The Program Leader meets with community stakeholders to talk about community vision through the lens of restorative practices. With feedback and in partnership with stakeholders, talk about how students may support the vision through restorative practices including community building, conflict resolution, and leadership. Write up the vision.

Peer RJ Vision Example by Clothilde Escudero

Option: In this model, a Program Leader recruits and trains 1-2 student leaders from each classroom grades 3-5. Students meet, receive training and on-going support on Wed-minimum days after school. Students provide support to peers during their regular recess and class time.

August: Recruit and Build Community

September: Train Student Leaders

October-April: Program Provides Service

May: Celebration

Option: In this model, a Program Leader recruits student leaders in 4th/5th grade. Students meet, receive training and on-going support during lunch/recess 1-2 days/week. The Program Leader works with teachers to arrange opportunities for student leaders to build community and provide conflict resolution support.

August: Recruit

Sept-Dec: What is RJ/Community Building

Jan-April: What is Conflict/Conflict Circles

May: Celebration

During this time, students will meet as a team, build community, participate in training, talk about issues, and celebrate successes. The meeting time should be a consistent weekly time for at least an hour. The meeting time needs to be realistic for the program leader, accessible for the student leaders, and approved by the site leader(s). Here are times that have worked for other sites:

Option: Lunch/Recess 1-2 days/week - Program leader invites student leaders to a 40 minute meeting during lunch/recess one or two days a week.

Option: Minimum Day - Wednesdays 1:30-2:30pm - Program leader arranges permission from parents for student leaders to remain at school on the minimum day.

Option: After School Program 1 day/week - Program leader arranges permission from the after school program for student leaders to meet once a week.

During service time, student leaders are providing support by leading community building circles or supporting conflict resolution. Service time needs to be consistent and highly structured in order to maintain the flow of the academic day. A big tip is when recruiting students, aim to recruit 1-2 per class. This provides student leadership in every classroom and reduces class impact if students need to leave for any reason.

Here are strategies that have worked for other sites:

Example from Korematsu Discovery Academy in Oakland

Tier 1: Community Building Circles:

• Option: 1-2 student leaders are selected in each class, in grade levels that participate. Student leaders lead community building circles in their own classroom with teacher support. Student leaders do not miss class time.

• Option: The Admin arranges a school-wide community building time such as daily morning or afternoon circles or a weekly advisory time. During this time, the expectation is for classrooms to do community building. The Program Leader may partner with teachers to design this time and may schedule student leadership for support.

• Option: The Program leader coordinates with teachers to arrange time when student leaders can go into classrooms to lead circles.

Tier 2: Conflict Resolution Support:

• Option: Student leaders support peers in class when approved by the teacher.

• Option: Student leaders provide peer support during same grade-level recess. This can alternate daily or weekly. Program leader reminds students of the schedule.

• Option: Student leaders provide peer support during a lower-grade recess. This involves getting teacher approval for a student to miss 20 minutes of class-time daily. This scheduled time can alternate so students are on-duty one week a month or a duration that works at your site.

• Option: Program leader coordinates with teachers to find time when student leaders and all impacted parties can meet together.