Building
Community
at Shaker
Middle School
If you haven’t been to the Middle School
recently, there are a number of new
initiatives to build a strong culture of
inclusiveness. Principal David Glasner
shares three of them:
Community Circles
For about 10 minutes of every school
day, every student is engaged in this brief
community-building exercise. Teachers
check in with students and ask them to
share how they are feeling that day, or to
weigh in on a topic of general interest.
“Students get to know one another
better and their teachers get to know
them better,” says Glasner. “We really
want every student to know they are
valued, and that they have a voice here.”
Restorative Practices
To reduce disciplinary actions that
remove students from the classroom,
the Middle School has employed what’s
known as “restorative practices” for the
past three years, with positive results.
“Every experience is a learning
experience,” says Glasner. “Using
restorative practices means working
with students, instead of doing things
to students. We want them in class and
learning.” The change in disciplinary
philosophy has resulted in a reduction
of suspensions.
Family Engagement
New traditions like the school-wide
Thanksgiving dinner celebration, which
Glasner brought with him from his
previous post in New York City, bring
together families from all different
backgrounds. The school also hosts a
well-attended event for boys and their
male role models. A parent advisory
group was formed this year, modeled on
one at the High School. Says Glasner,
“It gives parents an opportunity to have
more in-depth conversations with us
about breaking down barriers so that we
can meet every student’s needs.”
Photograph by Jason Miller
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