Restorative Leadership Teams (RLT) Development

Restorative Leadership Teams (RLTs) are the backbone of a sustainable, restorative culture within a school or organization. Rather than relying on one-off trainings or individual champions, an RLT provides a clear, shared structure for planning, guiding, and sustaining implementation at the building level. At Casting Circles LLC, we partner with schools to establish and nurture Restorative Leadership Teams whose primary responsibility is to plan, coordinate, and conduct restorative practices implementation within their school community.

How RLT development works:

Through ongoing coaching and professional development, Casting Circles works alongside your staff to form a Restorative Leadership Team at each school site. These teams are made up of key stakeholders — typically administrators, teacher leaders, counselors, social workers, and other staff — who are positioned to influence culture, practice, and systems from within.

The RLT is not an advisory group or a symbolic committee. It is the team responsible for designing and stewarding restorative implementation inside the building.

With support from Casting Circles, the RLT develops a shared vision, clear roles, and a realistic plan for bringing restorative practices into daily school life.

What Restorative Leadership Teams do:

• Plan and Guide Implementation: RLTs work collaboratively to identify goals for implementing restorative practices across the school. This shared leadership model helps eliminate the “top-down” approach, encouraging inclusive, community-driven decision-making.
• Set System-Wide Goals: RLT members collaborate to establish clear, measurable goals for restorative practices across the school. This shared leadership approach moves implementation away from a top-down mandate and toward collective ownership and accountability
• Lead & Advocate: As restorative leaders, RLT members model practices, facilitate learning opportunities, support colleagues, and help troubleshoot challenges as they arise. Their role is to guide the work forward while remaining responsive to staff experience and feedback.
• Engages Diverse Perspectives: By intentionally including a range of roles — administrators, classroom teachers, support staff, counselors, and when appropriate, family or community representatives — the RLT ensures that restorative practices are inclusive, relevant, and grounded in the real needs of the school community.

Building and Sustaining the Team

Early RLT work focuses on building a strong foundation. Teams establish shared norms, clarify purpose, set SMART goals, review policies and procedures, and examine data related to discipline, climate, and community well-being. Just as importantly, the RLT builds trust and relational capacity within the team itself.

As implementation progresses, the RLT plays a central role in:

• supporting staff as restorative practices are introduced and refined
• offering peer coaching and reflection opportunities
• monitoring progress and adjusting plans as needed
• ensuring restorative practices are embedded into everyday operations, not treated as an add-on

Ongoing Support from Casting Circles

Throughout the partnership, Casting Circles provides continuous training, coaching, and implementation support to RLT members. This ensures the team has the skills, confidence, and resources needed to lead the work effectively — and to sustain and replicate restorative practices over time, even as staff or leadership changes.

The result is not just a trained team, but a functional leadership structure capable of carrying restorative practices forward with clarity, integrity, and care.

Restorative In-School Suspension (RISS) Development

Restorative In-School Suspension (ISS) offers a constructive alternative to traditional disciplinary methods, focusing on personal growth and accountability rather than isolation. At Casting Circles, we help schools design and implement Restorative ISS programs that encourage students to reflect on their behavior, take responsibility for their actions, and develop essential conflict-resolution skills. Through facilitated restorative conversations, students gain insight into the impact of their actions on others, learn strategies for better choices, and work toward repairing any harm caused.

Casting Circles LLC provides comprehensive guidance in creating and sustaining a Restorative ISS program that aligns with your school’s needs. Our services include:

• Consultation and Planning: We collaborate with school leaders to assess existing disciplinary approaches and identify opportunities to integrate restorative practices into ISS.
• Training for Staff: We offer workshops and professional development to ensure staff are equipped with the tools and strategies to facilitate restorative conversations and manage a restorative ISS room.
• Program Design: We help develop a clear structure for Restorative ISS, including protocols for reflective exercises, restorative conversations, and skill-building activities that promote long-term behavior change.
• Ongoing Support: Our team provides continued coaching and support as your school rolls out the program, ensuring that it is implemented effectively and continues to grow with your community’s needs.

By partnering with Casting Circles, your school can transform disciplinary actions into opportunities for meaningful engagement, helping students return to the classroom more self-aware and prepared to contribute positively.