Showalter

“Our work with the Dispute Resolution Center, as part of the BSK grant, has had a significant impact on the climate and culture of our school community.  Our first collaborative work was around the use of restorative practices. We began to learn how we could use circles to help us to address things like student discipline, overall school communication and connection with our staff. We have done training as an administrative team in circle. We use the process with students and have been using it as part of our staff training. The DRC also helped develop our peer mediation process, giving students leadership skills and opportunities that allow them to help resolve student conflicts at the lowest levels. We also partnered to launch what we call Steering Together.  It is a forum of students, teachers, parents, community partners,  administrators and other staff.  The purpose of this group is to build connections and give voice to all the stakeholders in our community. They have become an important source of information and a sounding board for our building work. And, on a personal note, the staff of the DRC have helped me develop skill and grow as a leader so that I can better serve my students, staff and the community.”

“The work that these amazing people have done at Showalter has been so impactful on me even being two years removed from middle school. Steering Together has become a space that I look forward to every month and has provided a culture shift in the way that the SMS community views accountability, care, growth, and more. Peer Mediation and mediation in general has been a challenge that I enjoy tackling because I know I will always get something out of it and it will make me better in one way or another. That’s not even taking in account its vital role in positively amplifying a part of educational reform we need far more of: Restorative Justice. Overall, everything that comes out of this grant has been beneficial for so many, in a multitude of ways and for me it has provided a support network that I am infinitely grateful for.”

“BSK has been transformative in their approach of meeting people where they are at, yet pushing people little by little out of their comfort zones so that they can grow in their racial awareness.  This will in turn lead to socially just educators.  BSK for kids has helped our staff to have tough courageous conversations about race as well as conversations to check in with one another so that we build solid relationships.  They taught us that “Hurt people, hurt people and healed people, heal people.”  What I got from that is that I need to heal from my hurt so that I don’t continue to hurt others and as I have healed, I can then go on to heal others.   It is sad to see them go, but as they go, I have had the training to continue to have these conversation and lead peacemaking circles without them.  I thank them for these opportunities to which they have afforded me.  Thank you.”

“I’ve had the pleasure of working side by side with Sharon and Lian for the last couple of years. They work really hard to serve our community by providing different strategies and useful knowledge in conflict resolution and community building. I admire their passion and commitment to their line of work. It has yielded great results here at Showalter Middle School!”  

“Working with Dispute Resolution Center of King County and Bridging Cultural Gaps has been the best thing that has happened to the Showalter community in a long time. Our work with Steering Together has brought students, families, community members, staff, administrators, and school board members together in an authentic and familial way. We have created bonds that include former students returning to co-lead the work. We consider each other family and to me that should be the goal of every school, for the students and community to feel valued , supported, and trusted.”

“I am so grateful for the leadership of Lian Caspi and Sharon Moon as representatives of the Dispute Resolution Center of King County. Their efforts have greatly improved our school climate. The Restorative Practices trainings have been vital to my practice as an early career educator, and I now use circles daily in my classroom and with colleagues to build community, to address difficult topics and conflict, and to repair harm. They have also helped to establish our Steering Together committee, which includes students, families, staff, and community members and centers relationships and community-building as we work for a better school. This committee has since served as a model for how all our committees should operate, truly transforming not just our school but even the district.”

“The partnership that SMS has had with BSK is invaluable. There have been so many wonderful experiences that have helped to improve the culture at Showalter. BSK brought the circle process to our school and I was able to use it to train our 8th grade leadership group to use it to facilitate quality conversation and reflection with our 6th graders, which helped to build relationships and trust amongst students. I have also been able to experience the work as it has improved relationships and communication amongst our staff. The most enjoyable part of the BSK partnership for me has been our Steering Together Committee. It has been great to see it develop over the years and now has student members that are part of the facilitation team. It has had a powerful impact on all that are involved. I just want to say a huge thank you because I so enjoy the people we work with and value the work that has been done. “