Restorative School Practices

The Restorative School Practices began in 2006, when RJP created a partnership with the University of Maine Orono Peace and Reconciliation Program and the University of Maine Law and Civic Education Program to form the Restorative School Practices Collaborative of Maine. Our collaborative is helping Maine schools to understand and implement restorative practices, values and skills, including restorative discipline. Under the collaborative over 600 teachers, staff, administrators, school boards, students and parents from Portland to Bingham have received training, presentations and consultation on changing school climate to become more restorative.

Since 2006, RJP has provided in-service training on restorative school practices reaching approximately 300 administrators, staff and families through presentations, training and student conference sessions with the following schools: Winslow and Waterville Junior High Schools, Greeley Middle School, Bingham School District, Waldoboro Schools and Mt. Ararat Middle School. Other local presentations and training has reached 175 additional educators at the Edna Drinkwater School, BCOPE, Camden Community School, Searsport High School, Mt. View Junior High School, St. George Elementary, Camden Middle School, Troy Howard Middle School and Belfast High School.

These schools have been trained to use this philosophy to address issues that previously would have resulted in detention, suspension and expulsion. Since Troy Howard Middle School implemented a circle conference format in place of the traditional detention model, they have seen a 40% decrease in the number of students receiving detention. In addition, RJP began working in 2007 with Unity College and continues to develop as students trained in RSP are bringing the philosophy to residence hall life.

RJP staff and volunteers have served as presenters and facilitators at the first-ever Transforming Discipline: Building Community Through Restorative Practices Conference in Portland in 2007, as well as a University of Maine Summer RSP Graduate course in 2008, Fall 2008 One-Day Workshop and the RSP Summer Institute in 2009 in Augusta, reaching another approximately 150 educators.
Current goals are for continued RJP staff involvement, and growth in these educational partnerships and trainings.