2013-2014
Establishing a Strong Staff Community: Determining Values and
Agreements
The SFUSD Restorative Practices team recommends that School Site leaders spend approx. 45
minutes at the beginning of the school year or whenever appropriate to facilitate this activity with
the staff community (preferably during the initial PD days in August).
The purpose of this activity:
1. Provide staff/faculty an opportunity to reconnect after summer break and meet new staff
community members
2. Establish a strong foundation among school site staff based on shared values and agreements.
3. Create a living graphic representation that can be used throughout the year to reinforce staff
behavior expectations and agreements.
Rationale:
 Starting off the new school year with an activity that allows for ALL staff members of the school
community to contribute to the building of a culture grounded in values and shared agreements is a
critical first step towards creating or reinforcing a strong sense of community.
 The resulting graphic representation can be used consistently throughout the year in all staff
meetings and gatherings to support a sustained positive staff culture, including staff behavior
expectations.
Activity Objectives:
As a result of this activity, participants will:
1. Build and strengthen staff relationships
2. Identify values of importance to build and sustain a strong staff community
3. Establish shared behavior guidelines and agreements
Agenda:
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Large group circle: community building
Values and Agreements activity
Reflection
Required Materials:
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Talking piece (find one that is meaningful to you)
Circle guidelines poster (receive from SFUSD RP team)
Colored markers (one or two per person)
Small squares of paper (approx. 5x5) in two different colors (each person receives one of each)
*Optional: a plant &/or round piece of fabric to be placed in center of circle as a centerpiece
*Optional: speakers and ipod if doing Milling to Music community builder
Room Set-Up:
Prior to the activity, set up the room as following:
 Chairs situated in a large circle for all participants (preferably no furniture in the middle)
 Circle Guidelines posted on the wall
 *Optional: Circle centerpiece (plant, fabric, some other object laid out in center of circle)
Activity Script
Part 1. Welcome and Introduction
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Introduce yourself
Say: We are going to spend the next 40 min working together to establish (or reinforce) a
foundation for a strong staff climate grounded in values and agreements. We will each have
the opportunity to contribute a value of importance as well as create agreements to sustain a
positive working environment for ourselves and community. This will be something that we
can continue to draw from throughout the year; to use as a guide and reminder of how we
want to be with one another.
Part 2. Staff Community Circle: (20 min)
a) Share purpose for initial circle: We are going to experience a community building circle
round to strengthen our staff community by reconnecting with one another after our summer
break and to meet any new members of our community. Keep in mind that these circles can
be taken back into your classrooms to do with your students as well.
b) Introduce yourself as the circle keeper.
Say: The role of the circle keeper is not to facilitate the circle, but to act as guide that
introduces the circle prompts and ensures that the circle remains a safe space by reviewing
the circle guidelines.
c) Share about Circle Guidelines: Before any circle begins it’s critical to review the circle
guidelines to express the importance of the circle being a safe space to share. The circle is a
container that can hold as much or as little as people feel comfortable sharing. The
guidelines will help to ensure a safe space for connection and learning.
d) Point to the poster and read the Circle Guidelines:
 Respect the talking piece
 Speak from the heart: share only your experiences, perspectives,
feelings-not those of others
 Listen from the heart: let go of stories that make it hard to hear one
another, be open and non-judgmental
 What is said in the circle stays in the circle
 Trust you will know what to say: no need to rehearse
 Say just enough: be considerate of the time when sharing
e) Ask: Are these guidelines something we can all agree to?
Is there anything missing from this list that we need to add?
Circle round 1:
a) Introduce the talking piece. (Share the reason you selected the talking piece for today’s
circles.)
b) Introduce the first circle prompt: For our first circle round, please take no more than 15
seconds to share your name, your position, the number of years you have been a member of
this school community, and one thing you did over the summer that you would like to share.
(or come up with your own interesting question)
 Ask for a volunteer to start and have them state what direction they will pass the
talking piece before they answer.
**Optional** Circle round 2: (Select one of the two options….or do both if you have the time)
Option 1: “I love my neighbor who....” (a great activity that is fun, gets people moving around,
and allows everyone to get to know one another better)
Instructions: Explain that I love my neighbor is an interactive circle activity.
