Restorative Justice in Education (RJE) Conference

Opening Keynote and Talkback:  Applying the Concept of Sankofa to our Practice
Tuesday, June 28 | 9:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

Sankofa is often associated with the proverb, “Se wo were fi na wosankofa a yenkyi," which translates as: "It is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten.” We are in an amazing times where we are experiencing exponential growth in the restorative justice movement. The way that we experience Sankofa should drive us back to what we learned at first. When we apply the values of Sankofa to inform our movement, we can then be called back to the roots of restorative justice in order to be reminded of what is most important about our life-giving work as practitioners.

**Session 1a: Foundations of Restorative Justice in Education
Tuesday, June 28 | 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.

Restorative Justice in Education promotes values and principles that use inclusive, collaborative approaches for supporting students and educators in the community called “School.” This session will examine the ways in which RJE supports the experiences and needs of everyone within the community, and strives to create a relationship-centered space as well as a just and equitable learning environment. 

Aundrea Smiley, PhD is a career educator and educational consultant with over 15 years of service in the field, as well as an RJ practitioner. She is a graduate of the Peacebuilding program at EMU, holding a graduate level certificate in RJE, and has just successfully completed her PhD from Liberty University, where her dissertation research was focused on RJE at the elementary level. She is the owner & founder of a full service literacy center/ consulting firm in Clarksville, VA where she lives with her almost 5 year old son.

Kendra Jones Carter is the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Waynesboro Public Schools in Waynesboro, VA.  Kendra grew up in Staunton, VA and completed a Bachelor of Science in Education and Master of Teaching at the University of Virginia.  Kendra began her teaching career in Fairfax County where she taught elementary physical education.  In 2007, Kendra moved back to the Shenandoah Valley and began teaching Biology and Human Anatomy at Waynesboro High School.  While teaching, Kendra had a strong interest in becoming a school leader in hopes to have a positive impact on more students.  Kendra later earned her Administrative and Supervision Certification from the University of Virginia and in 2014 became an Assistant Principal at Waynesboro High School.  While Assistant Principal, Kendra worked to implement new initiatives such as Virginia Tiered System of Support and strived to give a voice to the voiceless.  In May of 2020, Kendra was faced with a devastating cancer diagnosis which gave her the opportunity to truly reflect on what she really wanted to do in her career and in life.  It was during this time, Kendra realized she truly wanted to spend her time advancing educational equity and creating a culture of inclusion.  In July of 2021, Kendra began her current position as Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Waynesboro Public Schools. During her time as Director, she has coordinated and/or provided positive coaching and professional development, advocated for equity programs that support marginalized students and is helping in developing a culture of culturally responsiveness within Waynesboro Public Schools.  By the grace of God, Kendra is cancer free and enjoys spending time with her husband Dennie and 18 year old son Troy.

Session 1b: Promoting a Relational Approach to Collaborating with Parents/Families
Tuesday, June 28 | 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.

Dr. Jelisa Wolfe holds an undergraduate degree in Special Education from the University of Connecticut, a Masters degree in Special Education from William and Mary, and an EdD in Administration and Supervision with a concentration in Special Education from Virginia Tech. She is thankful to have worked within Staunton City Schools for the past 21 years, most recently as the Executive Director of Student Services. This past year has affirmed her belief in the promise of public education as she has witnessed teachers, students and staff work creatively and relentlessly to connect, to learn and to grow. She is very thankful to have been in the first cohort of the Restorative Justice in Education Certificate Program at EMU.

**Session 2a: Circle Processes for Schools
Tuesday, June 28 | 1:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.

In this session you will be introduced to the basics of circle processes and how they can be used in any variety of contexts for a wide range of purposes. We'll discuss inclusion and safety as essential variables to the process, and also explore possibilities of play and fun in facilitation.

