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Equity & Restorative Justice

To remain true to our school’s namesake, Fred T. Korematsu, and his legacy of activism, Korematsu Discovery Academy believes in social justice and equity for all of our students. KDA is a diverse school and we strongly value celebrating this diversity by fostering every child’s emotional health, home language, learning ability, and overall well-being.

The image shows a colorful and playful floor design in what appears to be an indoor space, with a young child standing in the foreground wearing a face mask.
A group of people in yellow and blue shirts are gathered together, their hands joined in a circle, surrounded by various objects and items on a blue surface.
A young child is walking on a colorful, interactive floor mat in what appears to be a classroom or educational setting, with various educational materials and posters visible in the background.
A group of people, mostly wearing yellow shirts, are gathered in a colorful classroom setting, engaged in what appears to be a discussion or activity.
A group of students wearing yellow shirts stand together in a colorful classroom setting with a mural of a sunny sky and clouds on the wall.
A vibrant and colorful mural depicting the theme of %22Circle of Courage%22 with various people, flowers, and a rocket in the background.
A colorful and lively classroom setting with various educational materials, furniture, and musical instruments arranged in a cozy and inviting manner.

Restorative Justice

The image depicts a green oval shape with the text %22Our Restorative Justice%22 written within it.

"Restorative Justice builds a school community’s social emotional intelligence, relationships, and capacity to address challenges together. It helps create a community where healing is possible. Restorative Justice not only strengthens relationships between adults and students; but among adults, and among students as well. In this way, RJ creates a positive, inclusive school culture; enhances teaching and learning; and acts as a preventative measure, as school communities are better equipped to resolve conflicts as they appear, before they escalate into a bigger issue." -excerpt from OUSD's Restorative Justice web page

At KDA, all classrooms hold community circles at least twice a week. These circles build trust and foster a sense of personal accountability for the well-being of the classroom community.

Circle of Courage

The image presents a circular diagram titled %22The KDA Way%22 with four quadrants labeled %22Belonging%22, %22Generosity%22, %22Mastery%22, and %22Independence%22, each representing a different aspect of the %22Circle of Courage%22.
The image displays a large poster with various circular diagrams and silhouetted figures, accompanied by a whiteboard with labeled green boxes.

KDA has adopted The Circle of Courage, a model of positive youth development that integrates Native American philosophies and teachings. The Circle of Courage is based in four universal growth needs of all children: Belonging, Generosity, Independence, and Mastery.

The Circle of Courage was co-developed by Martin Brokenleg of the Rosebud Lakota Sioux Tribe.

Read more about the Circle of Courage philosophy.

Toolbox:The 12 Tools

The image presents a collection of 12 tools for learning and life, each with a descriptive label and an accompanying icon or illustration.

Toolbox is a research-based social-emotional learning curriculum for grades K-6.  It teaches critical social competencies necessary for academic and life success such as: resiliency, self-management, and responsible decision-making skills through 12 human capacities (tools) that reside within us all.