Partners Inc is a process-content union. The Components of the Partners Inc. process are:

 Key Program Components

As a comprehensive approach to school reform, Partners Inc. demonstrates success through a powerfully simple model—forged partnerships with schools that are committed to the academic achievement and social and emotional wellbeing of every student.

Whether in pre-K, elementary, middle or high school, Partners Inc. maximizes success for diverse groups of learners and creates safe, welcoming, and respectful environments for students, staff, and families.

As a process rather than a specific program, Partners Inc. guides school-wide and systemic prevention initiatives, supports expanded student and parent leadership opportunities, and promotes the development of individual and culturally responsive classroom practices. This results in a school with a greater capacity to institutionalize improvements and ensure that the process becomes part of its ongoing culture. The long-term change begins with the following processes during the first and second year of the partnership:

Implementation Model

Year One

• School Pre-Planning
  • Needs Assessment to identify how Partners will help meet school’s mission, current goals, and needs.
  • Meet with key school leaders to develop school orientation and planning process.
  • Build local capacity and trainers, supporters, volunteers, parents, church leaders in the philosophy and practices of the Partners model; identify how they want to help the project.
• School Orientation - All staff orientation session to:
  • Provide an overview of Partners, Inc. and match with school needs and goals.
  • Determine staff support for Partners, Inc.
  • Identify Core Implementation Team members and coordinators.
• One-Three-Day Introductory Training for Faculty and Administration
  • Participants need to include administrators, members of student support staff/services, core committee members, all teachers and staff in a school or at least a grade-level who will reach a variety of students through classes and activities.
  • All classroom teachers in training will be prepared to begin implementing the Partners Inc. processes in their classrooms at beginning of year.
  • Building a Peaceful Classroom and Morning Meetings or The Circle of Power & Respect (CPR) – All classroom teachers involved.
  • Direct Skill Instruction – Those who are teaching or developing a conflict resolution elective or teaching an extended course.
  • All participants need to identify their areas of interest before, during, and immediately after training: Direct Skill Instruction Windows; Curriculum Infusion; Schoolwide Policies; Student Leadership; Parent Program, etc.

Year Two

• Parent/Community Outreach
  • Gathering of representatives of various parent groups to create vision and support for the Partners’ in the school
  • Identify Parent/Teacher Community Council members–Development of group goals, planning and training to implement goals
• Staff Development to Support Teacher Initiatives
  • More of the above on classroom meetings and SEL instruction
  • Curriculum Infusion – Those who want to infuse conflict resolution skills and concepts into existing academic classes
  • Critical Friends Group – Trainings for first year staff to build in a self-sustaining staff development mechanisms such as Circles of Practice (CoP’s) or by grade level
• Teacher Leadership
  • Advanced trainings
  • Training of school-based trainers
  • Partner/Teacher/Community Leadership training
• Student Leadership
  • One day kick-off retreat with students, staff, parents and community members
  • Identification of student group interested in leadership training, youth empowerment
  • Peer mediation
  • Develop group goals; plan and training for implementation of goals
• School-Wide Policies, Events and Communication
  • All members of school community are informed about vision and goals of Partners and build a shared vocabulary
  • On-going dialogue about school change, discipline, student-centered learning and ways to personalize school through advisory/family groups, etc.
  • On-going communication and support of Partners, Inc. in meetings, PR, etc.
  • Possible Future/Search process with broader community around a school’s overall goals
  • Feedback throughout the year