Restorative Practices Specialist

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is one of the largest school districts in the United States, serving over 330,000 students in 600 schools and employing nearly 36,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments - student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

As a unit within the Office of College and Career Success, the mission of the Office of Social & Emotional Learning (OSEL) is to partner with schools and networks to establish and sustain supportive-learning communities founded on caring relationships and multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) for students' social, emotional, and behavioral needs. OSEL supports training, coaching, and implementation of research-based strategies to foster positive school and classroom climate development, trauma-informed practices, restorative approaches to discipline, social and emotional skills instruction, and targeted social, emotional, and behavioral interventions.

Job Summary:

The Restorative Practices Specialist will work closely with Office of Social and Emotional Learning (OSEL) staff, and departmental and agency contracted Restorative Practice (RP) coaches, and school-based staff as in developing multi-tiered restorative practices to build healing-centered school communities. This role will lead others in identifying and repairing harm and transform school communities into more restorative, healing-centered spaces. The Restorative Practices Specialist will implement strategic planning, coordination, and scaling multi-tiered restorative practices to support schools across the district in the development of positive relationships, healing-centered school/classroom climate, SEL skills development, and restorative justice interventions. This position will report to the Manager of Restorative Practices in the Office of Social and Emotional Learning

The Restorative Practices Specialist will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

* Develop and implement data-informed strategic plan to increase effective use of proactive and responsive restorative practices district-wide including but not limited to restorative language, community agreements, restorative conversations, talking circles, peace circles, peer conferencing, restorative re-entry circles, restorative conferences such as family-group conferencing


* Align supports for restorative practices to OSEL's Healing-Centered Framework, CPS School Climate Standards, IL SEL Standards, and MTSS frameworks


* Create and implement various district-wide restorative practices coaching and professional development programs, including:


* School- and Network-based RP Coaching Projects


* Restorative Practices Leadership Cohort


* OSEL Restorative Practices Affiliate Training Series


* Restorative Re-entry Toolkit training series


* Coordinate team of OSEL Restorative Practices coaches to create and carry out RP coaching project plans with Network SEL Specialists


* Coordinate restorative practice community partners to create and carry out RP coaching project plans with Network SEL Specialists


* Coordinate, develop, and facilitate workshops, tools, and resources for restorative practices implementation and evaluation


* Collaborate across CPS departments to develop district-wide strategy to address racial inequities through the use of restorative practices


* Support OSEL Central Office team functions, including yearly execution of the OSEL Summer Institute and Supportive Schools Certification Process.


* Develop systems to ensure appropriate data collection, analysis and interpretation for process and outcome metrics to facilitate continuous quality improvement for restorative practice support


* Oversee and develop grants related to restorative practices interventions and school supports


* Participate in the Chicago and CPS restorative justice community to further the growth of restorative justice


* Coordinate programming for CPS Restorative Justice Coordinators, including training and coaching


* Attend regular professional development training and coaching in restorative justice, cultural competency, anti-racism, trauma responsiveness, circle practice, and related topics


* Seek continuous improvement of your own professional knowledge bases and practice. Be engaged daily in self-reflective practices and seek continuous feedback from peers, colleagues and supervisor(s) to identify and execute opportunities to improve upon accountabilities.


* Performs other duties as assigned.



In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Restorative Practices Specialist must possess the following qualifications:

Education Required:

* Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Education, counseling, psychology, restorative practices, social work, or a related field required


* Master's Degree in Education, counseling, psychology, restorative practices, social work, or a related field preferred



Experience Required:

* Minimum of 3 years of working with adolescents and youth in an urban setting with a focus on restorative practices and social & emotional learning


* School-based experience in an urban setting is strongly preferred



Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

* Extensive experience managing multiple projects at the district- or Network-level, while meeting regular deliverables and engaging in continuous improvement


* Experience using practices that champion the individual cultures, talents, abilities, languages, and interests of every CPS student with a priority of racial and educational equity


* Knowledge of and extensive experience with ISBE SEL Standards and SEL strategies used within CPS and nationally


* Ability to collect, analyze and present data to drive innovation and improvement required


* Demonstrated ability to innovate within and across organizations to achieve a desired outcome


* Ability to develop supportive consultative relationships with district, Network and school leaders, classroom teachers, and other stakeholders


* Cultural competency and ability to navigate and promote sensitivity with issues of racial justice and equity


* Knowledge of best practices in Multi-Tiered Systems of Support to meet students' social and emotional needs


* Skilled multi-tasker and excellent time manager; ability to effectively achieve multiple goals and manage multiple projects simultaneously.


* Strong analytical, time management, organizational and interpersonal skills


* Passion and urgency for the critical need to address SEL and behavioral health to improve the lives of students and families in Chicago


* Proficiency in MS Office Suite (e.g., Outlook, Word, Excel and Powerpoint) and Google Drive



Other Requirements:

* Ability to travel between multiple school sites


* Must possess a valid U.S. Driver's License. If selected, must have permanent use of an automobile that is properly insured



Conditions of Employment:

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

* Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.


* Be Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 - Unless approved for a medical or religious exemption, all employees are required to be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including boosters, and to submit proof of vaccination to the district within 30 days of hire. "Up-to-date" on vaccination is defined as being at least two weeks past all primary vaccine doses and any applicable boosters.



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