鈥淚t鈥檚 not about the hamburger,鈥� he said, referencing her refrain during the 1960鈥檚 diner sit-ins. 鈥淚t鈥檚 . We鈥檙e not just interested in restorative justice as an alternative to school suspensions and to challenge the school-to-prison pipeline. We are working for more socially just and equitable learning environments for all children and we believe that restorative justice has huge potential to help us get there.鈥�

More than 55 educators from five states, including Mississippi, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Texas and Florida, attended the June 27-28 conference. The range of demographics represent the growing interest in paying attention to educational equity 鈥� from public, private and charter schools serving elementary through secondary grade levels with diverse student populations in urban, suburban and rural areas.

RJE benefits manifold

鈥淥ur goals for this experience were to ask two big questions,鈥� said , director of the at 91短视频 and a former superintendent, principal and teacher. 鈥淲e wanted to discuss how RJE can assist us in addressing the needs of disenfranchised students and students on the fringe, and the challenges of poor attendance, graduation rates, low achievement and discipline concerns. Secondly, we wanted to share how RJE can benefit students, teachers and the overall school culture.鈥�

Professor , lead faculty in 91短视频鈥檚 new (starting fall 2018), was pleased with the diverse group and the conference鈥檚 potential to spread the ethos of restorative justice. [To read more about Kathy Evans and her interview in The Atlantic about restorative justice, click .]

鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled that we have so many people here from different places and sectors who are interested in learning more about restorative justice is a viable option for restoring healthy learning communities,鈥� she said. 鈥淎ttending this conference doesn鈥檛 make anyone an expert, but we hope it will prompt educators to continue their learning. This is about a long-term shift in the way that we do school.鈥�

91短视频 deeply rooted in origins of restorative justice

, known as RJ for short, presents an alternative philosophy of justice that addresses the needs of multiple stakeholders, draws from indigenous and faith-based approaches, and challenges structural and interpersonal forms of harm. It鈥檚 used in a variety of settings, such as prisons and the justice system. RJ in education, which is also called RJE, has been in school districts to lower suspension rates and to create accountability and community in the schooling environment.

The RJE Academy rotated educators through three foundational workshops about RJ principles and practices, such as the circle process, and peacebuilding.

In her session on RJ principles, Evans touched on building healthy communities, meeting needs, viewing conflict as a learning opportunity, and providing accountability.

鈥淚f my rosebush isn鈥檛 growing, I don鈥檛 blame the rosebush,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e have to look at the ecological or environmental model鈥� Students behave in certain ways depending on unmet needs. Can we meet some of those needs using restorative justice?鈥�

The peacebuilding session focused in part on building relationships, or 鈥渢ending, mending and befriending,鈥� as Professor suggested.

Participants also reflected on how their learnings could be applied in their particular setting and heard from educators currently building or creating RJ-oriented models in their particular schools.

鈥淩JE is about a way of approaching life and relationships,鈥� says David Ward, student assistance counselor at Harrisonburg High School. Ward says RJE principles were helpful in adapting anti-bullying curriculum to meet school-specific needs, such as community building and establishing common ground between different student groups.

Other panelists included Aundrea Smiley, a second-grade teacher in Waynesboro City Schools; Allison Eanes, a middle school teacher from Harrisonburg City Schools; , principal at Shelburne Middle School in Staunton; and Jelisa Wolfe, executive director of student services for Staunton City Schools.

A final session offered small-group coaching with session leaders.

Harrisonburg educators implementing RJ

Armstrong and Evans both noted they were especially pleased with presence of the 17 Harrisonburg City Schools educators.

鈥淭his ongoing opportunity to partner with our local school district to raise our levels of knowledge and practice locally is really thrilling,鈥� said Evans, who is also working on a with Jackson Public Schools, an area where she has strong ties. 鈥淲e can really do mutually beneficial work on a local level as partners in moving RJ forward.鈥�

The academy鈥檚 format was created, among other purposes, 鈥渨ith the potential to take to any school district in the nation,鈥� Evans says.

Jonathan Stith, founding member and national coordinator of the and former director of youth organizing at Empower DC, will give the keynote address. An accomplished facilitator and trainer, he has nearly two decades of experience working with youth and community organizations to address social inequities.

