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Wellness and Restorative Practices

Montgomery County Board of Education

February 7, 2023

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Restorative Practices and the �Montgomery County Public Schools Wellness Infrastructure

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Alignment to the Strategic Plan and Board Priorities

Board of Education Strategic Priorities

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Outline for Today’s Discussion

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Defining Expectations and Behaviors
Resources and Processes for Addressing Instances of Bullying; Restorative Justice Approaches
Wellness Infrastructure
Overview
Intended Outcomes
Defining Metrics
Next Steps
Discussion

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Alignment with Antiracist Audit

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MCPS Commitment	Audit Findings and Recommendations
Re-establish trust, open lines of communication, and collaboration with students and the parent community	(Audit Domain 5) (Audit Recommendation 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5)
Clear communication through district channels so that all school leaders, students, parents, and community members are clear on MCPS values and expectations regarding bullying and harassment	(Audit Recommendation 1.3 & 5.2)
Consistent Community and school messaging so that all stakeholders are aware of what defines bullying and harassment and how to report incidents of thereof	(Audit Domain 1.1, 1.2, 1.3) (Audit Recommendation 1.3) (Audit Recommendation 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5) (Cross-Domain Recommendation III)
Consistent and ongoing data analysis, reporting, and accountability	(Audit Recommendation 1.4) (Cross-Domain Recommendation II: Accountability for Racial Equity Work, Recommendation V: Continuous Data Collection)

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The Culture of Respect:

Setting Expectations and Defining Behaviors

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The Culture of Respect:

Expectations

Overarching MCPS Board of Education Policies:

Policy ACA: Nondiscrimination, Equity, and Cultural Proficiency

Policy JHF: Bullying, Harassment, or Intimidation

Policy ACA: Nondiscrimination, Equity, and Cultural Proficiency

To affirm the Board’s deep commitment to providing every student equitable access to the educational opportunities, rigor, resources, and supports that are designed to maximize the student’s academic success and physical, psychological, and social/emotional well-being, free of incidents involving discrimination based on personal characteristics that include race, ethnicity, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, immigration status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, family/parental status, marital status, age, physical or mental disability, poverty and socioeconomic status, language, or other legally or constitutionally protected attributes or affiliations.

Policy JHF: Bullying, Harassment or Intimidation

To affirm the Board’s expectation that all students have a right to be free of bullying, harassment, or intimidation; to prohibit such behavior on Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) property, and to establish the framework for effective procedures to maintain a relationship-focused, welcoming, supportive school environment, fostering academic and personal growth for every student.

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The Culture of Respect:

Definitions for Clarification

Bullying (Verbal, Physical, Social, and Cyber)
Harassment (Including Sexual Harassment / Sexual Misconduct)
Intimidation
Hate-Bias
Interpersonal Conflict

Bullying

Verbal
Physical
Social
Cyber

Unwanted, demeaning behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or is highly likely to be repeated, over time.

To be considered bullying, the behavior must be intentional and include:

an imbalance of power (students who bully use their physical, emotional, social, or academic power to control, exclude, or harm others), and
repetition (bullying behaviors happen more than once or are highly likely to be repeated based on evidence gathered).

Harassment

(Including Sexual Harassment / Sexual Misconduct)

Includes actual or perceived negative actions that offend, ridicule, or demean another student with regard to race, ethnicity, color, ancestry, national origin, nationality, religion, immigration status, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, family structure/parental status, marital status, age, ability (cognitive, social/emotional, and physical) poverty and socioeconomic status, language, or other legally or constitutionally protected attributes or affiliation.

Intimidation

Any communication or action directed against another student that threatens and induces a sense of fear and/or inferiority. Retaliation may be considered a form of intimidation.

Hate-Bias

Form of bullying and harassment based on personal characteristics with regard to race, ethnicity, color, ancestry, national origin, nationality, religion, immigration status, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, family structure, parental status, marital status, age, ability (cognitive, social/emotional, and physical) poverty and socioeconomic status, language, or other legally or constitutionally protected attributes or affiliation.

Interpersonal Conflict

Interpersonal conflict refers to any type of conflict involving two or more people. Mild or severe, interpersonal conflict is a natural outcome of human interaction. People have very different personalities, values, expectations, and attitudes toward problem-solving. Typically, there is equal contribution to the conflict from both or all parties involved.

