Chicago’s Catholic school leaders today pledged to work in solidarity with public schools against street violence.

The archdiocese says its school principals began crafting the pledge last spring amid a wave of violence affecting young people. They say all 258 Catholic schools in Cook and Lake counties have now signed on.

PRINCIPALS: We pledge our solidarity...

Today about a dozen principals and teachers issued the pledge at Children of Peace, an elementary school on Chicago’s Near West Side.

They said they’ve kept a lid on student conflicts through techniques such as peer mediation, peace circles and morning peace pledges. Catholic Schools Superintendent Sister Mary Paul McCaughey says students then become models in their neighborhoods.

McCAUGHEY: Young people by their critical caring actions can influence the lives of other people. They can learn that in school, but they take it to the streets.

McCaughey says she has faxed the pledge to Chicago Public Schools chief Arne Duncan. The archdiocese says it has no plans yet on where to take the solidarity from here.