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Perkiomen Valley High School staff outline restorative-practices expansion to build relationships and reduce disciplinary recurrence
Summary
High school assistant principal Sharon presented the school’s restorative-practices work, describing training with the International Institute of Restorative Practices and a tiered model intended to be 80% proactive and 20% reactive to improve belonging, accountability and student outcomes.
Sharon, assistant principal at Perkiomen Valley High School, told the Education Committee of the Whole that the high school’s trained teachers are advancing restorative practices districtwide as a way to strengthen relationships and support student outcomes.
Sharon said restorative practices ‘‘cultivates belonging through strong and meaningful connections’’ and described the model as relationship-centered. She told the committee that teachers at the high school trained through the International Institute of Restorative Practices (IIRP) consider the approach ‘‘a science of relationships and community’’ and that it focuses on relationship building, repairing harm and social-emotional learning.
The presentation framed restorative practices as tiered support. Sharon said the approach is largely proactive: ‘‘they say it’s an 80% proactive approach and a 20% reactive approach.’’ At the informal end, staff use daily affective statements and classroom meetings; at the most intensive end, trained staff hold restorative conferences that include harmed parties, those who caused harm and their supporters.
Sharon and other speakers tied restorative practices to existing district goals and supports. She said the work aligns with the district’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and CASEL social-emotional-learning frameworks and complements the Youth Aid Panel (YAP) and alternative-discipline options the district already uses. The presentation cited research on high-impact teaching strategies and Hattie’s work showing strong teacher-student relationships produce above-average effects.
Committee members and other presenters said the approach could extend beyond the high school. One speaker, who identified themselves as having experience with restorative practices in other districts, said they ‘‘came out a true believer’’ after observing effects on classroom climate and relationships. Athletic director Mr. Felty, English teacher Mr. Leizak and PE teacher Mr. Burke were named as participants on the high-school restorative-practices committee.
No formal vote was taken; the presentation closed with committee interest in continued development and possible districtwide extension.
The district plans to continue coordinating training, share practices across buildings, and explore ways to involve parents and feeder schools.