Dr. Martha A. Brown resides in Faribault, MN and is president of RJAE Consulting and author of Creating Restorative Schools: Setting Schools Up to Succeed, available at Living Justice Press. Dr. Brown received her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Florida Atlantic University. Her dissertation focused on restorative justice in two Oakland middle schools.  For the past three years, Dr. Brown has taught a course in Circle Processes at Eastern Mennonite University’s Summer Peacebuilding Institute. This summer, she joins the Graduate Teacher Education program at EMU as an adjunct professor, teaching Circle Processes there as well.  In 2021, she facilitated an eight-week online Circle training course for faculty and staff at James Madison University Libraries.

At RJAE Consulting, Martha assists schools, school districts, non-profit, cultural, community-based, educational, and correctional organizations with program design, readiness assessments, strategic planning, student assessments, monitoring implementation, and defining and measuring program outcomes.

Session 2b: RJE and DEI
Tuesday, June 28 | 1:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.

Michelle Edwards, M.Ed., has more than 25 years experience working in both education and mental health. She began her career in urban Maryland working with marginalized populations for United Communities Against Poverty. During that time, Michelle's passion for disenfranchised community was ignited. Since then, Michelle has worked in a myriad of settings in education and mental health. Currently, she is the Equity Coordinator for Harrisonburg City Public Schools. She strives to be a mindful practitioner and educator based on her life experiences and commitment to helping dismantle inequities.

**Session 3a: Peaceable Learning Environments that Promote Healing and Well-Being
Tuesday, June 28 | 3:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.

There can be no restorative justice for peacebuilding without storytelling and story listening. Storytelling for well-being and for harm define our world. Further, societal storytelling and personal storytelling are inextricably entwined, relational processes. If narratives create, inspire, destroy, and mend relationships as forces of change, how can educators become skilled story collectors, listeners, designers, speakers, and darkness disruptors?  Participants will explore intra- and interpersonal storytelling for equipping educators to bring their best to the relational table.

Dr. Judy H. Mullet, PhD, Professor Emerita of Psychology at Eastern Mennonite University, is a consultant and presenter on narrative practice and relational literacy in schools. Within graduate teacher education, Judy designed and teaches “Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation.” Her publications include “Restorative discipline: From getting even to getting well” in Children & Schools (2014) and “Healing the past through story” in Adult Learning (2014); Judy is also the co-author of The Little Book of Restorative Discipline for Schools (2005, 2015).

Session 3b:  Planting the Seed: Introducing restorative justice to learners in the PK-3 setting
Tuesday, June 28 | 3:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
Panelists: Cat Cramer, Aundrea Smiley, Kimberly Godush

Perspectives from different lenses in education on how to introduce restorative justice to the youngest learners. Topics will include the importance of community building and nurturing healthy relationships and how to lead class building circles and using circles to build community and address academics. Panelists will explore and discuss ways to build community with our youngest learners in a way that allows them to gain a deeper understanding of respect, dignity and mutual concern. Thoughts on how to engage students in productive conflict transformation will also be discussed.

Cat Cramer has 18 years of elementary education experience. She is currently in her fifth year as the Principal at Manchester Elementary School in Carroll County, MD. Mrs.Cramer serves on the Carroll County Public Schools Restorative Approaches Team and the Response to Intervention Pilot Team. She has an additional 5 years of experience as an Assistant Principal at Mt. Airy Elementary school, where she was awarded the Rita Board Dowd Outstanding Administrator Award. She began her career teaching for 8 years at Linton Spring Elementary School as a fourth and fifth grade teacher, specializing in STEM instruction.  Mrs.Cramer found her love and commitment for Restorative Justice in Education after participating in the EMU Restorative Justice in Education Conference in 2020. She is committed to using her role as an administrator to educate staff on ways to build community and incorporate Restorative Justice as part of daily instruction.

Aundrea Smiley, PhD is a career educator and educational consultant with over 15 years of service in the field, as well as an RJ practitioner. She is a graduate of the Peacebuilding program at EMU, holding a graduate level certificate in RJE, and has just successfully completed her PhD from Liberty University, where her dissertation research was focused on RJE at the elementary level. She is the owner & founder of a full service literacy center/ consulting firm in Clarksville, VA where she lives with her almost 5 year old son.

