Jamie Dorvilus wiggled in her seat, eagerly waiting her turn to talk about how she was feeling that day.
At least once a week, her first-grade class at Rohnert Park’s Evergreen Elementary School moves the desks out of the way for a “circle,” where they discuss their feelings and worries and practice positive behavior and communication skills, like giving and accepting compliments.
Dorvilus, 7, said it’s safe to share. No one ever teases.
“It’s the only time I get to say something and nobody can laugh at me or tell me something that makes me feel bad,” she said.
The so-called restorative circles aim to build trust and understanding and reduce misbehavior. They’re popping up in schools all over the county, in part from the efforts of agencies like Restorative Resources and the Sonoma County Office of Education, which have trained educators on these practices.
Jamie’s teacher, Mandy Hilliard, said kids facing problems at home or on the playground can vent in the circles. The problems then don’t spill into their schoolwork.
“It helps them concentrate more,” Hilliard said. “(And) it makes me more sensitive to what’s going on with the students.”
Hilliard was one of several teachers on campus trained by Restorative Resources, which is rolling out a similar program at 45 middle schools countywide, including the Cotati-Rohnert Park School District.
The Santa Rosa nonprofit last year received $100,000 from the county to launch the alternative justice program. It was one of the recommendations issued by the Community and Local Law Enforcement Taskforce formed after the 2013 shooting of 13-year-old Andy Lopez, who, at the time of his death, was involved in a similar program.
Susan Kinder, the agency’s executive director, said county officials realized improving the relationship between the community and law enforcement required working in schools to reduce suspensions and expulsions — goals set by the state through the Local Control and Accountability Plan that each district develops as part of its overall vision for students. Suspended students are more likely to drop out of school and enter the criminal justice system.
“It’s a good age to start working with them,” Kinder said. “They’re more impressionable.”
Middle school also is more stressful: Kids take on more schoolwork, they’re more self-conscious and more concerned about fitting in.
“Expulsion and suspension activity begin in sixth, seventh and eighth grade,” Kinder said.
It’s is a challenging time, but there’s little intervention for middle schoolers, said Oscar Chavez, the county’s human services assistant director who sat on the task force and helped develop the program.
The accountability circles will serve as an alternative to suspension and expulsion.
Instead of being sent home, middle schoolers take part in weekly sessions where they discuss their feelings and harm they’ve done. They’ll also get to meet with victims, such as school administrators, fellow students and parents in efforts to make amends.
“Once you kick a kid out of a classroom, that creates a disruption,” Chavez said. “If we can change school culture to be more responsive to adapting a more restorative framework, that is a win-win.”
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