Middletown High School South was visited by a team of educators during the first week of December with the purpose of evaluating the school in order to determine whether or not we should be accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. It was the culmination of approximately 18 months of preparation, self-evaluation, and improvement planning and ended with a team report recommending our full accreditation! The visiting team was impressed by our administration, faculty, and programs offered, but their highest compliments were paid to our students. The team had the chance to interview teachers, parents, administrators, staff members, and students, and to visit classrooms. They were impressed by how students carried themselves, how they represented their school, and how they interacted with one another. One of the team members is now looking into a schedule like ours and is no longer afraid of a whole-school lunch block  Another team member, perhaps jokingly, said he would think about moving his own family to Middletown, and yet another team member went home with a list of things she will try in her classroom after seeing strategies successfully implemented in ours. The visit culminated with a report read by the team chairperson to students and staff members, in which he commended all members of the South community for demonstrating a commitment to excellence in all facets of education.

What is accreditation?

The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools is a nongovernmental, nonprofit, peer-administered organization that provides leadership in school improvement. As part of the association, The Commission on Secondary Schools evaluates and accredits schools that seek accreditation by the organization. In order for a school to be fully accredited, it needs to adhere to the 12 Middle States Standards of Accreditation, use its mission, beliefs, and goals as the basis for decision-making, and demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement in student learning. Some of the benefits of being an accredited school include an external validation of the school’s program, an assurance that the school’s purposes are appropriate and accomplished through a sustainable educational program, and a means by which school community members, by thoroughly looking at the programs being offered and student learning demonstrated, can offer ways to improve both the program and student learning.

The accreditation process begins with a self-study of the school, guided by Internal Coordinators and a Planning Team, with input from all school community members. Our initial surveys were distributed during the 2013-2014 school year to collect data from students, parents, and staff members. The results helped us to complete our self-study and formulate school-wide objectives for the next seven years. The bulk of the self-study was completed during the 2014-2015 school year, led by the Internal Coordinators, Mrs. Boyce, Mrs. Lentine, Mrs. Velasquez, and Mrs. Orozco. A Planning Team comprised of students, parents, and faculty members met during the spring and fall of 2015 to complete the study, revise the school’s mission statement, and formulate school-wide objectives. In addition to completing the self-study, the Internal Coordinators and Planning Team members coordinated the visit and developed action plans for the school to achieve the objectives formulated. Everyone involved in the process should be commended for a job well done!

We Believe In…

Reflection

Efficacy

Scholarship

Perseverance

Equity

Community

Tradition