Before we Begin
As we kick off the new school year and build excitement for the great things our RJ team does, we want to take a moment to introduce a new member of the RJ team: Robin Smith, our new RJ Assistant Manager!
We have had the pleasure of getting to know her over the past month, but now it is time for you all to meet and welcome her! This interview with our newest in-office staff member and manager doesn’t include the fact that we’ve also welcomed a few new facilitators! Our RJ team changes and grows each school year, and we wish all our facilitators the best as they carry out the RSCCM mission and vision through their quality work.
Thank you to our RJ program!
Getting to Know Robin Smith: Restorative Justice, Relationships, and Community
A Homegrown Girl
To start, if you want to do just a very quick little introduction before we get into the questions.
Absolutely! I’m Robin Smith. I’m the Assistant Coordinator for the restorative justice arm of our organization, and I’m really excited to continue doing work in restorative practices.
For about 15 years, I worked in the Lansing School District. I was in the classroom as a teacher, worked as an administrator, and was a parent-student coordinator, so I got to do that kind of circle work that we do. Lansing School District prepared me in a lot of ways.
Working with Communities In Schools of Michigan also prepared me immensely because it was a restorative organization using restorative practices. I started out as a student support coordinator, which was really good because it got me into the building. Waverly was my first school, so now being able to do professional development there is a full-circle moment. My former principal, Sean Lewis, is the one handling culture, and I love that.
I also managed an alumni network, and we created it from the ground up—all the systems and processes. Our first year started with 10 alumni, and the goal was to make sure we had a sustainable program. We worked with high school seniors and then saw the need to start working with juniors, and maybe even freshmen, to get ready to have those conversations.
As the partnership director, I was able to work with so many organizations and businesses in the community. I always call myself a homegrown girl. I was born and raised here, and I stayed here by choice. Go Green, Go White, because I’m a Michigan State graduate! I’m always looking for all the Spartans out there, but I also look for the stars because I was a trustee for Lansing Community College for 13 years.
Student success was always what my platform was about: finding ways to help students succeed. There are barriers when students are in college, too, and they need restorative conversations and a safe person they can have those conversations with.
I also served on the board of the Association of Community College Trustees. It was exciting to go to the United Kingdom for a global conference and see what other institutions were doing. We learned a lot from each other. You don’t want to be so focused on what you’re doing that you miss what other institutions are doing and what the future might hold.
That's amazing. I mean, you have such a far-reaching kind of spread in the ways of RJ, where you kind of hit different areas. So, kind of like, what brought you here to RSCCM and our RJ program?
What really drew me was having an opportunity to help the facilitators get trained and acclimated, work with them as they integrate themselves into the building, and help create an environment where facilitators can grow and feel safe making mistakes.
I think you’ve got to have the right person to do that, and I’ve got a really great team. All of our facilitators are awesome. They’re rocking it in their buildings! Their principals have given us a lot of feedback, and it’s been good, especially for our new district, Grand Ledge. We already had a footprint in Mason and Holt, but even having new facilitators has been a great transition.
Finding the Personal Connection
So, you kind of did talk a little bit about it, but I'm kind of just digging into you and your own personal morals and what drives you and your values. What drew you to working with young people in restorative justice?
I’ll honestly say my oldest son. He had ADHD, and I had to learn very early how to be an advocate for him, how to help him be an advocate for himself, and how to help teachers use restorative processes.
We know the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, and discipline is what people go to by default. But I could see firsthand how restorative practices worked with my child and then with other students. I always call them all my babies!
It’s so important to me to find what makes that student tick. What does that student need? I’m a puzzle person, so I like figuring out that part and creating a safe, welcoming space where students feel comfortable enough to have conversations with you. Many times, they would have conversations with me that they might not have with a teacher.
I was brought into their individual education plans and sessions with teachers, and we were literally doing circles there.
That's awesome! And now you've seen all these different angles, and now you're on the side of actually facilitating these conversations. So, it's kind of like you've seen all the different angles.
I have, and it’s really great! I’m that person who doesn’t like the mundane. I like that no two days are alike, and that appeals to me with this position. If I have to be a facilitator, I can do that. If I have to observe a facilitator, I can help with the things I observe.