Kimberly Godush came to education along the same path as RJ; through the field of juvenile justice. After a career that included time as a psychology assistant as well as a residential placement officer, she transitioned to the elementary school setting where she found her niche teaching social emotional learning and conflict resolution. In her role as the PBIS/RJ Coordinator at Mars Elementary in Berrien Springs, Michigan, she meets with PK-2 grade students weekly for circle based instruction, leads the PBIS team, and works with students and staff daily to improve the climate and culture of their school community. Kimberly holds a Graduate Certificate in RJE and will complete her MA in Education from Eastern Mennonite University later this summer.

**Session 4a: Restorative Circles in Schools: Models for Responding to Conflict and Harm
Tuesday, June 28 | 4:30 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.

In this interactive session participants will learn and practice knowledge, skills, and methods for restorative processes. We will consider listening skills; open-ended and clarifying questions; naming common ground/commonalities among the people in conflict; identifying the issues in a problem; brainstorming options for solutions; and crafting the language of solutions for a plan created by the people in the conflict. Three models will be presented, each based on the following principles of empowerment and self-determination: the people in the conflict are invited to tell their truth, their story, their point of view; the facilitators do not offer or suggest ideas or ways to solve the problem, repair the harm, or restore relationships; and the people in the conflict create the solutions themselves.

Bob Garrity, M.Ed., M.A., is an adjunct faculty member in Eastern Mennonite University’s Restorative Justice in Education program. He is a practitioner, teacher, and trainer in restorative practices. As a practitioner, he works with school divisions, individual schools, and educators as a facilitator, mediator, trainer, and consultant. In schools he facilitates restorative processes for student-student, student-teacher, parent-teacher, parent-parent, family-family, and group-group situations involving conflict or harm.  As an educator and trainer, he teaches at EMU and trains educators in their school divisions across Virginia in restorative practices, mediation, facilitation, group process, culturally responsive teaching, de-escalation skills, and bullying prevention. He provides direct services and training for schools, universities, agencies, businesses, families, and communities. Bob's publications and presentations include mediation training manuals, customized training materials, articles, and topics related to restorative practices.

Session 4b: Centering Students' Voices in RJE Initiatives
Tuesdsay, June 28 | 4:30 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.

The value of “power with” rather than “power over” within restorative justice means centering the voices of students essential.  This session highlights approaches that engage youth in creating, designing, and facilitating RJE initiatives. 

Kajungu Mturi is the Swahili Home school Liaison at Harrisonburg City Public School. Prior to this work, Kajungu worked with Mennonite Central Committee in Zambia as a Peace Education coordinator working in schools, churches, and prisons. Kajungu earned his M.A. in Restorative Justice from the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at EMU.

Session 5a: Mindfulness Practices for Healing and Resilience
Wednesday, June 29 | 10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

Ram Bhagat, EdD is a longtime educator, arts innovator, peacemaker, and community healer. He was an award-winning science teacher for Richmond Public Schools and specialized in arts integration, during his tenure for DC Public Schools. Mr. Bhagat co-founded the Afrikan Males Seminar, when he was a rookie teacher, to counteract the impact of exclusionary school discipline policies and practices on Black adolescent males. Currently, Dr. Bhagat is the Manager of School Culture and Climate Strategy for RPS. His work for the past three years has centered around restorative practices in education, culturally responsive mindfulness practices in schools, and transforming the culture of In-School Suspension. He is a visionary and  activist for healing trauma caused by gun violence. Dr. Ram leads community healing circles, yoga and drumming workshops, and youth peace programs, through his organization, the Drums No Guns Foundation, which was established in memory of his younger brother, who died from gun violence, and to honor his mother!

