Novato Unified School District

Restorative Justice

Restorative Justice promotes values and principles that use inclusive, collaborative approaches for being in community. These approaches validate the experiences and needs of everyone within the community, particularly those who have been marginalized, oppressed or harmed. These approaches allow us to act and respond in ways that are healing rather than alienating or coercive.

Key Goals of Restorative Discipline:

To understand the harm and develop empathy for both the harmed and the harmer.
To listen and respond to the needs of the person harmed and the person who harmed.
To encourage accountability and responsibility through personal reflection within a collaborative planning process.
To reintegrate the harmer into the community as valuable, contributing members.
To create caring climates to support healthy communities.
To change the system when it contributes to the harm.