Restorative Practices at LJA
At Laura Jeffrey Academy, restorative practices help us build relationships, respond to conflict and address harm while keeping scholars connected to our school community.
Restorative practices give scholars and staff opportunities to share their perspectives, understand how others have been affected, take responsibility and work together to make things right. They are not about avoiding consequences. Restorative practices pair accountability with support, dignity, learning and reconnection.
How Restorative Accountability Works at LJA
Our restorative accountability process begins with respectful correction, moves toward connection and understanding when more support is needed, and includes restoration and repair when harm has occurred.
Correction
Respectfully redirect and reengage.
Many concerns can be addressed with a brief, respectful correction that helps a scholar return to the expected behavior and stay engaged in learning.
Connection
Understand what is happening and make a plan.
When more support is needed, staff connect privately with the scholar, listen to their perspective and work together on a way forward.
Restoration
Repair harm and follow through.
When harm has occurred, scholars may reflect, take responsibility, repair relationships and reconnect with the school community.
Level 1: Correction
Many concerns can be addressed with a brief, respectful correction.
A staff member may use a nonverbal reminder, proximity, a gesture, a written note or a short verbal prompt to redirect a scholar toward the expected and agreed-upon behavior.
The goal is to address the concern while preserving the scholar's dignity and keeping them engaged in learning.
Level 2: Connection
When a correction does not successfully reengage a scholar, a staff member may connect with them privately to better understand what is happening.
That conversation might begin with questions like:
How are you doing?
What do you need?
What can I do to support you?
Staff listen to the scholar's perspective, explain the concern, identify what is needed and work with the scholar to create a plan for moving forward.
Level 3: Restoration
When behavior has caused harm, disrupted the community or continued after earlier support, a restorative response may be needed.
Depending on the situation, this may include a restorative conversation, written reflection, an agreed-upon action to repair harm and follow-up to make sure accountability continues.
Restoration does not mean consequences disappear. It means consequences are paired with opportunities to reflect, take responsibility, repair relationships, learn new skills and reconnect with the school community.
The Process Depends on the Situation
The restorative process does not always begin at Level 1. Depending on the seriousness of a concern, safety needs, repeated behavior or the amount of harm caused, staff may begin with connection or restoration.
Staff use professional judgment when determining the appropriate response and consider each scholar's age, disability-related needs, individual support plans and the circumstances surrounding the behavior.
Respecting Privacy and Dignity
Confidentiality is respected throughout the restorative accountability process. LJA works to communicate openly and transparently while also protecting scholars' legal rights (including FAPE, FERPA, HIPPA), privacy and dignity.
Because some information must remain confidential, families or scholars involved in a situation may not always receive details about another person's circumstances or response.