Norwich — Mary Nolan's eighth-grade math students were skeptical and thought it a bit hokey when she asked them to sit in a circle at the start of the first day of school Aug. 30.

She fired the question of the day at them: What was the best thing they did during summer vacation? Conversation quickly filled the room as students shared their stories.

Then, it was time for math.

That’s how every day is starting at the Kelly Middle School and all other schools in Norwich. Classes sit in a circle for 10 minutes as the homeroom teacher poses the question of the day, always something positive. It could be favorite foods, books, TV shows, summer vacation.

Then, Nolan told the Board of Education on Tuesday, “they jump right into class. They’re calmer. There’s more participation. They feel like they belong there.”

The circle theme is part of the new Restorative Practices program that Norwich Public Schools launched last year and expanded to all schools this year. The program is an effort to improve student behavior, attendance and the so-called climate and culture of all schools.

Culture and climate will be a strong focus at the 700-student school for seventh- and eighth-graders, where discipline problems increased last year.

Nearly all teachers have been trained in the Restorative Practices program, and last week support staff, including para-educators, nurses and administrative assistants, attended training. The goals of better listening, higher levels of personal interactions and creating a stronger civic sense of responsibility apply to staff as well as students, Kara Levenduski, administrative specialist on culture, climate and family engagement, told the school board.

The school system has adopted a five-year implementation plan for Restorative Practices, focusing this year on making sure all staff and students are familiar with the elements of the system and all speaking “the same language,” Levenduski said. Improving school attendance and climate will be specific goals this year, and training will include responses to experiences of trauma and adversity by students and staff. Trauma could include family turmoil or tragic events.

Next year, the third year of the program, a curriculum on social and emotional learning will be implemented, teaching skills to understand and manage emotions, show empathy for others, maintain positive relationships and make responsible decisions, according to a summary of the program that was presented to the board.

The fourth year will focus on family engagement, Levenduski said, to develop policies and programs to increase family participation in academic, social, emotional and civic achievement of students.

Parent and Democratic school board candidate Heather Romanski, who is the mother of two Norwich Public Schools students, addressed the Restorative Practices program during public comment Tuesday. Romanski said staff she has talked to are excited about the program, “and that’s a good thing.” But Romanski, who frequently comments on issues at board meetings, questioned why the five-year plan doesn’t involve parents until the fourth year.

“I sit in this chair and I say ‘communicate, communicate, communicate with parents,’” she said. “I hear you say ‘year four,’ and I ask you to share with us, have that continuity with our kids.”

Levenduski said the plan looks like parental involvement does not come into play until the fourth year, but it has started already. Family engagement is one of three main components, along with social and emotional learning and building relationships, that lead to improved school climate.

Levenduski said the focus on family engagement is targeted in the 2019-20 school year to allow time for school staff to become proficient in the Restorative Practices program before reaching out to families and community partners.

“We want to be good at it first,” Levenduski said. “We’re at the very beginning stages of Restorative Practices.”

c.bessette@theday.com