Expectations for Students

Despite our best intentions and highest of hopes, kids will still be kids. With that come situations that sometimes result in harm and require disciplinary action. At Tillman, we believe that every situation is a learning opportunity, and we try to keep restorative practices at the heart of every issue that comes to the Principal’s Office.

Restorative practices are a way of building and maintaining positive relationships in our school while addressing conflicts in a respectful and supportive manner. Instead of focusing only on rules and punishment, restorative practices help students understand how their actions affect others, take responsibility, and work together to make things right. This might look like guided conversations, problem-solving circles, or activities where students share their feelings and perspectives. The goal is to create a safe, caring community where everyone feels heard, valued, and connected - so that students not only learn from mistakes but also grow stronger as friends and classmates.

We use our core values of Blaze’s 4 Be’s, and the positive expectations that go with them, to anchor that restorative practice work and essentially serve as the standards we teach in every situation.

We are also beholden to Board Policy JG-R1, which outlines our response options to different standard infractions. We understand that, as parents, strong feelings can arise throughout this process, whether your child caused harm, was harmed, or both (which is most often the case). We know that this single communication will not resolve all future issues, but we wanted to ensure that all parents started the year with an understanding of what drives our approach to discipline.