Presenters from 91短视频 include , professor of education; Bob Garrity, a mediator and consultant and adjunct faculty member; and , professor of psychology, speaking on 鈥淧eacebuilding Education: What Does It Look Like?鈥�

A panel of several teachers and administrators聽who are implementing restorative justice practices in area school systems will also share insights. Panel members include David Ward and Allison Eanes from Harrisonburg City Schools, Jennifer Morris and Jelisa Wolfe from Staunton City Schools, and Aundrea Smiley from Waynesboro City Schools. Participants will have opportunities to meet with RJE Academy faculty in 鈥渉ome group鈥� coaching sessions on the second day.

A viewing of the film 鈥�,鈥� open to the public, will be offered Monday evening as a collaboration between 91短视频, the Fairfield Center and Harrisonburg Public Schools. Drawing on the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study, the 2015 film examines traumatic childhood experiences and how those play out over the course of a year at and around Lincoln Alternative High School in Walla Walla, Washington. It also shows the powerful presence that teachers can have in those situations.

91短视频, which offers a graduate certificate in restorative justice in education, was the first school in the country to offer restorative justice programs within a graduate education program. Attendance for the RJE Academy is limited to the first 140 registrants. Cost is $300. Register here.

In March 2016, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) announced a $61,000 grant that will fund a restorative justice in education pilot project in Jackson Public Schools (JPS), which serves 28,000 students in Mississippi鈥檚 largest city. The 15-month planning grant will involve 91短视频鈥檚 (CJP) and staff and faculty from the MA in Education program, as well as school officials and community leaders in Jackson.

According to Margrit Wallace, executive director of student academic and behavioral support for JPS, the district has been working for years on improving school climate and believes embracing restorative justice practices can further that goal.

鈥淚t fits in the big picture of what we鈥檙e trying to implement,鈥� said Wallace. 鈥淸It has] all the pieces that it would take for us to have a high-functioning learning environment that鈥檚 not only meeting that academic needs of our learners but also meeting the social and emotional needs that they have.鈥�

Partnering with local community experts

Circle processes are an example of one restorative practice that have been successfully used in school settings both as a community-building tool and an alternative method of addressing disciplinary issues. By adopting these sorts of processes, some school districts have been able to drastically reduce suspension rates.

鈥淲e have a great deal of expertise in restorative justice in education,鈥� said assistant professor of education , one of the faculty members involved with the grant. 鈥淲hat we don鈥檛 have a great deal of expertise in is Jackson. What makes sense to me is 鈥� collaboratively building something really beautiful, because we each bring our own sets of knowledge and understanding.鈥�

Evans and , an assistant professor of restorative justice and peacebuilding also involved with the grant, both said that 91短视频鈥檚 priority in the coming months will be surveying existing efforts to improve school climate in Jackson and identifying ways in which 91短视频鈥檚 support could be most beneficial.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not sure yet what will come out of it, but I think that鈥檚 exciting鈥� said Turner.

Evans added that like-minded organizations and programs in the wider community will also be partners in the project.

鈥淲hat too often happens is the school becomes this isolated entity, and we try to fix the problems of the school [while] ignoring the fact that the school lives in the context of that community,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he school needs community partners, and the school impacts the community. They aren鈥檛 separate entities.鈥�

That was one aspect of the grant proposal that caught the attention of the WKKF.

鈥淲e love that they鈥檝e taken the time to really plan,鈥� said Yumeka Rushing, WKKF program officer for Mississippi. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 really important to take a step back and engage all of the stakeholders.鈥�

“I think the one thing that we really haven鈥檛 done in most school districts is actually say, 鈥榃hat if we focus on building relationships? What if we look at the power of restorative practices 鈥� and when students have a greater sense of belonging, they in turn are more invested in the process of learning, resulting in teachers more excited about and adept at teaching?鈥� says , director of the MA in Education program at 91短视频. 鈥淚 think this is a place that educators in most school districts have not really explored, and I really think we can find some very important answers if we look at RJE.鈥�

Careful planning leads to implementation

Although 91短视频 originally wrote a grant request to fund projects in Jackson, Washington D.C., and its hometown of Harrisonburg, Virginia, the proposal was later scaled back to Jackson.

鈥淭his project is a perfect opportunity to do so in a way that could have major long-term benefit for children throughout the state of Mississippi,鈥� said CJP executive director . 鈥淚n other parts of the country where restorative justice is being used in classrooms, the results are encouraging. Suspensions and expulsions are greatly reduced, academic performance is improved and classroom behaviors are improved.鈥�

91短视频 faculty and staff will visit Jackson at least three times during the course of the planning grant. They are also planning learning trips with school and community leaders from Jackson to Oakland, California, and Miami, Florida, to visit school systems that have been successfully using restorative practices to strengthen community within and around schools.

