The Restorative Approaches (RA) Collaborative is comprised of Vermont trainers, researchers, Community Justice Center (CJC) staff, and school educators and leaders. Membership in this collaborative is based on a deep commitment to the development of the restorative approach in Vermont schools, not on any specific criteria related to experience as a restorative approach trainer in schools.
Some members have worked in a wide range of schools throughout Vermont and beyond while others bring expertise from restorative justice work to their community justice centers. Many have experience in both community and school-level restorative justice work.
Therefore it is important each school does its own research before contacting a collaborative member. You can start that work by searching this directory and reading the profiles.
Laura Ellis
School Psychologist and VT PBIS CoachBiography
My name is Laura Ellis and I am a Nationally and Vermont State Certified School Psychologist, Vermont Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) Coach, Restorative Practices Specialist for the Essex Community Justice Center and yoga and meditation teacher. I served as the school psychologist at J. J. Flynn Elementary School in Burlington School District over the past four years. During my past four years at J. J. Flynn Elementary School, I was the Chair of our PBIS Committee and during the last two school years was one of the four Restorative Practitioners in my school and served on this leadership committee. Prior to working at J. J. Flynn Elementary School, I worked as the Behavior Specialist and School Psychologist for Chittenden East Supervisory Union (currently MMUUSD) for four years, working at three elementary schools and the high school. I completed my school psychology internship in Burlington School District and assisted staff with creating the alternative elementary school program (formerly known as the ABC Program) during its first year of implementation in the Burlington School District. I previously was a behavior specialist and teacher consultant for four years for several inner city public schools in the Buffalo, NY region prior to relocating back to Vermont in 2010. I received my B.A. in Psychology from the University of Vermont in 2006 and received my Master’s Degree and Advanced Certificate from the University at Buffalo in 2011. I recently became a 200 hour certified yoga and meditation teacher through Laughing River Yoga studio in 2017-2018 and have developed my passion for health and wellness when working with children, staff and families over the past few years in addition to utilizing my former behavior and mental health specialized training as well as recent training in Restorative Practices.
Burlington Vermont
Vermont