R ES TORATI V E S C HO O L D I S C I PL I N E
A whole-school program is not designed
to be complicated, time-consuming, or
administratively burdensome. Quite the
opposite. Once the program is in place
and people understand how it works, the
processing and resolution of incidents and
conflict will happen in an organized, effi-
cient, expedient, and predictable way.
A policy should lay out in a precise manner
the processes, methods, and practices for
working through misconduct and conflict in
a way that restores relationships
and membership.
While most policies have a section on bul-
lying, the more specific and clear a policy
is with regard to distinguishing bullying
behavior, and exactly how the school re-
sponds to incidents, the more trust parents
place in the administration.
Restorative Council (“RC”)—The (3-5) mem-
ber Council meets weekly (usually for 60
minutes). Schools typically already have a
group in place that addresses learning and
behavior such as a Student Support Executive
Group (SSEG), Social Health Group (SHG),
Discipline Group (DG), or Social Inclusion
Group (SIG). The RC can draw from the ex-
perience and wisdom of these groups, do-
ing so by integrating their members into the
RC under the rubric of restorative discipline.
The restorative response to incidents of bul-
lying requires equal parts accountability for
the aggressor, and support for the student
targeted. This is by far the best prevention.
Restorative Program
“
A school-based program provides the orga-
nizational structure needed to implement
and sustain consistently effective restor-
ative responses to conflict, misconduct,
and challenging behavior—both students
and adults. If a school commits to imple-
menting school-based programs through-
out all its divisions, the result is consistency
in coordination, quality of practice, and
data-tracking.
Once the program is in
place and people under-
stand how it works, the
processing and resolution
of incidents and conflict
will happen in an orga-
nized, efficient, expedi-
ent, and predictable way.
A high-functioning program has two essen-
tial components:
”
1. A Restorative Council
2. Program Documentation and Data
Tracking
Continues on page 38
CSEE Connections
Winter 2019
Page 37