For the 2019-2020 school year, our BRIDGES Safe and Respectful Schools Program and Restorative Schools Program have grown from 17 to 22 schools! We started off the school year by training 32 students at our Youth Leadership Institute and our annual Human Relations Ambassadors internship program welcomed 26 new student leaders for a year of deeper learning on human relations issues. We’re busy working to improve school climate through proven practices of dialoguing for belonging, inclusion, equity and restorative justice. See below for updates from two of our Restorative Schools campuses.
Columbus Tustin Middle School:
The focus at CT is on widening student and parent understanding of Restorative Practices and training and coaching teachers to facilitate restorative student/teacher conferences in the classroom. We will be pushing out a ‘Restorative Handbook’ for parents and are looking for ways to connect parents and build community. The Restorative Practices room is open at lunch 2 times a week for community circles, icebreakers and games. The goal is to create safe spaces for all students to explore difference and buy into campus community.
Currie Middle School:
We are training our after-school program leaders in restorative practices skills, have collaborated with Special Education teachers to connect that community of students to the rest of the student body in meaningful ways, and have supported a school wide mental health week through a circle plan that teachers could use to dialogue with their classes. The Currie M.S. RJ Specialist is coordinating with the ASB students and teacher to host a Latinx/@ heritage week in early October and is striving to collaborate with the PBIS/RP committee to better serve our students in areas of school wide community building and refining responsive discipline processes.
For more information on the BRIDGES Safe Schools or Restorative Justice Programs, please contact Julie Vue, Director of Youth and Schools Programs, at 714-480-6589 or email Julie@splash.ochumanrelations.org