Building relationships with principals and seeing how restorative justice fits into a school is important, too. Having a good relationship with administrators, deans, counselors, and their resilience teams is so important. Sometimes people feel like there’s overlap, but there’s a lane for us in what we do. I love that.
And just a really quick side note, just outside of your work, what do you like to do? I mean, you're homegrown, so I bet you have some very specific places and things you love.
I do! I love running. I ran when I was in school and kind of put it down, but then I picked it back up because I wanted something that was for me.
What I learned about myself is that running and walking are my thinking time. That’s when I can sort things and put things together. If I’m struggling with something, I’m walking around the building because I need to get moving.
I do the Izzo 5K, the Silver Bells run, and the Crim in Flint. I did the 10-mile Crim, which was great! I also do the Hot Chocolate Run. I have friends from college in Chicago, so although Detroit has one, I go to Chicago to do it with my friends. We started with a 5K and then worked our way up to the 15K.
Yeah, I mean, those are just great accomplishments anyway, completing 5Ks and 10Ks. I mean, I’m jealous of you!
When I did my first 15K, I was like, “Oh my God, I’m doing this! I’m really doing it!” And the best part was that the weather was great.
It was very scenic going through Chicago, Grant Park, and seeing the lakeshore as you’re running. But I love running here in Michigan because I love seeing all the changes in the trees, especially around Hawk Island.
I do have to watch out for the deer, though. I love a deer, but when I’m running, I’m just a little bit like—
Don’t bother me!
Don’t bother me! I’m always telling myself, “Don’t look at them, they won’t see you. Just straight ahead!”
Lansing has so many walking paths and biking paths, too. I love to bike, and since becoming a resident of Holt, I’ve been able to find out about the paths and trails they have.
It’s amazing! Well, probably a lot of our own readers, as well as maybe even parents from your schools, have probably seen you around then.
Absolutely! My kids always tease me because they say, “Mom, I absolutely know when a student knows you because they look like, ‘Is that Miss Smith?’”
I tell my students, “You’re going to see me at the grocery store. You’re going to see me at games. You’re going to see me at community events.” It’s wonderful to see how those connections are made.
In fact, one of our facilitators was in my second-grade class, so I’ve known her all her school life. Now, being able to help shape her and see her blossom as a facilitator has been awesome. I think connection is everything.
I love making those connections. My son called me last week and said he was going to one of my districts because Grand Ledge was having a game. I thought about going, and even though I was too far away, I told him I’d definitely be attending him another time.
You have to be integrated into the community. That’s one reason I’m excited about our Conflict Resolution Day. We’re bringing in community partners—some who know what we do and some who may not be as familiar—and hopefully making connections for them with both arms of our work, restorative justice and mediation.
Getting to Know the RJ Team
And actually, the segue from that facilitator that you knew: you've had an opportunity to work with Enrique and alongside our RJ team facilitators, especially throughout the summer. We saw you a lot here in the office working with them. What have you learned from that experience, and what really stood out to you from the team?
What really stood out to me was their energy and their desire to do a great job. They wanted to have a really good start.
Their training was so helpful because we were able to ask questions, and they were able to ask questions. Sometimes they ask things we may not have thought of that they need to know. We worked through scenarios and role-playing so they would be prepared when they went into the building.
I also wanted them to know that they weren’t out there by themselves. I’ve sat in on circles, even classroom circles, and they’re doing a great job making their building their own. I tell them that’s so important: make your building your own.
I always like to say, “We’ve got an app for that!” If we don’t have an app for that, then we can create it.
We’ve gotta get an app for that!
We’ve gotta get an app for that!
Amazing! And you’re also just building leaders because essentially they’re going to be leading kids into developing really good practices that are going to carry with them for the rest of their lives. So, in a way, you’re also doing leadership training.
Absolutely! That’s one of the main tools I tell the facilitators they have in their toolbox: you are creating leaders.
Sometimes that child may be a little challenging, but we can channel their leadership. Let them know they’re a leader, that they have influence, and that their voice has impact.
They’re building skills and learning how to resolve conflict rather than just separating people. Separation isn’t always enough. We have to show them how to have those full-circle moments where they can voice what they need and agree on what they’re willing to do and what the other person is willing to do.
