At I.S. 285 Meyer Levin, the morning ritual is anything but routine. The daily assembly at the East Flatbush middle school is more like a pep rally crossed with the Oprah Winfrey Show. And New York City officials said it is just the kind of thing they want to see more often.

Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza and the city's first lady Chirlane McCray stopped by the school Wednesday to highlight it as a model of what they call social-emotional learning, restorative justice, and culturally responsive education. 

At the town hall, a few students stepped up on stage for "libations," pouring some water from a plastic bottle into a plant to celebrate an achievement, or to mourn a loss. One student talked about a grandmother passing away. Another about a brother graduating from college. A third dedicated her libation to the custodians who recently found her phone. There were birthday shout-outs. Students wearing sunglasses played steel drums while their classmates sang the U.S. national anthem, the South African national anthem, a civil rights hymn, and a rousing rendition of Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." Then they and their teachers danced out the door to class.

Principal George Patterson said the town hall is part of a suite of initiatives to ensure students feel seen and supported at school, and to help them communicate during difficult experiences. The goal is for them to be able to talk through their feelings rather than getting physical or disrupting class. The school received funding and training from the city's Department of Education as part of a pilot program devoted to conflict resolution and restorative justice.

Last June, the de Blasio Administration announced a commitment to expanding initiatives like this one. Some principals have expressed skepticism, saying they haven't received the resources they need. Officials said they are phasing in the new restorative justice programs for middle schools and high schools over the next three years.