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Addressing Instances of Bullying and Hate Bias

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Addressing Instances of Bullying and Hate-Bias

INCIDENT / Allegation made by student, staff member, parent/guardian, or bystander

MCPS FORM 230-35, Bullying, Harassment, or Intimidation Reporting Form �submitted to Principal/Designee

Victim(s) receive Supportive Measures and a Safety Plan

Emergency Communications Center (MCPD) contacted for incidents deemed potentially criminal

School Administration conducts investigation (if/when MCPD isn’t taking the case)

Parent/Guardian Communication

Behavioral Threat Assessment Team (BTAT) assembled to assess risk (when applicable)

MCPS FORM 230-36, Bullying, Harassment, or Intimidation Investigation Form �completed

Disciplinary Action taken in alignment with the Student Code of Conduct

Parent/Guardian Communication

(Provided outcomes to the extent possible per confidentiality)

RECORD KEEPING:

Update the incident report in Synergy,

Notify Student Welfare and Compliance (serious incidents)

Supportive Measures provided for all involved students (Including how to report subsequent incidents)

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Addressing Instances of Bullying and Hate-Bias

Communicating Resources and Processes

Counseling/Classroom Lessons
Culture of Respect - Student Training Module
“Ways to Report” Document [English / Spanish]

External Collaboration - (Town Halls, Presentations)

Choose Respect Montgomery
State’s Attorney’s Office
UMD Criminology and Criminal Justice - Universities at Shady Grove

Student Developed Mobile App – MCPS Stronger Student

Online Reporting 230-35, Maryland Safe Schools �Tip Line

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Addressing Instances of Bullying and Hate-Bias

Why The Restorative Approach?

Building relationships and building community together can prevent or reduce incidents of bullying and harassment.

Restorative approaches allow students to:

Actively engage and problem-solve physical, psychological, social, and disciplinary issues that affect themselves and the community.
Take responsibility for their actions.
Work with those affected to restore and/or repair the members and community who were harmed as a result of those actions.

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Addressing Instances of Bullying and Hate-Bias

What Does It Look Like?- A Highlight

La Cultura Cura—Circle Keepers

Focus Co-Created Classroom Environments

La Cultura Cura- Circle Keepers: An overview session on the indigenous-based culturally-rooted philosophy of Transformational

Health and Healing that builds a culture of respect. Staff trained include Newcomer Specialists, Emergent Multilingual Therapeutic Counselors (ETCs), School-Based EML Counselors, and METS Teachers.

Focus Co-Created Classroom Environments: School-based RJ Coaches work with staff on elevating student voice and valuing their identities through the guided creation of shared values, co-created expectations, and routines.

Restorative approaches do not live solely within one domain but are interspersed throughout many departments, division, and initiatives… “Students have the greatest stake in their education, but often have too little say in their own school experience. ”

Cultura Cura Trainings:

FY’22 - 3 cohorts completed with a focus on 22 secondary METS sites - 48 staff were members trained to lead circles with newcomers

FY’23 - 3 trainings scheduled including a circle keepers refresher, overview and transformational learning (application) workshops in January-March 2023. Over 120 staff trained.

An overview session on the indigenous-based culturally-rooted philosophy of Transformational Health and Healing. This overview session offers a personal connection to historical and generational trauma, its impacts on families and communities, and how individuals, families, and communities have their own healing-centered culturally rooted practices.

Impact data being collected this year.

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Creating A Restorative School Community

Restorative Justice (RJ) Services Provided
Schools that have received direct services from RJ Specialists this year:	103
Number of direct service events:	1,088
Top 7 Services Provided
Consultation/Planning/Modeling	29%
Facilitate Professional Development	19%
Mindfulness/Wellness	14%
Individual Student Support	11%
Individual Teacher Support	7%
Mediation or Response to Event	7%
Parent Engagement/Support	3%

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Restorative Justice District and School Evaluation Tools

In October 2022, the Maryland State Department of Education created a tool in order to evaluate the implementation of restorative approaches across school districts.

MCPS modified this tool to align with the strategic priorities and findings in the antiracist audit.

Each school, led by the restorative justice coach will conduct an evaluation using the rubric in first quarter 2023.

As of January 31,2023 with �87 schools reporting:

9.2% Reactive: Minimal preventative measures are �in place.
64.4% Early: Limited preventative measures are �in place.
23% Intermediate: Proactive measures are in place with moderate effectiveness.
3.4% Mature: Proactive measures are in place with significant effectiveness.