It’s powerful to see that happen and come to life. When the facilitators finish their circles, I’m giving them a thumbs-up: “Great job, great job!”
We’ve also had administrators in our new districts sit in on circles. They get to see it firsthand, and we hear from them that the facilitators are doing a great job.
My kids always tell me, “You think you’re everybody’s mom.” And I say, “Well, kind of we are, because it takes a community and a village!”
When I see the nurturing side of our facilitators, from grade school all the way up to high school, it’s especially important during those middle-school years when kids are struggling with who they are. We’re helping give them tools that will last a lifetime. It’s something they have to practice and put into their arsenal.
Finally, what is your biggest goal and hope for this upcoming school year?
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Looking Forward
So, we've seen some changes and growth within our RJ program over the summer. New facilitators, we've got you back in. What are you most excited about as we head into the school year?
I’m most excited about our opportunity for expansion, which is why it’s so important to have a good launch. Grand Ledge is an opportunity where we can grow, and I’m using my contacts in other districts to reconnect with schools we’ve worked with before.
RJ is so important. It’s so needed. I don’t think people always know how important it is until they say, “Wow, you guys are doing a bang-up job. We really needed you!” They can see how things are shifting in the building.
I’ve also seen how we’re implementing RJ services even if we can’t be in the school directly. I mean, we’ve seen with Waverly, we’re doing, I believe, professional development trainings. How has that been?
Oh, this has been wonderful! That’s one of my full-circle moments because Sean Lewis, who’s over culture and climate in the Waverly district, is the person who asked me to continue doing RJ practices.
It changes the dynamic. Paraprofessionals and staff can go back to their “why,” focus on connection, and find ways to connect. Everything doesn’t have to be punitive, because punitive is easy. It’s that straight line between two points.
But being able to take that circle time, take that moment to really learn about a student and make that connection—that’s important. It doesn’t take long to connect with students.
The staff were able to talk about ways they had connected with students. It was great because you could see that it may take time, but it’s worth it, and it works. I always say the work works. If you put the work into restorative practices, it works.
Yeah, and I think it’s also just showing the kids that they are worth the time it takes to really make sure they succeed.
Absolutely. We’ve had students say, “I’m so glad that I had someone to listen to me.”
We all like to feel heard, but students need to be heard as well. They have a voice, and we need to help them find ways to use that voice positively. When you don’t know how to use your voice in a positive way, all you have are negative ways of doing it.
We can give them tools for using their voice, stepping away, and figuring out what they need. Sometimes they’re acting out in one area, but there’s a greater need underneath it.
That's amazing. Well, thank you for expanding into that! So, looking into this upcoming school year, what are some things that you hope to build within our RJ program? Things that you're developing other than those connections made with other schools?
We just started what I call the Principal Roundtable. Principals from different districts can come together, have conversations, and ask questions. I always say administrators speak the same language. They know the things they’re thinking about, and it helps to have district staff there so they can see how we’ve implemented the program.
We brought Grand Ledge and Mason together, and they were excited. It was beneficial to hear the conversation around the table and have one of the Mason principals give a presentation so everyone could see how it works in their building. We showed them who our facilitators were, the spaces they use, and why those spaces are important.
I didn’t even have to say it. It was great to hear our principals explain how having a facilitator as part of the building helps them navigate things.
Yeah, I mean, you’re just showing them in real time what their investment is going to look like and what it looks like long-term to have RJ within your school.
Absolutely. It’s important for them to see what worked, but also some of the things that didn’t work. We don’t want to wait until the end of a contract to find out that a partnership isn’t working.
I always tell our principals, “This is a partnership. We need to know what you need from us. What can we do better?” Hearing from them helps us understand what they really need.
We’ve also started job shadowing for facilitators. They can learn from veteran facilitators, and newer facilitators can share what’s working in their buildings. I’m encouraging strong collaboration, and they seem to be grasping it and running with it.
I saw a letter from one facilitator to another praising her and saying, “You’re so awesome in your building. Be encouraged. I see the work that you’re doing.”
I used to call those “attagirls” and “attaboys,” but when encouragement comes from your colleagues, it really means something. It helps you see that your work is impactful and meaningful.
