Middle-school administrators outline restorative discipline process and supports

Middle-school administrators and staff presented an overview of Cumberland’s restorative discipline process to the School Committee on Sept. 25, describing how incidents are investigated, how decisions are guided, and what supports follow disciplinary findings. Administrator Coughlin and the middle-school team said the district has shifted from a punitive model toward restorative practices that emphasize repairing harm and teaching students skills to avoid repeat incidents. A prerecorded presentation shown in open session summarized the approach and the district’s expectations for administrators. The presentation described a four-step fact-finding process for incidents: investigate to determine details; collect written statements from students involved; review video if an incident occurred on a bus; and consult the student handbook and then communicate with parents by email, phone or meeting depending on severity. The presenter said "the vast, vast majority of students at the middle school get 0 or maybe 1 office referral in an entire year," and emphasized that the in-depth process applies to exceptional incidents rather than routine classroom matters. Administrators said they use two decision guidelines—egregiousness of the incident and the student’s pattern of behavior—to promote consistent outcomes across schools. The committee heard that teams across the district (including Dean Fernandez and Miss Holman at McCourt and the North Cumberland team) coordinate to apply guidelines consistently. After a consequence is determined, administrators described a menu of supports to help students succeed: restorative conferences to repair harm, referrals to the target team for specialized support, and programs such as check-in/check-out that pair a student with a trusted adult through the school day. During committee questions, members thanked the presenters for the clear explanation and asked for materials to be shared with parents; administrators said they would distribute the video and supplemental information to families. The presentation was informational; no formal committee action was taken.