Build trusting relationships through stable cohorts, advisories, restorative circles, and peer buddy structures¶

Design · All designs
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 qualitative), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description¶

The report identifies relationships as the foundation of the school's learning culture, supported by concrete structures: each new student is paired with a buddy from a similar linguistic and cultural background, students move through classes in heterogeneously selected cohorts of about 25, daily advisory periods build social-emotional learning, and restorative justice circles run on a consistent schedule. The report states that "key structures and practices such as peer partnerships and cohorts, student advisories, restorative justice circles, and community walks have earned the school a reputation as 'a safe and caring place.'"

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

Small school size (roughly 310 students) and teaching teams working with stable cohorts
Daily advisory period with teachers looping with their advisories across grade spans

Constraints¶

Target Learners¶

Newcomer high school students who are recent immigrants and English learners

Learning Goals¶

Sense of belonging and agency over learning
Social and emotional learning
Meta-awareness of their learning

Claims¶

Oakland International Students Report Sense Of Community [+M]

Newcomer schools as self-contained learning environments for recently-arrived immigrant English Learners

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

Charlie Thompson. (2023). Oakland International High School: A Thriving Community School for Oakland's Newcomer Students. Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org

Page metadata

Field	Value
`type`	`design`
`id`	`relationship-structures-cohorts-advisories-circles-newcomers`
`title`	`Build trusting relationships through stable cohorts, advisories, restorative circles, and peer buddy structures`
`description`	`The report identifies relationships as the foundation of the school's learning culture, supported by concrete structures: each new student is paired with a buddy from a similar linguistic and cultural background, stud...`
`status`	`review`
`generated`	by `process:settle-candidates` on `2026-10-10`
`trust`	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
`sources`	1 — `charlie-thompson-2023`

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