November 14, 2026 — 7:30pm

Tears well in Winmalee High School principal Voula Facas’ eyes as she sits across from the mother of a badly bullied child.

The mother says to Facas: “I am not the sort of person who comes in and yells the place down. I just didn’t want to see my child so depressed.”

Winmalee High School principal Voula Facas with students. Wolter Peeters

Facas listens intently, as she has every time the parent has visited the school to report the bullying their child faces. Together, the pair has worked through the problems, creating a safety plan centred on making sure the child who was causing harm understood the consequences of their actions.

“That’s what restorative practice is about – it’s getting kids to understand their impact,” Facas said.

“You can discipline a child for doing the wrong thing, but if they don’t truly understand the impact, then nothing will change.”

This belief in restorative justice is the approach all NSW schools must soon follow.…