The Caring School Community program and restorative practices are partnered together in many schools and districts. Sharing similar views on supporting student development and having complementary classroom practices makes it possible to combine the two approaches.
When using restorative practices with the Caring School Community program:
- Use the class meetings and the Morning Circle, Closing Circle, and Cross-age Buddies activities from the Caring School Community program to teach the social emotional skills and deepen relationships. This can serve as the Tier 1 support for students.
- Ensure that the staff discusses how restorative practices will integrate with the school’s vision for supporting students when developing the school culture statement as detailed in the Principal’s Leadership Guide.
- Use Caring School Discipline and restorative circles for Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports.
- Use the Caring School Community program to set the context and develop the skills for students to use restorative practices.