Restorative Practices Program
The Living in Holy Cross Community: Restorative Practices Program is designed to support students in working towards and achieving personal growth in the areas of Social Awareness, Responsible Decision Making, Self Awareness, Self Management and Relationship Skills. Students are referred to the Program Lead via the Dean’s office and will participate in a four-week session leading to a restorative conversation or resolution and action plan, with additional follow up as needed.
Discussion Overview
• Why did I make the choices that I did?
• How has my behavior impacted others?
• How can I repair damaged relationships and be more thoughtful in my interactions with others?
Protocol
• Dean or Core Team referral to Restorative Practices Lead (RPL) when a student has committed an act of harassment or bullying that has led to emotional harm or distress of another student.
• Dean will provide the reporting student and family with general information to inform them of our Restorative Practices procedure and to affirm with the reporting student that if any further behaviors occur to make them aware immediately.
• Dean will include RPL in a meeting with the referred student to discuss the course of the next month and expectations.
• RPL will set up the first meeting and contact the family via email with the plan.
• What supports and practices do I need in place in order to build a respectful community around me?
• During the final meeting, will invite the Dean in during the last five minutes for referred student to review what they have learned, how they are moving forward, and will have behavior expectations reiterated in regards to what will occur if this happens again.
• RPL will set up a follow up meeting one month later to check in and follow up with Deans.
• If the referred student has to meet with Dean’s office again regarding bullying or harassment, student will be placed on probation with the possibility of dismissal if behaviors continue.
Session 1 (30 minutes)
Choices
Reflection Questions
• Name at least one adult at school, one adult at home, and a friend you can go to for support.
• Name three positive traits you like about yourself.
• When you experience a challenge, what are your coping strategies?
• What is your goal for this program?
• Why do you believe you will be working through the skills of Restorative Practice with me for the next four weeks?
Session 2 (30 minutes)
How my behavior impacts others
Reflection Questions
* Explore what led up to this behavior(s) and process feelings surrounding event(s).
* What was going on that led up to this situation? Has this happened before?
* What were you thinking and feeling at the time?
Session 3 (30 minutes)
Explore what led up to this behavior(s) and process feelings surrounding event(s).
• What was going on that led up to this situation? Has this happened before?
• What were you thinking and feeling at the time?
• Who do you think has been affected?
Session 4 (30-45 minutes)
• Parent and Dean meeting to review the prior three weeks of work together as well as the restorative action that will be taken.
• Review next steps regarding behavior expectations and if a situation occurs again, review probation.
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL COMPETENCIES
Moving forward
• Have student share their personal action plan and what they have learned through our sessions with their family and the Deans.
• Schedule one-month follow up with the referred student.
Through the Living in Holy Cross Community program, the following skills and competencies will be reviewed and reflected upon between the Restorative Practices Lead and Student during the 4-week program.
• Social Awareness
• Responsible Decision Making
• Self Awareness
• Self Management
• Relationship Skills
* Who do you think has been affected?
* How do you feel about this situation now?
* How did this situation affect you and in what ways?
* What harm had been committed?
* What was the impact of your actions and behaviors?
How can I repair damaged relationships and be more thoughtful in my interactions with others? What supports and practices do I need in place in order to build a respectful community around me?
Reflection Questions
• What actions could restore balance and make things right?
• What do you need to help you do that?
• How do we repair the harm done and restore community?
• What strengths can you draw from to be more thoughtful in your interactions with others?
• What end result would you like to see?
• What could you do to make sure this does not happen again?
• How could you have approached the situation differently? What will you do differently in the future?
• We know that someone is very upset. If you were him/her what do you think you would need?
Create an action plan:
• Steps you can take to avoid this from happening again.
• Discuss what may happen in the “real world” if this behavior occurred.
• Perspective Taking
• Identifying and Solving Problems
• Identifying Emotions
• Impulse Control
• Communication
• Empathy
• Analyzing Situations
• Recognizing Strengths
• Goal Setting
• Relationship Building
• Respect for Others
• Reflecting
• Growth Mindset
• Manage impulse control
• Ability to maintain healthy relationships
• Ability to understand social and ethical norms for behavior
• Considering well being of oneself and others
• Self Confidence
• Ability to regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior
• Ability to resist inappropriate social pressure and seek and offer help when needed
REFERENCES
https://blog.cps.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/CPS_RP_Booklet.pdf