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Evaluating A Restorative School Community

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Wellness Infrastructure: Student Well-Being �Teams, Bridge to Wellness,

and Data Monitoring

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Wellness Infrastructure Update

Full

Implementation

Multi-Tiered System of Support

Student Well-Being Teams (SWBTs)

High School Social Workers

Bridge to Wellness Programs

Districtwide

Collaboration

Montgomery County Health and Human Services in support of Bridge to Wellness

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Student Well-Being Teams in Action: Case Study

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Wellness Infrastructure: Social Workers

Gender

By Grade Level

Top 6 Reasons Students Are Receiving Services:

Signs of Depression
Anxiety
Family Conflict
History of Trauma
Emotional Dysregulation
Classroom Disruption

Students Referred for Service

2,044 Serviced by Social Worker

2,604 Referrals from Student Well-Being Teams

444 to Bridge to Wellness

116 Other

32%

31%

18%

19%

9th

10th

11th

12th

57% 42% 1%

X

Unspecified/

Non-Binary

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Students Referred for Service

493 Total Referrals Including Self-Referrals

444 Referrals from SWBT

Below Top 2 Topics:

Emotional Dysregulation

Trauma

36%

28%

14%

22%

9th

10th

11th

12th

By Grade Level

Top 6 Reasons Students Are Being Serviced:

Emotional Dysregulation
History of Trauma
Family Conflict
Social Connection
Anxiety
Depression

Gender

39%

60%

1%

Wellness Infrastructure: Bridge to Wellness

X

Unspecified/

Non-Binary

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Wellness Infrastructure: Synergy MTSS

Participants

Session Outcomes

Feedback

School Counselors	346
Psychologists	70
PPWs	49
Social Workers	28

Schools Represented	210

Total Participants	1,427

As a reminder to Board members and for new Board members, MTSS stands for the Multi-Tiered System of Support. It is a framework through which MCPS provides tiered and targeted support for struggling students. The MTSS platform in Synergy will enable MCPS to do what we have previously been unable to do; that is to, on a system level, be able to monitor and evaluate interventions in place to address social emotional and behavioral issues, including attendance.

OSSWB, in collaboration with colleagues in the Department of Digital Innovation (DDI), have built the MTSS platform in Synergy. Throughout the months of October, November, and December, WBLA and DDI training teams have trained over 1400 school and central office staff members, including over 300 school counselors, nearly 70 school psychologists, nearly 50 PPWs, and 25 social workers, representing all 210 MCPS schools. The training allowed school staff members to work within a training platform to leave with an understanding of the technical tool, and participants left with a variety of support materials.

The outcomes were to:

Receive an overview of MTSS as it relates to SWBT
Observe and practice steps for referral to SWBT
Observe and practice steps for creating and progress monitoring a MTSS intervention plan

Training feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with 82.1% of the participants identifying the training as highly effective and effective. 14.4% were neutral in their evaluation, and review of their narrative feedback was that they were satisfied with the technical components of the training, but had questions about the immediate next steps. Several themes emerged from participants comments:

They felt that the technical training was very effective, but they recognized that they would need similar training around the SWBT and MTSS processes - Professional learning around those areas is described in the next slide.
Several participants noted that they were overwhelmed by the content and expectations, feeling like they are already doing so much in their schools - the professional learning just mentioned will aim to show participants how much of what they are doing in their own, school-created databases can now be done in the Synergy platform.
Many participants felt like they would need a refresher training when the platform officially goes live - Online canvas modules will be created to allow for self-paced learning.

SIGNAL DATA CROSSWALK - SWBT data and student list with academic intervention list -- next steps

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Modifications and updates based on training feedback from end users

Focus on SWBT framework to decrease variability of implementation across schools

Asynchronous modules to provide refresher trainings

For observation and evaluation of specific best practices look-fors

To support full SWBT/MTSS platform implementation at the start of the 2023-2024 school year.

Next Steps: SWBT and MTSS Synergy Platform

Platform Updates

MTSS Canvas Courses

Observation Tool

Summer Training

January 2023

August 2023

Professional Learning

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Fall technical training will lead into Student Well-Being Team process training, which will allow for the soft rollout of the MTSS platform for the second semester. The soft rollout will enable schools to work within the MTSS platform and provide feedback on system upgrades to central services staff, much like they have been providing similar feedback throughout the fall training sessions.

WBLA and DDI colleagues will update the platform for the second semester rollout by agreeing upon a concise list of drop down menus for these components of the platform:

Identified learning gaps
Intervention Implemented
Intervention monitoring tools

It is these drop-downs which allow for school wide and systemic evaluation of the interventions implemented.

Professional learning will include guidance around the SWBT framework and how it integrates with the MTSS platforms. That training will include scenarios that teams will work through as they navigate the platform. Also to be created are smaller-scale canvas courses that staff members can access on their own time to review key technical components of the Synergy.

To further our efforts to reduce variance in SWBT implementation across schools, in development is a SWBT observational tool that central services staff members will use to review and report on critical look-fors when they are visiting SWBTs.

Finally, in anticipation of full implementation at the start of the 2022-2023 school year, summer professional development will be provided to key school-based SWBT members.

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Discussion