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Dr. Robert Spicer Sr. 

    Dr. Robert Spicer Sr. is the CEO, National Trainer, and Speaker of Restorative Justice with Restorative Strategies, LLC.  His former role was the Culture and Climate Specialist at Christian Fenger High School in Chicago, IL, from July 2009 to July 2014.  Before his work at Fenger, he was the program director at Community Justice for Youth Institute. He conducted training in schools and the community around the philosophy of Restorative Justice from 2003-2009. Robert also worked on Disproportionate Minority Contact and the School-House to Jail House Pipeline with a variety of community-based organizations. Robert’s work in education started as a 3rd-grade teacher at Sojourner Truth Elementary School from 1995-2003.

    In his role at Fenger, Robert supported the staff in sustaining a safe and stable school climate through the effective implementation of Restorative Practices, including Peace Circles, Restorative Mediations, and Family group conferences.  He also coached teachers at Fenger and conducted training utilizing the Boys Town Education Model across all sectors of the school community. 

Robert is a widely sought-after speaker on Restorative Practices and their implementation in Schools. Robert was a featured speaker on the Education Week Webinar entitled Rethinking Discipline-Strategies that works in Schools today and a featured speaker on CNN talking about the gun violence in Chicago.  He was also featured in the CNN 8 part docudrama ‘ChicagoLand’ which aired in 2013.   Robert’s work in Restorative Justice has been featured on National Public Radio, The Huffington Post, and the Associated Press. Robert was asked to speak at the White House in 2015 as a guest of the Department of Education and the Department of Justice as a part of a new initiative called RETHINKING DISCIPLINE. He currently consults with school districts, law enforcement agencies, and community-based organizations all across the United States.  

Robert is contracted with the Syracuse City School District, where he builds a district-wide model for the implementation of Restorative Practices.   He is a sought-after conference speaker and has presented at numerous conferences sharing the power of restorative practices. Robert has worked with the American Federation of Teachers, National Educators Association, and National Community Reinvestment Coalition, and the American School Counselors Association. Robert recently spoke at New York University on a panel focusing on children's mental health and trends and innovations, which include the use of Restorative Practices with our youth.  Robert's greatest title is his role as husband and father. He is married to Chandra Spicer and lives in Chicago, IL, with their four children. He is currently working on a book about his journey in Chicago Public Schools and his national work as a Restorative Practice consultant and strategist.