Remove one chair from the circle. One person stands in the middle of the circle
and states something they like/love by first adding “I love my neighbor
who…..(ex. enjoys going for walks on the beach). If the statement applies to the
other circle participants, they have to get up from their seat and find a free seat
somewhere else in the circle. They cannot move to their direct right or left. The
last person standing with no seat left to grab is the new person who stands in the
middle and states “I love my neighbor who…..”. It is helpful for the circle
keeper to model the first round. Continue for several more rounds.
Option 2: Milling to Music (speakers needed to play music)
Instructions: Explain that when the music starts everyone is to begin “milling” around the
inside of the circle silently but greeting each other as they pass by. When the
music stops (after about 10 seconds) they are to form triads with the people
closest to them. A question will be read out loud and each person will take a
short turn to respond to the question. After each person has had an
opportunity to respond the music will start over and everyone begins milling
around the circle again. This will continue for approximately 10 minutes
with different questions being presented.
Milling questions:
1. Describe three cities, towns or neighborhoods that you have lived in.
2. Share one way you like to relax or spend vacation time.
3. Share a favorite teacher you had/have and why.
4. What was your favorite subject in school and why?
5. What is one reason you decided to become an educator?
6. What is one thing you look forward to about this new school year?
7. What is one school related goal you would like to set for yourself as the new year
begins?
8. Share one appreciation you have for the school community. (have everyone return to
their seats after this last question.
Part 3: Values and Agreements Activity
SAY: (or share something similar in your own words)
We are going to be spending a significant amount of time together throughout the year
as a staff community. We know that there will be a wide array of experiences coming
our way, some exciting, some challenging, some expected and unexpected. We are all
in this together for the benefit of our students and the wellness/culture of our staff
community will greatly impact how we weather the storms and celebrate the successes
to come. Therefore, it’s critical that we create an environment amongst ourselves that
will be supportive and safe to ensure each one of us is able to bring our best selves
forward to work together as a team.
Spending a little bit of time exploring our values will assist us in establishing this
environment. It’s an important first step towards building (or reinforcing) our strong
community.
Directions: Part 1- Values
1) Select one of the colored sheets of paper to represent the VALUES.
2) Hand out this sheet of paper and a colored marker to each person.
3) SAY: Using this sheet of paper write down the name of one value would you like to
offer into our staff community. (examples: Shared Responsibility or Trust best
intentions, Inclusion of all voices)
4) Facilitate Circle Sharing: invite each person (using the talking piece) to share
what their value was and take 10 seconds to explain the significance of it for them.
After each person shares, have them place their value in the middle of the room.
Directions: Part 2- Agreements
1) Hand out the other piece of colored paper to each staff member
2) SAY: Now using this sheet of paper write down one agreement that you are both
committing to make to the community and requesting of the community. (examples:
Attentive listening, Attending all staff meetings, Ask for help when needed…etc.)
3) Facilitate Circle Sharing: invite each person (using the talking piece) to share
what their agreement was and take 10 seconds to explain the significance of it for
them. After each person shares, have them place their agreement in the middle of
the room below the values.
Directions: Part 3- Ensuring Agreement (Very important piece. Please do not skip)
1) Ask the following reflection questions:
a) Is there any value or agreement that has been offered that you would like some
clarification on?
b) Are there any values or agreements that have been offered into our community
space that you do not feel comfortable with? If so, please explain.
c) Some of us may have a different understanding and definition of some of the
values and agreements that have been offered today. What are your thoughts
about this and what do you propose we consider about it?
d) What if at some point down the road we do not feel like these values and
agreements are being honored? What should we do?
e) As a staff community, CAN WE ALL AGREE TO FOLLOW THESE VALUES
AND AGREEMENTS TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY?
RECOMMENDATION:
1. After activity, collect the value and agreement cards and lay them out at EVERY additional
staff gathering or faculty meeting.
2. At the beginning of your staff meetings, draw everyone’s attention to the cards and ask a
reflection question about how the community is doing following them.