The PSC has been working with The Belair-Edison School’s middle school campus for the last two years with great success! Their entire school team has been trained in Restorative Approaches, and their leadership team is committed to incorporating these practices into all areas of school life. Restorative Approaches and circles are visible in staff conversations with students during meals, in classrooms, and in the hallways. Teachers and staff dedicate time daily to building strong relationships. These relationships allow leaders and staff to be restorative when conflict or other behavioral challenges arise. During a climate walk shortly before schools transitioned to virtual learning, we witnessed a physical altercation in the hallway. Students and staff seamlessly transition to a restorative circle allowing students to quickly reenter a learning space, and the students involved in the altercation to reenter the classroom community. For more serious altercations, leaders at the middle school campus have been trained in formal conferencing and are certified trainers in Restorative Practices. It is evident that The Belair-Edison School has embedded Restorative Approaches into the fabric of their school operations.
Last year, the middle school campus completed their merger with Brehms Lane Public Charter to be more present in the Belair-Edison neighborhood. The middle school team and the charter network identified the work with the Positive Schools Center and Restorative Approaches as central to the middle school campus’ climate transformation and requested that the PSC assist the elementary team in aligning their school climate goals and strategies. In June, Brehms’ leadership team participated in Restorative Approaches training, and the entire staff participated during the August Professional Development days! Both the middle and elementary school campuses have been exploring how Virtues Language can help build positive engaging relationships between students, teachers, and the community as we move into virtual learning. In 2019-2020 the middle school campus began to examine racism in their school community through Courageous Conversations About Race Protocol, based on the work of Glenn Singleton. The elementary and middle school campuses are both focusing on racial equity work this year, as a central tenet of creating a single, restorative school climate.
