Safe, Caring and Restorative Schools

The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board is the first school district in Ontario to embrace restorative practice in all its schools. Restorative practice is an approach to discipline where the offender, the offender’s parents, the victims, the victims’ parents and school staff are all part of the process. Offenders come to understand the true consequences of their actions, and all parties, including the victim, then have a say in identifying ways the offender can repair the harm that has been done.

Restorative practice does not replace other consequences, such as suspension. Rather, it strives to ensure offenders truly take responsibility for the hurt they have caused others, and take steps to make it right. The Board piloted restorative practice successfully at four schools, before adopting it system-wide in 2006/2007.

We believe the use of restorative practices in schools will eventually be a provincial and national direction. The benefits to students, parents, staff and the community are overwhelmingly positive.

For more information on Restorative Practice, please review the introduction attached here, 

Restorative Practice Introduction (PDF, 614 KB)

For additional information, please contact:

Martin Twiss
Superintendent of Education: Student Achievement
Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board
Martin_Twiss@kprdsb.ca 

or

Stan Baker
Restorative Justice Coordinator
Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board
Stan_Baker@kprdsb.ca 

**NEW** - Community Threat Assessment Protocol

Students, families and communities will benefit from a groundbreaking protocol signed September 2, 2010, by local school boards, several police services, and a wide range of community agencies.

The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board initiated development of the new Community Threat Assessment Protocol: A Collaborative Response to Assessing Violence Potential. It was officially signed by more than 20 organizations serving the community. The document will serve as a guide for schools and organizations to work together in identifying and preventing potential acts of serious violence.

The comprehensive protocol outlines how schools and school boards will work with police services and community agencies to:
• identify and assess individuals who may pose a high risk for violence
• share relevant information
• respond to high risk behaviours
• follow up with required supports and programs to prevent violent acts.

The Ministry of Education and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police are using the locally-developed protocol as part of provincial discussions on threat assessment. Kevin Cameron, Director of the Alberta-based Canadian Centre for Threat Assessment and Trauma Response, was consulted in development of the protocol, as were threat assessment experts at Ontario Provincial Police headquarters in Orillia, and at Durham Regional Police Service. Kevin Cameron also trained staff from the local school boards and community organizations on recognizing and responding to individuals who pose a threat of serious violence. 

The Community Threat Assessment Protocol will be implemented locally for the 2010/2011 school year in all of our:
• secondary schools
• intermediate schools located in secondary schools
• stand-alone intermediate (Grade 7-8 only) schools.

It will be implemented in elementary schools in 2011/2012.

To see the letter sent to parents and guardians regarding the new protocol from Director of Education W.R. (Rusty) Hick, please click here:

Letter to Parents and Guardians

To see the Community Threat Assessment Protocol, please click here:

Community Threat Assessment Protocol