ms. Mengedoth 204/ Ms Sugrue room 201
    • Sixth (6th) Grade >
      • Ms. Clair room 317
      • Ms. Price room 214
      • Mr. Meinken room 212
      • Ms. Schultz room 312
    • Seventh (7th) Grade >
      • Ms. Foreman room 213
      • Mr. Lee room 202
      • Ms. Smith room 216
      • Mr. Weber room 302
    • Eighth (8th) Grade >
      • Mr. Juliot room 311
      • Mr. Loza room 314
      • Ms. Meegan room 316
      • Ms. Paulson room 313
    • Enrichments >
      • Ms. Collins, Physical Education
      • Mr. Hamlin, Physical Education
      • Ms. Glover, Art
      • Ms. Manzo, Spanish
      • Ms. Martinez, Spanish ​
      • Ms. Metz, Drama
      • Ms. Wiltse, Library
      • Mr. Wrzesinski, Music
    • Special Education >
      • Ms. Barrett Special Education
      • Ms. Brazel Special Education
      • Ms. Hitik Special Education
      • Ms. Ingram-Grant 2-5 CD room 008
      • Mr. McCullough Special Education
      • Mr. Povilaitis Special Education
      • Ms. Stolberg Special Education
      • Ms. Waite Special Education
  • Academics
    • Coonley Learning Collections
    • Coonley Kids
    • Health Education
    • High School Information
    • Library
    • Neighborhood Program
    • Regional Gifted Center
    • Special Education
    • Staff Resources
    • Summer Challenges
    • Technology
  • Extracurricular
    • After School Programs >
      • NBGC After School Program
    • Before School Care
    • Best Buddies (5th-8th) & Peer Buddy (1st-4th) Programs
    • Coonley Athletics
    • Coonley Summer Camp
    • Student Council
    • Student Opportunities
  • Coonley Community
    • Get Involved
    • Local School Council >
      • About the LSC
      • LSC Meetings-Agendas-Minutes
      • LSC Committees
    • Friends of Coonley
    • Coonley Core