The Power of Circles and Peer Mentorship at Summit School
Summit School is a therapeutic environment for students from kindergarten through 9th grade, many of whom have faced significant challenges in traditional school settings. These challenges — ranging from behavioral struggles to disconnection from peers and adults — often create a cycle of exclusion, pushing students further from the support they need.
When Sean Mulvey stepped into leadership at Summit, one problem became immediately clear: many students didn’t feel a sense of belonging. Sitting in restorative circles — a cornerstone of Summit’s practices — felt uncomfortable for them.
Sean described students “blowing out” of circles, digging their heels in, and refusing to engage. For these students, the skills to express feelings, resolve conflict, and rebuild relationships were underdeveloped. Yet, without a foundation of connection and trust, restorative practices could not be fully effective.
The Solution: Peer Mentorship
To address this challenge, Sean turned to a model he had helped develop years earlier at R5 High School, an alternative program in District 51. R5’s peer mediation program trained older students to serve as mentors and mediators, guiding their peers in conflict resolution and relationship-building skills. Students practiced holding circles, role-playing scenarios, and leading conversations to help others work through disagreements.
Sean reached out to R5’s leadership team, asking if their trained student mentors could visit Summit School. What happened next exceeded expectations.
Older students began visiting Summit regularly, participating in restorative circles and modeling what it meant to sit, listen, and share openly. For Summit’s younger students, seeing high schoolers lead by example sparked a shift. Circles became safer, more normalized spaces. Students who once resisted were now staying and participating, and eventually leading circles themselves.
“A lot of times kids are really good at it. They're really good at listening to each other and they're really good at hearing each other and knowing why that person is acting that way and just somebody that is there to say, ‘hey, you're okay. I'm not gonna leave you, I'm here to support you.’” – Sean Mulvey
The Collective Teacher Efficacy Connection
This peer mentorship program is a powerful illustration of Collective Teacher Efficacy at work. In schools like Summit, where the challenges can feel overwhelming, Sean and his team believed in their collective capacity to:
Build meaningful relationships with students.
Teach students critical social-emotional and conflict-resolution skills.
Create a model that empowers both younger and older students to lead and support one another.
Collective Teacher Efficacy is not about a single educator or program. It’s about shared belief and collaborative action. Sean’s team recognized that the problem of student disconnection could not be solved by adults alone. By involving students as leaders and mentors, the staff created a sustainable, student-centered solution that strengthened relationships and improved school culture.
The impact has been tangible. Students who once struggled to communicate now take accountability for their actions, express emotions with greater clarity, and mediate conflicts with peers. For many, these are life-changing skills that extend beyond the school walls.
The Conditions for Success
What conditions enabled Summit to develop, implement, and sustain this collective solution? Sean highlights three key factors:
Intentional Focus on Relationships: Before anything else, Sean emphasized the importance of building connections. His staff’s first task was simple but profound: get to know students deeply. Ask about their lives, their interests, and their struggles. This commitment to relationships became the bedrock for restorative practices. As Sean put it, “When you start looking at restorative practices or about making connections, there's nothing to restore if there's not a relationship, you know? And when I came in here last year, that was one of my big pushes with staff is like, yeah, we can do all the restoratives in the world, but if they don't have a relationship with you, it's not meaningful.”
Empowering Students as Leaders: The peer mentorship program would not have succeeded without students stepping into leadership roles. At R5, students were trained to mediate conflicts and facilitate circles. They studied the causes of conflict, practiced role-playing scenarios, and built confidence to lead their peers. When these high school mentors came to Summit, they became role models. Younger students saw what was possible and began aspiring to take on leadership themselves.
Collaboration Across Schools: The partnership between Summit and R5 was critical. It demonstrated how schools, even with different populations, can collaborate to solve shared challenges. High school mentors brought expertise and relatability, while Summit staff provided the structure and support needed for growth. This collaboration not only strengthened both schools but also created a ripple effect: students at R5 became agents of change, and students at Summit began to envision new possibilities for themselves.
Impact and Next Steps
The peer mentorship program has already yielded meaningful results:
Students are participating in circles more consistently.
Younger students are learning to articulate their feelings, take accountability, and resolve conflicts.
Teachers have witnessed improved classroom dynamics and student behavior.
Sean and his team now aim to develop student leaders within Summit School. As students build their skills and confidence, the goal is to transition them back to their home schools equipped to model positive conflict resolution and leadership.
“We want to be able to arm those kids so that they feel good about going back, that they have a toolbox to be able to handle what is a daily occurrence at schools, which is conflict. And sometimes it doesn't feel nice to be at school. And we want those kids to feel strong and confident. They are gonna be successful.” – Sean Mulvey
Reflections: What Can We Learn?
Summit School’s story is a testament to the power of collective action and belief. It reminds us that even the most entrenched problems can be solved when educators work together, involve students, and focus on relationships.
As you reflect on this story, consider the following questions for your own school or team:
How can we create opportunities for students to lead and support one another?
What conditions are needed to build strong relationships and a sense of belonging?
How can we leverage restorative practices to improve connection, behavior, and outcomes?
If you want to hear more, I invite you to listen to the full podcast episode with Sean Mulvey. You can also follow Sean on LinkedIn.
Closing Thoughts
Stories like Sean’s at Summit School remind us of the transformative power of relationships, collaboration, and mindsets. Collective Teacher Efficacy is not just theoretical — it is happening right now in schools across the country, led by educators like you. Thank you for the work you do every day to create connections, solve problems, and build brighter futures for students.
Do you have feedback or do you know someone with an inspiring story to share about solving a problem collectively in their school? Please reply to this email and let me know.
Until next time,
Sarah
