Restorative Practices

“Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.”

-Bryan Stevenson

What is Restorative Practices?

Restorative Practices is a process guided by principles that build and sustain a culture of respect, responsibility and accountability which nurture trusting relationships within a safe, positive community.

Restorative Justice Principles:

The following principles reflect the values and concepts for implementing restorative practices in the school setting:

• Relationships are central to building community
• All members’ voices of the community are valued and everyone is heard
• High expectations with high support, emphasizing doing things “WITH” not “TO” or “FOR”
• Address misbehavior and harm in a way that strengthens relationships and focuses on the harm rather than the rule-breaking
• Collaborative problem solving
• Enhances accountability, responsibility and empowers change and growth for all members of the community

At the core, restorative practices is about building and sustaining relationships

What we do?

Restorative practices include interventions when harm has happened, as well as practices that help prevent harm and conflict by helping to build a sense of belonging, safety, and social responsibility in the school community. Restorative interventions:

 

Proactive: Tier 1

Requested by teacher/staff

• Classroom Community Circles: Culturally responsive structured circles to build connectedness and value/respect of differences.
• Open Space for Dialogue: relationship building, everyday during break and lunch.
• Restorative Dialogue: Intentional conversation to address and understand repetitive minor behavior before it reaches Tier 2

 

Responsive: Tier 2

Referred per Administrators

• Official Referrals: for conflict resolution and suspension diversion
• Suspension Reentries: for students that have served a suspension and are being integrated back into the school community
• Circles of support: Afterschool, once a week for students who are referred for ongoing support as part of their action plan

 

We look forward to working with you all! If you are ever unsure about our practices, have questions, or need our support, please reach out to us. You can email us, and/or we could set up an in-person meeting. Good luck for the 2019-20 school year!