Restorative Practices at James Sales

Do the words ‘community circle’ and ‘restorative practices’ sound familiar? Perhaps your child has talked about his/her participation in one of these community building activities.

At James Sales we believe that positive relationships are at the heart of everything we do. Therefore, our mission is to create capable, contributing citizens who achieve their highest potential every day.

The Franklin Pierce School District has implemented in all schools a process that seeks to repair relationships in a positive and proactive way. It is called ‘Restorative Practices.’ As a parent, you may be called to be a part of a restorative conference with your child.

Below you will find a summary of the process:

The 5 Restorative Practice Questions
These questions are designed to build a strong basis upon which to foster healthy relationships. The questions are open ended, respectful and not value laden. They are objective and thinking questions that ironically evoke stronger emotional responses leading to the development of empathy.

When harm has been done, the Restorative questions include asking:
1. What happened?
2. What were you thinking at the time?
3. What have you thought about since?
4. Who has been affected by what you have done?
In what ways?
5. What do you think you need to do to make things right?

If a child has been harmed by the actions of others, Restorative questions include asking:
1. What did you think when you realized what happened?
2. What impact has this incident had on you and others?
3. What has been the hardest thing for you?
4. What do you think needs to happen to make things right?

At James Sales we ask these questions in developmentally appropriate ways using language that children understand. Restorative Practice is not just about the questions. It is about engaging students in a process that is fair, allows free expression of emotions and offers high levels of support. We are helping students communicate, accept responsibility and make repair efforts.