Montclair Public Schools
Personnel Department
JOB DESCRIPTION
Title: Teacher - Restorative Justice
Qualifications
- Trained in Restorative Justice Circle Keeping
- Exceptionally strong interpersonal and communication skills; both written and verbal, with children, families, teachers, administrators, and community
- Strong organizational skills
- Ability to use school administrative software
- Proven ability to mediate conflict situations
- Successful experience in diverse environments preferred
- Demonstrated aptitude or competence for assigned responsibilities
- Ability to work on site during the hours required
- Required criminal background check and proof of U.S. citizenship or legal alien status
- Bachelor's Degree Required; Master's Degree Preferred
- Must hold acceptable NJDOE Certification for the assignment
- Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Board may find appropriate and acceptable
Report to: Building Principal and Central Office RJ Administrator
Qualities and Role of Restorative Justice Teacher:
The Montclair Public Schools’ Restorative Justice Teacher will be a highly motivated, energetic educator who is a visionary with a clear concise understanding of Restorative Justice and its strategies within the MPS setting. The Restorative Justice Teacher provides training and models appropriate strategies that build great school culture and can articulate this vision to students, staff and parents on an on-going basis.
Along with the Restorative Justice Team, the Restorative Justice Teacher will make use of resources across the school to ensure an environment that builds and maintains a positive school culture where students have every opportunity to flourish.
The teacher is responsible for their assignment and will work within board policies and state laws to develop each child to his/her fullest potential so that he/she will be an informed, competent and responsible citizen capable of assuming a productive place in society.
The Restorative Justice Teacher’s responsibilities can be divided into three main categories:
- Reactive restorative justice strategies
- Proactive/preventative restorative justice strategies
- Restorative Justice training
Specific Responsibilities:
In response to behavior concerns, the Restorative Justice Teacher should:
- Support students and Teachers inside the classroom through observation, coaching, modeling restorative language, and debriefing with both Teachers and individual students
- Monitor individual student behavior by checking in with students throughout the school day with a focus on the following tasks:
- Facilitate mediations in response to conflict
- Among students
- Among educators
- Between educators and students
- Between family members and educators
- Among groups of students, educators and family members
- Follow through after mediations to ensure the harm was repaired
- Develop creative interventions for students as part of the restorative resolution
- Inform families, educators, and administrators about incidents in school as needed, with the assistance of the Restorative Justice Team
- Organize data to inform the Restorative Justice Team of any negative trends within the school climate
In order to improve school climate and prevent future behavior issues, the Restorative Justice Teacher will:
- Spend time in classrooms to build relationships with students and teachers
- Organize school data to inform staff of any positive trends within the school climate
- Gather testimonials of RJ success stories to improve staff and community engagement
- Circulate throughout the building to build and foster relationships with students and educators
- Use peace circles to build a sense of community
- Cultivate advocates for RJ among educators, students, families, PTA and community members
- Advocate for educators and students, especially in Restorative Justice Team meetings
- Communicate with the community about the restorative work being done within the school building
- Establish an avenue for educators and students to express concerns about the process
- Meet regularly with school-based RJ Teachers and trained Circle Keepers
- Assist with the planning and implementation of policies, regulations and codes of conduct that align with restorative justice strategies
To further the understanding of restorative justice in the school community, the Restorative Justice Teacher should:
- Observe staff employing RJ strategies in their classrooms and provide frequent, non-evaluative feedback
- Offer trainings to families in restorative justice strategies so a common language is being used at home
- Teach students techniques for resolving conflict
- Coach students and educators on how to participate in meaningful restorative conversations
- Provide ongoing restorative justice professional development to staff
- Attend restorative justice implementation and conflict circle trainings
- Attend weekly meetings with all Restorative Justice Teachers and other required staff as directed
Performs other duties within the scope of their employment and certification as may be assigned or required by state law and board policies.
Terms: 10 months as determined by MEA contract
Evaluation: Performance will be evaluated annually by the principal
Revised: May 2024
The Montclair Public School District encourages people with disabilities, minorities, veterans and women to apply. Applicants and employees will not be discriminated against on the basis of any legally protected category. EEO/AA/Vet/Disability Employer
