As part of our mission to create diverse, joyful, welcoming communities rooted in social justice and rigorous learning, Distinctive Schools is designing more equitable schools through an intentional shift away from traditional or punitive disciplinary measures. We are proud to practice Restorative Justice, a method of conflict resolution that values relationships as the cornerstone of each student’s educational journey. When issues arise, we believe in creating a safe space for diverse perspectives to be heard, paving the way for healing and growth.
Relationship building is at the heart of Distinctive Culture. When we say All Means All, we mean educating the whole child, including supporting students when they make mistakes. Mistakes are part of life, and our goal is to help students learn through them.
What is Restorative Justice?
We recognize that when harm occurs in our community, that harm must be repaired. It is important to us that students take accountability for their actions and search for solutions to move forward. Consequences are not personal, but they are personalized. The consequence must make sense to the student based on the action for it to be effective. Restorative practices are used in our schools to decrease disciplinary issues and disruptions and serve as an alternative to harmful, exclusionary practices such as suspension and expulsion.
Restorative Justice values relationships at the center of school and community life. When harm happens, these relationships create space for multiple perspectives to be heard in order to repair harm. We work to establish a strong foundation of trust, respect, and communication with our students.
You may be wondering, what exactly is Restorative Justice and what does it look like at CICS Longwood High School?
We sat down with our CICS Longwood High School Dean, Ms. White for a few questions about Restorative Justice at our school.
Read more about Restorative Practices here. We are so grateful to the incredible student support team at CICS Longwood High School for their commitment to restorative practices. We thank you for the care you bring to our schools, students, and communities every day!
WHY WE CHOOSE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE: The theory.
Restorative Justice is rooted in acknowledging community, the ability to cultivate healthy relationships, and being intentional about the forming of relationships with my students, their families, key support people, and other educators. Restorative Justice is transformative to a school's culture and climate.
PUTTING THEORY INTO PRACTICE: What does Restorative Justice look like in our classrooms day to day?
In our classrooms, we practice Restorative Justice through mindfulness, equity, effective communication and inclusion. Our Social Emotional Learning programming also helps students to further understand and communicate their emotions, leading to restorative conversations.
I want our families to know that every adult at CICS Longwood High School is fully committed to the growth and development of your child. We are rooted in educating the whole child and helping students grow as learners and as individuals.