I want us to keep reaching out to other districts, sharing what we’re doing, and explaining what has worked in the past. School districts have used restorative practices for a while, but we have a unique way of implementing them through restorative justice, and it works.
Yeah, it works for us, especially because Central Michigan school districts are unique. We really do have so many different cultures and students coming together from various backgrounds. Not one student is the same as another.
No, and not one district is the same, either. We have our inner-city districts, but I don’t like to call the others rural districts because we’re really a region. We need to understand what each area needs and what challenges are there, including the racial dynamics, because they’re different in every building.
Principals are very responsive about letting us know what challenges they’ve had in the past. That’s helpful because we can make sure our facilitators are equipped. We never want them to be blindsided by things.
Our facilitators are our best mouthpieces. Even when they’re out in the community and people see them, they’re representing restorative justice.
And I bet that job-shadowing program can only benefit that, because our facilitators have a really good range of experience. You’re able to get perspectives from another facilitator that maybe you just didn’t think about in that moment.
Absolutely. Sometimes the light goes on, and sometimes it’s just small observations that can help you. Many times, people may speak more freely with their colleagues.
I do believe I create an environment where they’re willing to chat with me, but sometimes those unique nuances are perfect for facilitators to talk through with each other while job shadowing. That really prepares them for what’s there.
As we grow and staff changes, they can see what works in one district and what works in another. We don’t want it to be cookie-cutter.
I tell them, “Make it your own. Learn your community. Become a part of that community.” Community is so important, and I really believe that’s where restorative justice benefits people. We know community, we believe in community, and we want to foster it.
That's amazing! Are there any particular areas that you would really like to see our program grow and evolve this year, or maybe even years down the road?
I’d like to see us continue observing other districts, even if we aren’t working directly in them. That’s one reason I love that we’re in Waverly doing professional development for their staff and paraprofessional program. They can see the value of what we’re doing.
We’re also doing more sessions in the community so people can see what we do and learn about it. We recently did Psych Fest at MSU, and it went over so well that they’re getting ready to do two. We’re looking for more events where we can engage with people.
I’d also like to connect with business groups, because they can see how our work benefits students and how they might be able to help. Those connections can also bring in funding, and we’re definitely interested in growing in that way.
Yeah, it definitely feels like we’re taking a different approach. We’re doing more of a bottom-up approach instead of just focusing on the people at the top of the chain. We’re focusing on parents, getting to know students before even going into schools, and getting to know the community members who serve these students. Would you say that’s kind of what’s going on?
Oh, I definitely would! As you get to know the community, you never know who’s going to be that voice. It might be a parent who says, “Hey, I heard about RJ, and they’re doing really good work. Have we considered using them?”
It’s a great way to make connections in that middle ground instead of always focusing on the top. I like to think about it like baseball: we need to make sure all the bases are covered. The shortstop has a really important role, too. I think we’re handling that middle, and I think we’re doing a good job. I can’t wait to see how it grows.
Yeah, I mean, talk spreads. You just never know. Looking at community forums, one business gets mentioned and then it blows up. It’s about using that momentum and seeing what we can really get a hold of.
Yes, and I think we’re spot-on in trying to make those connections. You just never know who’s going to be in the room when you’re in the room.
I’ve had people say, “Hey, I saw you do a presentation here.” I even ran into a student who’s now a paraprofessional and was one of my daughter’s friends in high school. I recognized her face but couldn’t figure out why. Then I realized who she was!
You never know how those connections might bring in foundations or other partners who want to work with students, whether it’s violence prevention, empowering students, or training our facilitators. Those connections can help us bring more resources into the work we do.
Yeah, and you just don’t know how you’re going to touch someone. Someone may just be like, “Where was this when I was in school? This would have been amazing. I want to bring this forward to the next generation.”
I’m so excited that you said that because I’ve literally had people say, “Where was this when I was in school?” Or parents say, “Where was this when my student was in school? This would have really helped them and empowered them.”
We have a unique niche in that we bring things together. We’re building relationships, helping through circles, and bringing peace. Teachers and administrators are on board because they can see the impact of our work.
Yeah, and just also helping people heal.
Absolutely! Oh my goodness, helping people heal. I always say, hurt people hurt people.
Which is why it’s so important that we have circles with teachers as well as students, students with students, and other staff in the building.
