SaferSanerSchools: Whole-School Change Through Restorative Practices

• Proactive approach

• Cost-effective

• Based on communication & responsibility

Program Overview

Since 1999 the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP), a graduate school with its continuing education division based in  Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, has helped even the most challenging schools improve their teaching and learning environment through  “restorative practices,” a proactive approach to positive school-wide behavior support based on communication and responsibility.

IIRP’s SaferSanerSchools™ program is a cost-effective way to achieve lasting whole-school culture change that builds relationships between students, staff and parents, improves student behavior, reduces violence and bullying and creates a sense of community.

IIRP provides a clear, comprehensive two-year school implementation program, unlike piecemeal efforts using varied approaches that lack an explicit focus. IIRP helps the school leadership and staff develop a customized plan based on its own needs and goals, organizes staff action groups and monthly follow-up phone meetings, delivers onsite professional development and consulting and assists with evaluation. Everyone on the school staff has a say and a role in implementation, thereby forging program sustainability.

Implementation: Year One

Distance Preparatory Activities

• Schedule initial professional development days and implementation start-up session.
• Provide phone consultation with school leadership.
• Create customized online web space to support staff implementation and learning activities.
• Collect baseline data from school discipline records and other relevant information.

Four Days of Onsite Professional Development for Staff

Must be held prior to implementation start-up session (explained below).

• Introduction to Restorative Practices — Basic restorative concepts and skills.

Recommended for early part of year 1:

• Using Circles Effectively — How to use circles for a broad range of behavioral and academic purposes.

Can be held during year 1 or year 2:

• Facilitating Restorative Conferences — How to facilitate structured meetings that effectively respond to wrongdoing.
  
• Family Engagement — How to effectively engage and empower families using restorative practices.

Implementation Startup Session

• Provide 3-hour session with all staff held early during year 1 (after Introduction to Restorative Practices professional development day).
• Engage school in developing an explicit plan for two years of implementation.
• Staff members form professional learning groups (PLGs).
• IIRP trains staff to hold their own PLGs.
• PLGs provide ongoing collaboration between the administration and staff in achieving effective implementation.

Follow-up Activities

• Hold monthly in-depth phone calls with leadership, also with staff groups as needed.
• Schedule onsite consulting days in consultation with school.
• Provide ongoing assistance with evaluation of implementation progress and impact on discipline data.

Resources Provided

• Speakerphone for conference calls
• Four books for each staff member for the four professional development events
• Restorative question cards and posters
• IIRP globe "talking piece"
• IIRP restorative practices video and book library
  

Implementation: Year Two

Continuing Calls with Leadership and Staff Groups

• Scheduled as needed to sustain implementation momentum.
• Will focus on deepening implementation of restorative practices to 100% of staff.

Onsite Professional Development and Consulting Days

• Schedule the remainder of the four professional development days not completed in first year.
• Focus on skills refinement, increased sustainability and self-management.
• Use ongoing evaluation to update criteria and inform consultation.
  

Sustainability Plan

• Support explicit planning for sustained implementation.
• Institutionalize and embed restorative practices as part of school staff’s vocabulary and daily life.

Training of Trainers

• Select staff to be trained to provide restorative practices professional development for new hires.
• License and train those staff to utilize IIRP’s proprietary materials, presentations, “scripts” and videos.

Supplemental Opportunities

• Optional graduate online courses available for staff.
• School-centered restorative zone coordinated with local government and private agencies.
• Restorative management and supervision professional development.