In February 2025, we formalized a landmark partnership with the Hudson Valley Unified School District (HVUSD) to bring our Ramapo Approach directly into 12 elementary and middle schools. This collaboration exemplifies our commitment to scaling inclusive, restorative practices beyond camp into everyday educational settings.

Goals and Scope

• Professional Training: Deliver 24 full-day workshops on positive behavior supports, restorative circles, and trauma-informed pedagogy to 480 teachers and staff.
• On-Site Coaching: Provide 1,200 hours of in-class coaching, modeling strategies and co-teaching lessons.
• Family Engagement: Host six “Family Connect” evenings per school, offering parent workshops on emotional regulation and home supports.

HVUSD Superintendent Dr. Karen Blake stated, “This partnership equips our educators with tools to nurture every student’s potential—especially those who struggle with behavior or learning differences.”

Early Outcomes

• Behavior Referrals: In pilot schools, office referrals dropped by 45% in eight weeks.
• Suspensions: Suspension days decreased by 60% compared to the previous semester.
• Teacher Confidence: Post-training surveys show 88% of participating staff now feel “very confident” implementing restorative circles, up from 22% pre-training.

Spotlight on Elmwood Elementary

Elmwood implemented a “Daily Morning Circle” practice where students share gratitude or challenges. Principal Maria Hernandez reports, “Our hallways feel calmer—I see students taking ownership of class norms and supporting each other.”
One parent shared, “My son comes home excited to teach me the ‘Merry-go-round’ circle prompts—he’s applying them at the dinner table!”

Ongoing Plans

• Peer Mentorship: Train 24 student ambassadors to co-facilitate circles with teachers, fostering leadership and peer accountability.
• Data Dashboard: Build a real-time dashboard tracking engagement, referrals, and attendance to guide continuous improvement.
• Expansion: Evaluate outcomes in spring 2025 for potential rollout in high schools.

How You Can Support

• Volunteer Coaches: We’re recruiting qualified educators and mental-health professionals to serve as part-time in-school coaches. Learn more at [yourwebsite.org/volunteer].
• Corporate Sponsorship: Companies can underwrite training days or resource materials. Contact partnerships@campramapo.org.
• Share Your Story: If your school has benefited from our programs, we’d love to feature you in future newsletters.

By bridging non-profit expertise with public education, we’re forging pathways for systemic change—ensuring that inclusive, strength-based practices become the norm rather than the exception.