Northville Public Schools: Leading the Way in Educational Innovation

Ted Dintersmith's documentary "What School Could Be: Michigan" spotlights Northville Public Schools as a groundbreaking example of innovation in public education. The film reveals how Northville is reimagining traditional schooling by emphasizing relational practices that foster community, connection, and student empowerment. Through interviews with educators, students, and administrators, viewers gain insight into Northville's efforts to create a more inclusive and holistic learning environment. The documentary shows how Northville's use of restorative circles, fair processes, and open dialogue is transforming the school culture into one centered on empathy, collaboration, and mutual respect.

Show Transcript

One of the things we talk about in school is that behavior comes before academics. The reason for that is until you work and connect with a kid on the emotional level, you'll never be able to teach them anything. Something that we think about often is the fact that the greatest gift that our kids can give to us is that they'll allow us to teach them. And you, you build that through your relationships. Relational practices, Community Building have been core tenants of indigenous cultures around the world. And this RP work really is rooted in that work starting formerly in New Zealand with the Maori, but also Native American cultures here. And that whole concept of community in a circle and conversation. This year, having all of the staff K to 12 trained in it and really able to run those circles has been a game-changer. So we'll walk around and we'll see you know classrooms doing proactive circles and building that community so that when they do have problems to solve, they already have an established relationship and know how to talk and listen to each other and communicate. After covid, after I came to high school, I noticed that a lot of us didn't talk to each other during covid when everyone had masks on. No one would speak to anyone in our classrooms even like during passing time. I think this was one of the pieces that helped us get connecting with each other again. It kind of allows for this like newer dialogue. A lot of people confuse this and think that restorative practice is all based on discipline or soft approach to that. Actually 80% of it is relationship-building. Think about the best family meal you've ever had where you had a real good conversation when you walked away from that dinner table feeling good. It's that simple, you know everyone was able to say something, they were listened to, the conversation was healthy and good. You got up from being around that circle and that table, and you felt good about life in that moment. That's all it is. And if somebody would say, well, if that's all it is, why do have to train for it, why does there have to be so much intention around it? And if anyone asked me that question, I would simply ask a question back. And that is, do you see what I described at that healthy dinner table as much as you want in this world? Within circles, we put everyone on the same level and everyone speaks to each other on that same level, and it allows for this newer, clearer level of communication. I think just taking that like little time, which may seem insignificant to show someone that they're valued by listening to them is really integral to like just building and fostering strong connections. And it's important to just take a second to like stop, take a second to pause and like truly take in what's happening. I feel like it teaches you to listen to others' ideas because everyone has something to share and even though you might think your ideas like great, like you haven't heard everyone. Circles just like allow you to hear everyone's opinions and ideas and if you're going into like bigger and better things that idea of like working together and teamwork is needed to like succeed. There was a gentleman, his name is Scott Reese, who was with Autodesk at the time, I met him in 2010. And I said to him, Scott, what do you need from us in public education, from our kids as they come, come to you? And he said, you know, we pay really well. We can go out and hire at MIT, Caltech and so on, but the two hardest things to find are, one, the ability for people to advocate for their ideas. They're an idea company, so you can have brilliant ideas but if you can't advocate for them or explain them, they don't mean anything. The second thing, and this is what I'm really attracted to, is mature directness. That idea is, he said, RJ, it is so hard to find people who can be on a team and disagree with each other and not have it impact the culture of that team or the work. If you're lucky enough to get a student of ours, who's had 12 to 13 years of this type of way of being, you are going to be able to have somebody in your area of business and interest who is an exceptional communicator. There's a quote out there about the history of jobs used to be about muscles and strength and then it shifted to brains and thinking but that the future of jobs is going to be about heart and connection. When we think about preparing our kids for the future, their access to information will be at their fingertips, their ability to navigate relationships and connection, that is going to be the difference in the success of cultures in society. School safety, which is something that I think about every day and that our team thinks about every day, is much more than hardening a building, it's much more than you know bulletproof glass. It's about building connections with people so one, if they themselves need help, they know they can get it, but also to teach open communication. So we have people who don't feel marginalized, isolated, angry, or we teach people to communicate a concern in a way that's healthy. Whenever a disagreement or a conflict happens between two people or a person and a group of people, ideally there's a humane and safe and reasonable way to resolve a conflict and not just resolve that conflict, but a way to move forward and repair harm. That is central to the idea of a restorative practice. To have that clear communication between students and teachers and admin is so huge to improving our school systems. And then beyond that, having a place where power no longer becomes a factor in conversation allows for the people who are underprivileged to have a louder voice and to be heard and I think we need to run on connectability and connectivity, and I think circles really provide space for that. Whenever anything happens that needs a conversation, I hope in the coming years what I hear is, hey, let's Circle up. And that would just be an indication that they're going to get after it and they're going to listen to each other and have a conversation rather than avoid it. That would be an amazing thing.

Northville Public Schools takes center stage in Ted Dintersmith's documentary "What School Could Be: Michigan," a film that shines a spotlight on educational innovation and transformation in Michigan's public schools. As the film explores, Northville is breaking new ground with its focus on relational practices, positioning itself as a model for progressive change in public education nationwide.

The documentary provides an in-depth look at Northville Public Schools, illustrating its commitment to reimagining the purpose and structure of education. Through interviews with educators, students, and administrators, viewers gain insight into how Northville is fostering a learning environment centered on community and connection. These insights reveal a district dedicated to creating a more holistic and inclusive approach to education.

On May 7, 2024, in East Lansing, Michigan, a panel discussion brought together educators, students, elected officials, and community leaders to discuss the transformational work of eight schools selected for their innovative approaches to public education. Dr. Webber, superintendent of Northville Public Schools, and student David Roden shared their insights into the district's emphasis on relational practices, which aim to strengthen the bonds between students, teachers, and the community at large. Through restorative circles, fair processes, and elevating individual voices, Northville is cultivating a school culture based on empathy, inclusion, collaboration, and mutual respect.

Watch a clip of Northville's participation in the panel discussion:

In addition to the panel discussion, the event featured remarks from notable figures, including Ted Dintersmith, Governor Whitmer, and Speaker Tate. Their support for Northville's innovative methods underscores the district's growing reputation as a leader in educational transformation.

As Northville Public Schools continues to pioneer new educational models, it remains steadfast in its mission to empower every student to achieve their full potential. The district's ongoing journey serves as a beacon of hope for the future of public education, demonstrating that meaningful change is not only possible but already underway.

Take a look at some pictures below from the panel and presentation in East Lansing.

We have even more behind the scene pictures and videos of our journey on Facebook, take a look at the Northville Public Schools: From Filming to Panel Discussion album.