By Jennie Carr and Tammy May
Restorative justice practices have been the cornerstone of relationship building and conflict resolution at Lacey Spring Elementary School for over six years. Lacey Spring is a rural, Title I, high-poverty elementary school nestled in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Dr. May was hired as the building administrator in 2018. In her first year, she observed that student discipline was moving in the wrong direction, as she witnessed discipline slips being filled out by teachers and students spending time in the office or hallways. Negative student behaviors were not being altered, and there was no restoring of relationships when harm had occurred. Dr. May knew something had to change to support the students’ behavioral and academic success at school.
As the building administrator, Dr. May referenced and relied upon her academic coursework from her restorative justice certification at Eastern Mennonite University. The program certificate in restorative justice skills enables individuals to promote positive student behavior, replace suspensions with strategies that work, and improve relationships and school climate. The first step in implementing restorative justice at Lacey Spring Elementary School was educating all staff about restorative justice practices. Professional development sessions were led by a restorative justice advocate who shared how to facilitate community circles, build relationships, mediate conflicts, and support students in repairing harm. Teachers intentionally focused on the aforementioned strategies to guide students and staff in restorative justice. The emphasis on the “why” of restorative justice was critical at the outset of this journey, as it helped all stakeholders to smoothly transition into a rejuvenated and calm school culture. Furthermore, through parent meetings, specially designed brochures, and conversations, the school clearly communicated the necessity for and overarching benefits of restorative practices.
Lacey Spring Elementary School follows a clear and consistent restorative justice approach to behavior management. Every day, all teachers spend the first part of the day meeting with students in a community circle. A community circle is defined as “formalized interactions governed by specific protocols” (Marcucci). During this valuable time, teachers and students are fully present and actively listening to each other and may use their time to share anything, including but not limited to comments, questions, concerns, joys, or frustrations. There is a mutual respect developed through community circles, as students feel validated and heard by their classmates and teachers. Community circles are intentionally designed to help students feel connected to their classmates and teachers. One teacher shared the following about community circles: “When conflicts arise, restorative justice practices guide students in understanding the impact of their actions, taking responsibility, and working together to find solutions that repair harm while empowering students. These two practices are an investment in the classroom that takes time but reaps great gains.”
Professional development sessions were led by a restorative justice advocate who shared how to facilitate community circles, build relationships, mediate conflicts, and support students in repairing harm.
There are many evidence-based ways to implement community circles. This is an abridged version of this article. To read more, subscribe to the print or digital edition of Christian Educators Journal.
Work Cited
Marcucci, O. “Why Restorative Justice Works in Schools: An Investigation into the Interactional Dynamics of Restorative Circles.” Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, vol. 31A, December 2021, ScienceDirect, doi.org/10.1016/j.lcsi.2021.100561.
Dr. Jennie M. Carr is an associate professor of education, the Elementary Education Program Coordinator, and the Clinical Partnership Coordinator at Bridgewater College. Having dedicated nearly twenty years to the field of education, Dr. Carr is passionate about building relationships and connecting with students. jcarr@bridgewater.edu
Dr. Tammy May is the principal at Lacey Spring Elementary School. She also has worked as an adjunct professor at Bridgewater College and James Madison University. She will be working as an adjunct professor at Eastern Mennonite University in 2025, teaching courses in restorative justice. For over thirty years, Tammy has worked in the same school division, and she firmly believes in the power of communication and relationship building. tmay@rockingham.k12.va.us