Love, Care and Support

Restorative Justice (RJ) supports our bilingual international school by creating healthy, equitable, caring school communities and by preventing and addressing behavioural disruption in a non-punitive way that supports accountability and enables healing. Restorative practices decrease suspension rates and other incidents needing discipline.
 
Based on the BIBS values of Love, Care and Support, restorative justice represents a shift in the way schools respond to behaviour and promote discipline. RJ offers an alternative to zero tolerance policies that have proven to be ineffective and in fact have increased the push out of students into other schools.
 
“Restorative Justice is a process to involve, to the extent possible, those who have a stake in a specific offense and to collectively identify and address harms, needs, and obligations, in order to heal and put things as right as possible” (Howard Zehr, 1990)
 
ZERO TOLERANCE      <<<<<<<<----------->>>>>>>>      RESTORATIVE
 
1.   Does the practice address harms, needs, and causes?
2.   Does it adequately attend to the needs of those harmed?
3.   Are offenders encouraged to take responsibility?
4.   Are all relevant stakeholders involved?
5.   Is there an opportunity for dialogue and participatory decision-making?
6.   Is the practice respectful to all parties?
 
Tier 1 is characterized by the use of classroom circles to build relationships, create shared values and guidelines, and promote restorative conversations following behavioural disruption. The goal is to build a caring, intentional, and equitable community with conditions conducive to learning.
 
Tier 2 is characterized by the use of restorative processes such as harm circles, mediation, or family- group conferencing to respond to disciplinary issues in a restorative manner. This process addresses the root causes of the harm, supports accountability for the offender, and promotes healing for the victim(s), the offender, and the school community.
 
Tier 3 supports the successful re-entry of youth following suspension, truancy, or expulsion. The goal is to welcome youth to the school community in a manner that provides wraparound support and promotes student accountability and achievement.