Session 5b: Pedagogical Practices for RJ Educators
Wednesday, June 29 | 10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

Gregory and Evans (2020) recommend that RJE implementation not be limited to addressing student behaviors, but rather should impact “staff behaviors, policies and procedures, pedagogical choices, curricular decisions, and schoolwide decision-making processes” (p .4). This session focuses on the relationship between RJE and the pedagogical choice and curricular decisions that educators make when adopting a restorative justice ethos. Tomlinson’s differentiated instruction framework of content, process, product, affect, and environment will be presented as a way to think holistically about instructional practices.nteractive dialogue between participants will be included.

Dr. Kathy Evans is an Associate Professor of Education at Eastern Mennonite University, where she has helped develop EMU’s graduate program in Restorative Justice in Education (RJE), which supports educators as they create learning environments that promote relational approaches to teaching and learning, justice and equity in schools and classrooms, and transformational approaches to conflict and harm. She is the co-author of The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education and has published articles and book chapters related to restorative justice and school discipline practices, focusing on the ways in which restorative justice is applied to educational contexts. With a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Research from The University of Tennessee in Knoxville, her teaching and scholarship focus on ways in which educators participate in creating more just and equitable educational opportunities for all students, including those with disability labels, those who exhibit challenging behavior, and those who are marginalized for a variety of reasons, including race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, and gender identity. 

Cathy Smeltzer Erb is director of the undergraduate teacher education program, Jesse T. Byler Endowed Chair, and professor of teacher education at Eastern Mennonite University. Cathy earned a Ph.D. and M.Ed. in curriculum studies from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE/UT), and a B.S. in secondary education from Eastern Mennonite University. She teaches undergraduate and graduate curriculum and methods courses with an emphasis on engaged and equitable classroom environments.

Session 6a: Restorative Pedagogy for Teaching STEM
Wednesday, June 29 | 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.

Session 6b: Engaging English Language Learners Restoratively
Wednesday, June 29 | 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.

Abigail Shelly is an ELL teacher at Harrisonburg High School in Harrisonburg, Virginia and is a current member of the HCPS EMU RJE cohort. She graduated from Eastern Mennonite University with a degree in TESOL education in 2020. Entering the education landscape in August of 2020, she has found life in engaging multilingual learners virtually, in person, through masks, and most importantly, through shared community and laughter.

Session 7a: “We Don’t  Talk about Conflict:” Talking about CRT, Bathrooms, and Other “Divisive Topics” with an RJE Lens
Wednesday, June 29 | 1:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.

The current educational climate is rife with possibilities for conflict; political debates often devolve into shouting matches. For restorative educators, it sometimes seems the best option is to avoid the conversations altogether. However, restorative justice calls us to promote justice and equity. How do we enter into discussions where conflict is inevitable in ways that are productive, healing, and restorative? In this session, we will share some principles for understanding conflict and explore restorative justice practices, such as Circles, that create spaces for potentially difficult conversations.

Dr. Kathy Evans is an Associate Professor of Education at Eastern Mennonite University, where she has helped develop EMU’s graduate program in Restorative Justice in Education (RJE), which supports educators as they create learning environments that promote relational approaches to teaching and learning, justice and equity in schools and classrooms, and transformational approaches to conflict and harm. She is the co-author of The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education and has published articles and book chapters related to restorative justice and school discipline practices, focusing on the ways in which restorative justice is applied to educational contexts. With a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Research from The University of Tennessee in Knoxville, her teaching and scholarship focus on ways in which educators participate in creating more just and equitable educational opportunities for all students, including those with disability labels, those who exhibit challenging behavior, and those who are marginalized for a variety of reasons, including race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

Ram Bhagat, EdD is a longtime educator, arts innovator, peacemaker, and community healer. He was an award-winning science teacher for Richmond Public Schools and specialized in arts integration, during his tenure for DC Public Schools. Mr. Bhagat co-founded the Afrikan Males Seminar, when he was a rookie teacher, to counteract the impact of exclusionary school discipline policies and practices on Black adolescent males. Currently, Dr. Bhagat is the Manager of School Culture and Climate Strategy for RPS. His work for the past three years has centered around restorative practices in education, culturally responsive mindfulness practices in schools, and transforming the culture of In-School Suspension. He is a visionary and  activist for healing trauma caused by gun violence. Dr. Ram leads community healing circles, yoga and drumming workshops, and youth peace programs, through his organization, the Drums No Guns Foundation, which was established in memory of his younger brother, who died from gun violence, and to honor his mother!