During the planning grant process, 91短视频 and its partners in Jackson will also develop a subsequent, three-year grant proposal that would include specific restorative justice training and implementation, according to the needs identified in Jackson over the next 15 months.

Armstrong said the implementation phase of the grant may include enrollment of a JPS cohort in the MA in Education program, pursuing either a full master鈥檚 degree with a restorative justice concentration, or a graduate certificate offered to educators who already have a master’s degree.

鈥淚鈥檓 very open going into this process,鈥� said Wallace, of JPS. 鈥淭he beauty of a planning grant is that we can all bring our own hopes for what we want to see happen.鈥�

鈥淲e believe this is not only going to change our district, but our city,鈥� she added.

Goleman visits 91短视频 (91短视频) Saturday, April 2, for two educational opportunities. A day-long training on emotional intelligence and the latest research about focus will be followed by a variety of breakout sessions facilitated by members of the education, counseling and psychology community.

Goleman will also speak at an evening dinner lecture about concepts of leadership.

骋辞濒别尘补苍鈥檚 work on the brain and behavioral science was nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize and recognized with the Washburn Award and Lifetime Career Award from the American Psychological Association.

His 2014 bestseller, Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence, argues that leadership that gets results demands a triple focus: on ourselves; on others, for our relationships; and on the outer forces that shape organizations and society. 骋辞濒别尘补苍鈥檚 won the 2013 HBR McKinsey Award, given each year for the best article in Harvard Business Review.

In his latest book, A Force for Good: The Dalai Lama鈥檚 Vision for Our World, Goleman 鈥� who was personally selected by the Dalai Lama 鈥� combines the Dalai Lama鈥檚 key teachings, empirical evidence, and true accounts of people putting his lessons into practice, offers readers practical applications for making the world a better place.

骋辞濒别尘补苍鈥檚 Emotional Intelligence was on The New York Times best sellers list for 18 months. Named one of the 25 鈥淢ost Influential Business Management Books鈥� by TIME, it has been translated into 40 languages.

鈥淎s a journalist and psychologist, Dr. Goleman beautifully blends professional research and difficult concepts into language that is accessible to a broad population and many audiences,鈥� said , professional development coordinator for the MA in Counseling program. 鈥淒r. Goleman has intrigued some of the most influential leaders in the psychology, business, and leadership arenas. Educators, counselors, psychologists, church leaders, and business leaders will be interested to learn more from him.鈥�

Breakout sessions for the day training include:

• 鈥淭he Empty Desk: Why We Lose Struggling Learners and How Insights from Research on the Brain and Learning Can Help,鈥� , director of the 听辫谤辞驳谤补尘;
• “The Art of Noticing: Discovering Opportunities for Social Contextual Learning in the K-12 Classroom,鈥� , , 91短视频;
• 鈥淔ocus with Focusing,鈥� David Glanzer, faculty, MA in Counseling program, 91短视频;
• 鈥淢indfulness and the Cultivation of Focus and Connectedness,鈥� Cheree Hammond, faculty, MA in Counseling program, 91短视频;
• 鈥淲here the Rubber meets the Road: Implementing Emotional Intelligence and Focus for Ourselves and With Our Clients,鈥澛犫�撀燫owland Shank, private practitioner.

Costs for the day training is $225, which includes lunch, materials and continuing education credits. Day and evening admission is $350. The evening dinner and lecture is $125. Discounted rates are available for 91短视频 faculty, staff and students. To register, click .

The program is offered by the I and the MA in Counseling program in 91短视频鈥檚 .

The memorandum of intention was signed yesterday [Sept. 15, 2015] during a one-day visit to the 91短视频 campus in Harrisonburg, Virginia, by Dr. Arsim Bajrami, Kosovo鈥檚 minister of education, science and technology. President co-signed the agreement.

The teachers would potentially attend graduate classes taught by 91短视频 education faculty in their country, online, and during summer residencies at the Harrisonburg campus, with funding provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). USAID has been engaged with Kosovo鈥檚 education system for the past 14 years, according to its website.

Bajrami was accompanied by Dr. Ahmet Shala, Kosovo鈥檚 former minister of finance and ambassador to Japan, and now ; Dr. Zenun Halili, senior adviser; and Frym毛zim Isufaj, counselor of economy and Congress at Kosovo鈥檚 embassy in Washington D.C.

