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Southwest principal says restorative "lunch circle" program reduced suspensions and created adult supports for students
Summary
Principal Tyler Johnson presented suspension and lunch-circle statistics showing the program's use since 2023 and credited it and school social workers with reducing exclusionary discipline. He asked the board to note the program as part of wider efforts to support students' social and emotional needs.
Principal Tyler Johnson told the board he implemented a "lunch circle" restorative practice after Minnesota's non-exclusionary disciplinary guidance and presented multi-year data on in-school and out-of-school suspensions and the number of lunch circles assigned.
Johnson said the district's first full year of lunch-circle use produced roughly 400 assignments in a building of about 478 students, and the program includes a post-session form that asks whether the student has a positive adult connection and how staff can better support the student. He credited social workers, office staff and teachers for implementation and said the program aims to keep students in learning while addressing the behavior that led to an office referral.
Johnson traced the practice to an earlier 'tab-out' restorative method and said statewide guidance in 2023and2024 accelerated the shift to non-exclusionary responses. He presented year-over-year tables showing counts of in-school and out-of-school suspension days and asked the board to recognize the team's work while continuing to monitor outcomes.
Board members thanked Johnson and asked clarifying questions about data collection and how the practice coordinates with special services and resource officers. No policy action was taken; the presentation was informational and aimed at informing future discipline and support strategies.
