When it comes to keeping kids safe at school this year, area officials say they're steering clear of heavy-handed tactics.

Instead, two local school boards and Toronto police say they're working with students to develop better methods of quelling problems before they get serious.

At the culturally-diverse Peel District School Board, the main focus is on creating understanding among various groups within the school community, says Director of Education Jim Grieve.

"So much of what ends up being bullying or violence in our neighbourhoods is a complete lack of understanding of who somebody is and what they believe," Grieve told CP24.com in a phone interview as he prepared for the first week of school.

"The more we can spend time on educating the kids on why people dress the way they do or listen to the music they do, we have found we're less likely to see animosity between the groups."

The board has created several in-class programs aimed at teaching students about different cultures, following a calendar that includes dates from more than a dozen religions practiced by families within the region.

The Peel board is also working to fight discrimination based on sexuality, using Gay-Straight Alliance groups to try to prevent bullying that can stem from homophobia among students.

Educators in York Region are also looking to combat bullying, and are using a technique they call "restorative practice" to do it.

The simple-sounding process involves facilitating discussions between students involved in bullying in the place of more stern consequences for the perpetrator.

A successful resolution would see both parties leave the discussion feeling like their side has been heard.

Ross Virgo, York Region District School Board's public affairs manager, says coming to terms with each other can be a great help to students who will likely spend the rest of their school careers in contact with one another.

"Suspension often just sends a kid into an environment where there is no supervision and may have negative consequences," he told CP24.com. "People roll their eyes and call this 'another touchy-feely program,' but people have used it really successfully."

Virgo says his board prefers to use communication and vigilance before more stringent security measures, saying he can't imagine a day when metal detectors or similar devices might be incorporated into the school safety repertoire.

"It's important kids don't feel like they're going to an armed camp when they go to school," he says.

However, the York board also plans to continue its strong relationship with the region's police force.

It is encouraging students to share information on criminal activity with the plain-clothes police officers that visit schools on a regular basis.

"The officers are there to be part of the school community, not just an authority figure," says Virgo, noting police have been part of the York Region school community for at least ten years.

The success of that partnership in York has been mirrored in Toronto, where the school resource officer program is entering its second year in both public and Catholic schools.

The program has been expanded to 52 schools from last year's 30 due to strong demand from the schools themselves, says Toronto Police Staff Sgt. Sharon Davis.

"They wanted even more officers than we could provide due to last year's success," she says. "There's a real perception that the schools were safer. I think you're less likely to be selling drugs in the back parking lot with an officer likely to come out and walk around."

Police Chief Bill Blair lauded the success of the program - which sees officers take active roles in the schools' activities and extra-curriculars -- during this month's episode of "The Chief" on CP24.

"There's a perception of conflict with authority between the young people and the police," he said. "It's a great way to break that down.

"If we've got 30 schools with 1,000 kids in each school, then there's 31,000 kids that now know and fully trust a cop. If they need a role model or they need protection, it's there for them."

Staff Sgt. Davis also had much to say about a program that will use students to explain the difference between "lockdown" and "hold and secure" procedures to their families.

Lockdown, she explained, involves a direct threat to student safety, such as a person in the school with a weapon.

The more common situation is "hold and secure," where doors are locked but classes continue as usual. This would be used when a crime suspect is on the loose in the area of a school, she said.

She also advised parents to refrain from bombarding the police with calls when such an event occurs, pointing out an alternate source for up-to-date information:

"In a lockdown or hold-and-secure situation, parents should go to the parent staging area or turn on CP24."