Student Life
School Culture

Standards of Behavior

The SILA Student Handbook is still being created. It will be included here when complete.

SILA will Implement Restorative Justice

Restorative justice in the school context requires students to repair the harm caused or revealed by inappropriate or thoughtless behavior.

Three principles of restorative justice:

  1. Working to restore those who have been harmed.
  2. Those most directly involved and affected by the infraction should have the opportunity to participate fully if they are willing.
  3. The role of democratic community is to build and maintain a just peace.

Restorative programs are characterized by four key values:

  1. Encounter Create opportunities for victims, offenders and community members who are willing to meet and discuss the infraction and its aftermath
  2. Amends Offenders take steps to repair the harm they have caused
  3. Reintegration Seeks to restore victims and offenders to whole, contributing members of society
  4. Inclusion Provides opportunities for parties with a stake in a specific infraction to participate in its resolution

Assessing the Environment of the SILA Learning Community

  1. The Hope Survey enables schools to assess their school environment through the eyes of their students by measuring student perceptions of autonomy, belongingness and goal orientations as well as their resulting engagement in learning and disposition toward achievement.
  2. The Hope Survey can diagnose whether a school culture has the components that encourage higher levels of engagement in learning.
  3. For more information about the Hope Survey follow this link: http://www.hopesurvey.org/about-the-hope-survey

What are Advisories?

  1. Advisories are small learning communities designed to support and enhance each student’s learning experience.
  2. Advisories will be facilitated through use of the Circle Process.

What is the Circle Process?

“Circles create soothing space, where even reticent people can realize that their voice is welcome.”

— Margaret J. Wheatley

  1. The Circle is an ancient and enduring symbol. It represents the process of life, growth, change and transition; it offers ways of feeling, thinking, assessing and organizing behavior.
  2. The Circle is an ancient way of communicating so that all voices are heard.
  3. It is a process, where two or more people sit down together to share stories, learn together, resolve conflict, combine their wisdom to explore a situation, exchange information or decide on appropriate restitution to right a wrong.
  4. The Circle Process, sometimes framed as part of a larger set of national and international practices called “restorative practices,” which help people involved see opportunities, challenges and consequences more clearly.
  5. It is a goal of the process to seek to restore balance to the person, group or community.
  6. By applying the principles of the Circle Process to a complex situation, “the Circle” (the individuals who make up that Circle) can bring powerful awareness and new insights. This is turn leads to innovative and thoughtful solutions.
  7. Circles are used around the world to open dialogue in and promote peace, healing, restitution, justice and safety.