As schools across the United States work to mitigate the impact of violence within their communities, restorative practices have become a popular strategy. One of NCSSLE’s Project Prevent (Cohort 3) grantees, Dougherty County School System in Albany, Georgia, has shown great success in this effort by implementing restorative practices in their elementary schools.

On this episode of “In Session,” we speak with a team from Dougherty County School System, a Project Prevent (Cohort 3) grantee, about the district’s successful implementation of restorative practices using district-wide training and professional development. The team includes Kelly Hand, the director of the grant, along with Dr. Charles Flowers, the district’s trainer and facilitator of restorative practices; Dr. Narkisa Howard, Principal of West Town Elementary School; Tina Hood, School Counselor at Lake Park Elementary School; and Wendy Williams, fourth grade teacher at Sherwood Acres Elementary School. This conversation is guided by Annie Knowles.

Learn more about Dougherty County School System by reading their Grantee Highlight.

1:21 - Introductions
2:56 - The Key Principles of Restorative Practices
5:11 - Common Challenges Schools Face When Implementing Restorative Practices
8:28 - Progress at West Town Elementary
9:49 - “The Five R’s”
10:51 - Why We Need Restorative Practices
12:13 - Impact of Restorative Circles at Sherwood Acres
16:30 - Examples of Strategies
18:12 - Practical Tips for Educators & School Communities
22:51 - Buy-In & Prioritization
25:15 - Measuring Success
28:58 - Closing

For all questions or feedback, you can email ncssle@air.org. Thanks for listening!

Please note, this podcast does not necessarily represent the policy or views of the U.S. Department of Education, nor does it imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education.