The memorandum was signed after a short meeting between the visiting dignitaries and the 91短视频 delegation, which included, in addition to President Swartzendruber, Dr. , provost; Dr. , vice president and dean of graduate and professional schools; Dr. , director of the master鈥檚 in education program; and , executive director of 91短视频鈥檚 Center for Justice and Peacebuilding.

91短视频鈥檚 teachers are trained with a programmatic focus on personal formation, learning in community, cross-cultural competencies, and integration of peacebuilding principles into the teaching curriculum, said Smucker during a short presentation.

Bajrami said Kosovo has benefited from educational exchanges in the United States for many years, which has laid 鈥渁 strong foundation for long-term cooperation and friendship.鈥�

鈥淭his university is small in size, but you bring some very special qualities that make me happy,鈥� Bajrami said through a translator. He pointed out that Kosovo鈥檚 education system, along with its teacher training programs, is still in development, but that the country 鈥渉as an orientation to bring an American philosophy to our education system as we want to increase our quality standards. Good teachers guarantee good students.鈥�

Ambassador Shala, a close friend of the minister, provided translation during the meeting. Shala鈥檚 roots are in education and business, yet he has a strong interest in interfaith peacebuilding, according to Byler, who spent time with Shala during a visit to Kosovo for a conference on that same topic in the spring.

A proponent of education, Shala established a foreign language school in the capital of Prishtina in the mid-1990s, and later opened branches in several cities. The schools suffered damage during the 1999 war, but were later re-opened with a new emphasis: the provision of free education to refugees, orphans, invalids of the war, and other marginalized people.

The memorandum points to shared goals of both 91短视频 and the Kosovo government of 鈥渃reating a just and peaceful world through the power of education鈥� and building strong learning communities through cross-cultural exchange.

Armstrong, who started on Jan. 5, 2015, succeeded , who retired last summer. She is responsible for the 90 graduate students on the home campus as well as the 46 master鈥檚 students at the . Her duties include teaching four courses a year.

Previously Armstrong was at the University of Virginia (UVa) in Charlottesville, where she worked with school superintendents and education administrators to provide professional development programs and graduate courses for practicing teachers. She was senior director for K-12 professional development in the School of Continuing and Professional Studies and then director of programs for the Statewide K-12 Education Advisory Council at UVa鈥檚 Curry School of Education.

Armstrong鈥檚 first contact with 91短视频 was when she was assistant superintendent of Staunton City Public Schools from 1999 to 2007. 鈥淥ur principals would actively seek teachers who had graduated from 91短视频,鈥� she said, 鈥渢elling me that they were highly effective and hit the ground running.鈥� For teachers who wanted to be reading specialists, she and her staff asked them to enroll in .

Over the years she taught two graduate courses at 91短视频 鈥� 鈥淭eaching Diverse Learners鈥� and 鈥淩esearch on Risk and Resiliency.鈥� She also mentored students who were completing their action research studies at the end of their graduate program.

鈥淚鈥檓 delighted to have Sarah with us,鈥� said , dean of . 鈥淪he brings lots of energy and experience in administration, and she鈥檚 very connected to schools throughout Virginia.鈥�

For the past 10 years, Armstrong has worked closely with superintendents and educational leaders around the state and is acquainted with efforts to improve teaching and learning. 鈥淚 see potential in offering focused courses and certificates that are unique 鈥� or somewhat unique 鈥� to 91短视频,鈥� she said. An example is the proposed Restorative Justice in Education program which she will help implement.

Armstrong is particularly interested in recent research on the brain and how it affects learning in the classroom. She plans to teach a graduate course on neuro-education next fall.

The new 91短视频 administrator got her start in education at Lynchburg College in Lynchburg, Virginia, where she earned a BA in elementary education and an MEd as a reading specialist. She went to UVa for doctoral studies, graduating in 1986 with an EdD in educational leadership and administration, with minors in curriculum and reading.

Armstrong started her career as a classroom teacher and reading specialist for four years in Amherst County Public Schools in Virginia. Moving into administration, she supervised programs for reading and gifted students in Amherst for 10 years.

She then moved to Nelson Public County Schools for eight years, where she was executive director of instruction and personnel, followed by executive director of personnel and student services.

From 1996 to 1999, Armstrong was principal of Burnley-Moran Elementary School in Charlottesville.

For the past seven years, she has also worked as a consultant in neuro-education. 鈥淚 believe working in schools and school districts around the country on ways to improve teaching and learning,鈥� she said, 鈥渨ill help me stay current in practice and bring valuable 鈥榮tories鈥� to my job at 91短视频.鈥