People need to be able to share how they feel they’ve been harmed and have an opportunity to heal. Sometimes students are acting out, but teachers and administrators can be acting out, too, without realizing they’re causing harm. A circle can help them understand what happened and move forward. They may say, “I’m glad I know that now. I didn’t realize that was what was happening.”
That’s amazing. It’s almost like comprehensive care, like in the medical field. It’s not just putting a Band-Aid over something. It’s really making sure people are healing in the way that’s most beneficial to them, while also helping people who may have caused harm understand what happened. What can we do to move forward?
Yes, and that moving-forward piece is so important. Sometimes, if you just separate people, you never really find out what caused the harm.
When you’re able to spend that time circling with them, you can find out what happened. Then they’re able to give voice to how they’d like to move forward and how they feel they can move forward.
What I love about it is that it doesn’t take away taking ownership or responsibility for what we’ve done. That’s part of it.
I value genuine relationships. Truth is part of it. I value someone being able to hear my perspective and me being able to hear theirs, and being able to respect that. We try to teach and incorporate those values with our students.
I see students using our techniques, reflecting back by saying, “What I think I hear you saying is…” It’s just a boom moment, because I’m like, they’re getting it! They’re getting it and passing it along to their peers.
Even teachers who have students who haven’t gone through our practices tell me they can recognize when students have learned those skills. They see them becoming leaders in the classroom and on the playground.
Yeah, and that’s just going to impact the trajectory of where that child is going to go.
Absolutely. I always say that if you can get one meaningful adult in the building, one relationship can help change a child. We want to be part of building that relationship and connection.
Learning, Sharing, and Looking Ahead
So, you've been talking a lot about what people in our community can learn from RJ, but as you step into this role, what are you most looking forward to learning for yourself?
Oh, I’m so glad you asked that! I’m looking forward to learning more about restorative practices and seeing how they’ve been implemented.
I like looking at case studies. Probably because my son is in his master’s program and always talks about his case studies! It has encouraged me to look at different ones so I can see what has worked in the past and what lessons we’ve learned from things that didn’t work.
I need personal growth and professional development so I can implement things with our staff and bring in ideas they may not have had before. We have a growth mindset here, and it’s important to me that I’m growing along with the staff.
Yeah, and just a shout-out back to those Principal Roundtables. You’re kind of seeing case studies in real time, getting to see what they experienced.
Yes! What they experienced and what they learned. Principals can be very honest about how the program started in their buildings, what they learned, and what they didn’t expect to get from having RJ there.
They can talk about how it changed the culture of the building. Culture can be so difficult to change because it’s ingrained. When you can make positive changes in that culture, it’s powerful.
That’s why I’m excited about the roundtables. I can’t wait to see what the new principals bring to the conversation.
Especially as you meet with principals we’ve maybe never worked with. I mean, sure, it’s not a peer-reviewed journal from Science Weekly or something, but you really get an insight into the school that’s so raw and personal. Like you said, culture is so ingrained. You get a snapshot of what’s going on and where RJ could fit in.
Absolutely. Sometimes we have to help people see how they can benefit from RJ. I hear this a lot: “Yeah, we’ve done restorative practices. Been there, done that.”
But they’re able to see how it’s uniquely implemented through our program. That makes a strong case for what we do. We can share those stories with our Executive Director and our communications and outreach team so they can say, “Hey, this is what’s been happening.”
Our facilitators share stories, and I share some of the stories we’ve gotten, because that’s important.
Well, I just know from doing this newsletter for the short time that I have, our readers love seeing the stories and seeing our impact. I bet they’re more than excited to not only get to know you, but to see what you bring and the stories you bring with you.
Absolutely! Storytelling is everything.
When I first started in education, my kids would ask me, “How’d your day go? What happened?” Being able to share stories, make them impactful, and make them relevant is kind of the foundation of me. You have to know your audience well enough to know what would be relevant to them.
We’re also starting to put tips into our newsletters and asking our facilitators what ideas they have to share. We’re going to PTO and PTA meetings and other groups so that we can be part of those conversations. When parents see us, they can understand what RJ looks like in the building and know who the facilitator is.
Sometimes just one small piece of information is what someone needs to hear to get on board.
