"No Opportunity Wasted" talks about how to fix the violence at Petersburg schools

Due to the increase in fighting at the Middle School and High School, to keep kids in school and to have a restorative justice point of view, Petersburg City Public Schools was introduced to an alternative to the suspension program at Wednesday night's meeting.

"We are looking to implement it this year," said Pam Bell, Chief School Advancement Officer.

This new idea called No Opportunity Wasted is looking at a restorative approach to discipline for students who would be suspended. According to is the organization Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth, it's described as "to build a sense of school community and resolve conflict by repairing harm and restoring positive relationships through the use of regular “restorative circles” where students and educators work together to set academic goals, develop core values for the classroom community and resolve."

For example, under traditional rules of school discipline if a rule is broken then the restorative part would be to look at what people and relationships or harmed. Another one would be accountability is the same as punishment. But under the restorative practice, accountability is understanding the impact and repairing harm that was done.

"This will help them from becoming chronically absent and restore them so it is about reflection, restoration and practice behaviors to build better relationships of their peers," Bell said.

Bell recognizes that there is truly a need to intervene due to the violence occurring at the school. The goal is to have parents work with the school to help resolve the issue. If more resources are necessary, then PCPS will work more with the student.

This program would mean more social workers in the school, supervisors to help with students who have disciplinary issues and provide a holistic approach to discipline. There is money in the school budget for it according to Dr. Maria Pitre-Martin, PCPS Superintendent.

"That money would go away in 2024 but it will help with the crisis we are currently in," she said.

Board members were excited to implement this program immediately. But due to some questions in limbo such as job descriptions and how soon can people start, it will take a bit longer. Some board members do not want the board to be sued in case something bad happens to students in the program or there is a program loophole that they missed while learning and voting on it.

While some differed, saying students are already getting hurt now in the schools, the PCPS will vote on the program in a meeting on Dec. 1.

Zoe Collins Rath (she/her/hers) is a sports and education reporter for the Progress-Index. For times email her at ZCollinsRath@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @zoe_jordan99.

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: "No Opportunity Wasted" talks about a fix for the violence at Petersburg schools