One of CCS's first efforts was the development of a Restorative Justice School Project which piloted in Fall 2007. We were happy to bring this program in the 2016-17 school year to the Normandy 7th and 8th Grade Center.
The pillars of our program include training staff, administration and students; using talking circles in classrooms; and gathering all affected parties into restorative circles when harm or misbehavior has occurred.
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Talking Circles work to increase caring classroom climates and so, healthier school communities. Teachers receive hands-on training in the use of circles and our staff accompany them in circles throughout the school year.
““Restorative justice has been vital in changing the culture of our school. Our students are learning how to take responsibility for their actions and make things right with the people they have intentionally or unintentionally hurt. Having trained specialists from Community Conflict Services (CCS) in our school has made an impact and measurable difference in the lives of our students and staff.””
Training, hands-on circle training, helping staff identify their strengths and blind-spots in "calm" and "storm" conditions, practicing strategies in collaborative decision-making, using book studies to interact with the principles of restorative justice -- these are some of the ways we work together with School Administration and Staff to build capacity in restorative practices.
Restorative Circles deal with specific events and gather affected parties to interact around the questions: who was harmed, what were the harms, how can the harms be repaired, and who is responsible for repairing them.
