Formal conferences can be used in conjunction with, or instead, of suspension.
This quick video explains the overarching philosophy behind it.
This TED talk explains how our disciplinary interventions need to change.
What are the things that we want our students to leave our schools having learned? What constitutes a consequence?
What do the ways that we respond to students' choices convey about who we are as a school system?
This would be determine by the people involved within the harm of the situation.
These include things like pre-conferences, parent and community involvement, scripts, and contracts.
It's very important that we don't use the terms Restorative Practices and Restorative Justice interchangeably, as Restorative Justice has a very specific purpose and is used much less often than our regular Restorative Practices.