Session 7b: Holistic Approaches to Wellness in the Face of Chronic Stress and Trauma
Wednesday, June 29 | 1:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.

High stress has an impact on the personal health and well-being of teachers.  At the end of this session, participants will be able to briefly describe The Stress Continuum, recognize signs of teacher burnout, and identify the long-term health impact of stress.  Personal stress interventions are proposed that may be an important first step toward reducing these negative outcomes.

Richard Caine, Ph.D., NBCHWC is a Nationally Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach and received his training as an Integrative Health Coach at Duke Health.  Studying health education, he earned his Ed.M. and Ph.D. from George Mason University and Penn State, respectively.  After a career in higher education and working with non-profits, today, Rick specializes in helping others discover or rediscover ways to successfully implement sustainable healthy lifestyle behaviors to prevent, manage, or master complex chronic health concerns with a focus on three pillars of wellness - health-related fitness, eating clean whole food nutrition, and restorative sleep – all in the context of mindful practice.

Closing Keynote: Trauma-Informed Restorative Justice
Wednesday, June 29 | 3:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.

This talk will focus on the role of restorative justice in healing and preventing trauma.  As we slowly move our way out of a pandemic filled with unrest, a lack of predictability, and relentless misinformation, it has never been more important for RJ practitioners to focus on adding a trauma-informed lens to the work we do.  Trauma happens to us in the context of relationship and must be healed in safety of relationships.  Sadly, our culture now pushes a message of grit and hyper-individualism over building solid communities where people can heal.  This talk will look at the path toward healing.

Joe Brummer has actively helped schools implement peer mediation programs and school-wide restorative practices. As a private consultant beginning in 2015, Joe has designed a trauma-informed approach of restorative practices and infused this model in Connecticut schools. In 2017, he completed a six-year term on the board of directors for the National Association for Community Mediation. He has presented on restorative justice nationally, including Washington State, Massachusetts, Ohio, Hawaii, and Connecticut. Most recently, Joe presented on trauma-informed restorative practices at the last three Annual Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools Conferences hosted by the Trauma and Attachment Network. He also presented on Conflict and Peace Building in 2012 and 2013 for the Annual International Leadership Training Programme: A Global Intergenerational Forum sponsored by the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair & Institute of Comparative Human Rights at the University of Connecticut.

Closing Practitioners Panel: Integrating Trauma and Resilience
Wednesday, June 29 | 4:15 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.
Host: Dr. Kathy Evans

Joe Brummer has actively helped schools implement peer mediation programs and school-wide restorative practices. As a private consultant beginning in 2015, Joe has designed a trauma-informed approach of restorative practices and infused this model in Connecticut schools. In 2017, he completed a six-year term on the board of directors for the National Association for Community Mediation. He has presented on restorative justice nationally, including Washington State, Massachusetts, Ohio, Hawaii, and Connecticut. Most recently, Joe presented on trauma-informed restorative practices at the last three Annual Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools Conferences hosted by the Trauma and Attachment Network. He also presented on Conflict and Peace Building in 2012 and 2013 for the Annual International Leadership Training Programme: A Global Intergenerational Forum sponsored by the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair & Institute of Comparative Human Rights at the University of Connecticut.

Kajungu Mturi is the Swahili Home school Liaison at Harrisonburg City Public School. Prior to this work, Kajungu worked with Mennonite Central Committee in Zambia as a Peace Education coordinator working in schools, churches, and prisons. Kajungu earned his M.A. in Restorative Justice from the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at EMU.