Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Discipline topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Martinez Junior High reports fewer suspensions after PBIS and restorative 'structured day' alternative
Summary
Principal Carrie Cusack told the Martinez Unified School District board that restorative practices and a new "structured day" alternative reduced out-of-school suspensions and kept students in class; she reported specific quarter-to-quarter suspension figures and said staffing remains a challenge to scale the program.
Carrie Cusack, principal of Martinez Junior High School, told the Martinez Unified School District Board on Oct. 28 that the school's combined use of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and restorative practices has reduced suspension rates and kept more students in the classroom.
"This is something that we offer, when appropriate, as an alternative to suspension, that is intended to keep our students in their academic environment," Cusack said, describing the program's "structured day" placement, midday restorative conversations and after-school accountability projects.
The principal gave figures for early implementation: she said Quarter 1 in the 2022'23 school year had 20 suspensions districtwide before full PBIS/restorative implementation, compared with 9 suspensions in Quarter 1 of 2023'124. Cusack said Martinez Junior High had 6 students suspended in the referenced quarter, and that MJHS offered structured-day placements to 7 students this year; two students experienced both at-home suspension and then returned to a structured-day reentry.
Cusack and board members framed the approach as both behavioral and instructional: the structured day aims to reduce unstructured time off campus, maintain access to instruction, and provide a space for reflection and relationship repair. "Our initial data shows that students who have done a structured day have not had follow-up disciplinary issues," Cusack said.
Board members pressed for operational details. When a board member asked how lunch is handled for students on structured day, Cusack said students eat first and then use lunchtime for restorative conversation with an adult facilitator so they are prepared for afternoon project work. On parent reaction, Cusack said the district has received largely positive feedback: "I would say 99% have been on board," she said, while acknowledging some families have questions about the process.
Board discussion also highlighted staffing as a constraint. Cusack said running a structured day requires staff to monitor transitions, hold restorative conversations and supervise after-school accountability projects; she identified broader staff training and engagement as a growth area.
The board did not take formal action on the MJHS presentation; members requested continued monitoring and data. The district said it will continue to track outcomes as the program expands and evaluate correlations with incidents such as fights cited from last year.
