With Restorative Practices, we are using an approach to others that is focused on people and relationships. The goal is to nurture strong, healthy and vibrant connections between our families, peers and community. By doing this, we build our resilience, our emotional literacy and our regulation skills. We become more empathetic and feel valued in authentic ways. The core belief of Restorative Practices is that people will make positive changes when those in positions of authority do things with them rather than to them or for them. Therefore, a successful RP continuum is designed to:

• Acknowledge that relationships are central to building community

• Build systems that address challenging behavior as a form of communication and an opportunity to strengthen relationships

• Focus on the impact of the behavior rather than only on the "rule" that has been broken

• Give voice to both parties involved; engage in collaborative problem solving; and enhance responsibility

• Empower change and growth