December Newsletter
As we near the end of 2024, our team will be taking a brief break between Dec 23rd-Jan 3rd to prioritize our wellness and rest and to prepare for the year ahead. We wish you a restful and restorative end of the year with your loved ones!
In this newsletter you will find:
Giving Tuesday Gratitudes + End of Year Giving Updates!
Circle Keeper Training Reflection by Mari Ramirez
Circle Prompts for New Year Reflections
WA-BLOC Office Closure Dec 23-Jan 3
Community Events and Resources
Giving Tuesday Gratitudes + End of Year Giving Updates!
Thanks to your generosity, we have now met 100% of our $10,000 end of year goal to support meaningful Restorative Justice work in schools!
We are so grateful for each and every donation we have received so far. Shout out to those of you donating to WA-BLOC for the very first time and to those of you who signed up to be monthly donors! Welcome, and on behalf of the entire WA-BLOC team and the youth we serve THANK YOU.
Here is our projected impact in the new year based on dollars raised!
5 Jr Circle Keeper workshops = 50 youth served!
2 Professional Development Sessions for educators at our partner schools = 360 educators served!
5 Months of on-site support at 5 partner schools = 300 hours of restorative conversations & community building!
Thank you again for contributing to more restorative school communities this Giving Tuesday and beyond. We couldn't do this work without the generosity of our community that sustains us.
There is still plenty of time to help expand our impact! Our campaign will continue through December 31st, with a new goal of $15,000!
Circle Keeper Gathering Reflection by Mari Ramirez
Last month, Anab shared her reflections about her experience at the annual Circle Keeper Gathering with Kay Pranis and The Circle Center in Nashville, TN earlier this Fall.
This month, check out Mari’s vlog about his big takeaways and lessons learned!
“We often have the urge to “fix” in helping-people-centered work and professions… but there is so much power in allowing people to be in their process and you being in yours…it’s called ”Sitting in your chair” …allowing people to unfold in their process just as you can expect them to allow you to unfold in your process…allow yourself and others around you to be in your own process and being…that is collective power.”
“One of the biggest learnings I had was…understanding how me looking to a circle keeper to check the vibes of a space is in and of itself is a form of policing the space - looking to someone in “power” to control the space - and then finding that power within myself rather than another person. It challenged me to think about the power that I hold in space and the fact that I can share how things are impacting me. I can check the vibes of the circle. Shifting from looking to the circlekeeper to looking within myself, and then I saw so many people sharing their own views, perspectives– that felt like collective power...”
Classroom Circle Prompts for New Year Reflections
Check out our circle prompts for New Year Reflections that you can do with your classes (or student groups, staff, families, etc!)
The question banks allow for teachers to choose which ceremonies and questions work best for their students based on age group and interest. This resource is a tool and intended to support the development of your individual circle practice! Feel free to take ideas from the questions provided and change them, make your own circles, and incorporate games or activities that you know work best for your students!
We recommend including as many of the circle elements as possible to maintain the integrity and consistency of circle practice!
Winter Break December 23rd - Jan 3rd
Our team will be taking a break between Dec 23-Jan 3rd to rest, restore, and spend time with our loved ones. During this time, expect delayed responses from our team as we prioritize rest. We wish you a happy solstice and holiday season and will see you in 2025!
