The university is working with Canton City Schools for the Canton City Middle School Violence Intervention and Prevention Program, which will run through September 2027.
The US Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance STOP School Violence Program has awarded Walsh University and Canton City Schools a grant in the amount of $652,707 for the project Canton City Middle School Violence Intervention and Prevention Program. The project intends to address school-based violence at Canton City Middle Schools through staff training with a trauma-informed approach. The program will serve more than 1,100 seventh and eighth grade students.
According to an article on Walsh University’s website, Gary Kandel, who is the Director of Secondary Education, College, and Career for Canton City Schools, was quoted as saying of the project, “This collaboration represents a significant step toward creating a more supportive educational environment for the students of Canton City Middle Schools. This three-year grant will allow Canton City Middle Schools to train groups of middle school staff and students in restorative practices, ultimately creating a more positive and safer environment for our students.”
Walsh University’s Center for Restorative Justice and Community Health will be working in collaboration with Canton City Schools on the project, which will focus on providing school staff with trauma-informed training to help them recognize behavioral issues and what types of strategies to use to help students work through them, and promoting student engagement and restorative practices for students who have been part of conflicts at school previously.
Dr. Michelle Bemiller is the director of the Center for Restorative Justice and Community Health and a professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice in the division of Social & Behavioral Sciences, and she will be the Restorative Practice Coordinator within the Canton City Middle School Violence Intervention and Prevention Program. She is quoted as saying of the project, “This program will equip students, teachers, and staff with the tools needed to effectively recognize, respond to, and prevent conflict in the classroom. By integrating restorative practices, we aim to foster a supportive and accountable school culture where all students feel safe and respected.” She added, “I am thrilled to help contribute to the development and maintenance of a positive school climate where all students are viewed as important contributors to the Canton City School community and leave with increased emotional intelligence and conflict resolution skills. This collaboration with Canton City Schools is an exciting opportunity to implement restorative practices that focus on improving school climate through the creation of middle school student response teams, the development of peer leaders who specialize in these practices, and increasing knowledge of staff and students on how to recognize and appropriately address conflict in schools.”
For more information about Walsh University, visit the school’s website.