And just to segue off of that, even though RJ will still be a part of this main newsletter, I think I heard from a little birdie that RJ is going to have a newsletter. Is that correct?
Yes, that is correct! RJ is going to have a newsletter, and I’m super excited about that.
I’m a very visual person, so I believe in having something visual. At some point, I want to be able to have voice clips, too.
Oh, that would be awesome!
That will be exciting—to hear from the facilitators, our Executive Director, and people talking about what’s happening in the field. The field is so important, and we want to share tips with administrators, counselors, resilience leaders, and parents. We want people to see something and think, “Hey, this is something we might be able to implement.”
Sometimes you don’t want to toot your own horn, but we’re going to use that newsletter to toot our own horn!
Exactly! And really, going back to the stories, we can share the stories that matter. Unfortunately, with the size of our company newsletter, we can only get a good snapshot of the overall RJ program. But with your newsletter, you get to dive in and focus on a variety of places and stories, which I think is going to be so much fun to read.
It will! The perspective from a principal’s story is going to be different from a student’s story, a facilitator’s story, or a teacher’s story about how RJ has changed their classroom.
There’s a wide scope of what we’re able to do to show our impact. I think it’s important to show it along the way because people have a tendency to forget what isn’t kept in front of them.
Yes, that’s a wonderful way to summarize it! So, just as a final question, we’ve talked a lot today about the RJ program, where we’re going, what growth looks like, and what we’re hoping for. Summarizing everything into a few words, what is your biggest goal and hope for this upcoming school year?
My biggest goal is to make sure all our strategies and systems are in place and that we have things we can replicate, while also having new ideas that we can add to our structure.
I think that brings growth. We need to see what other districts are doing and what they’ve learned, and show them how we can partner with them. We have some things set in stone, but we need to build on those things and implement new ideas that will carry us into the future of restorative justice.
Yeah, you can’t build a building without scaffolding.
You cannot! You really can’t. I say structure is everything.
I’ve seen organizations and districts try to build programs. I was just in a principal meeting where a principal said, “We’ve got the program, but we don’t have the right person yet for that program.” That really helped me see how having the right person in the building makes such a big difference.
Talk about foundational!
Absolutely. It’s foundational, and there’s room to grow. We can see what has worked with our facilitators and implement new things.
People will always say, “We tried that. Been there, done that.” Okay, maybe now is the time. Maybe you didn’t have the right people in place to do it before. We believe we’re the right folks to do it, so it could be a good fit.
I’m also seeing a parallel with the mediation team. You’ve had mediation in the past, but let’s look at what our mediation can do for you and see how we can collaborate in that way.
Absolutely, absolutely! There’s always a reason why something didn’t work. I tap into that reason.
I always remind our facilitators, teachers, staff, and administrators that we lean into a growth mindset so it can work for all of us. At the end of the day, we’re all about student success. We want our students to succeed, and we want our buildings and districts to succeed. It’s a great opportunity to be part of making that happen
One Last Thing
That's wonderful! This concludes the interview. I really do appreciate this conversation that we had. I learned a lot about our RJ program, and I learned a lot about you. I really appreciate the time you were able to take out of your day to talk with me about this.
Well, thank you, because you’ll see it doesn’t take much for me to talk about RJ! When you love something and have a passion about it, it’s not hard. Thank you so much for highlighting RJ in this way.
Thank you! And before we leave, do you have anything that you would like to plug for the RJ side or even yourself?
What I’d like to plug is that we’re reaching out to the community. If you see something that you feel might be a connection, please let us know. Connect with me when you see me! I very rarely go somewhere where I don’t know someone and can’t say, “Hey, this is what we’re doing.”
Putting the word out there is important. Word of mouth is so important, and I’m excited about being out there and making it happen every day.
Yeah, and just once again, I know we’ve already done a shout-out, but might as well do it again. Those Principal Roundtables are so crucial, and also what you’ve been doing with presentations in the community. You’re just so easy to talk to and so wonderful. Everyone, just go say hi to Robin!
Absolutely!
Come and say hi!
Come and say hi! I welcome it. I welcome it!
Well, thank you so much. And for the readers, please keep an eye out for that RJ newsletter, okay?
Absolutely!
Okay. Well, bye-bye now!
Bye-bye!