CCS to Earn 3rd Consecutive Term of ACSI/NCA Accreditation.

Calvary Christian Schools is in the final stages of renewing their long-standing dual accreditation with organizations that are well known and respected within the educational community: the North Central Association (NCA), and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).

The accreditation process gives CCS credibility with their stakeholders and the community. It also qualifies their SEVIS status to host international students. This data-driven process provides a structure of rigorous standards focused on continual school improvement.

Every facet of their program is assessed: Governance, Mission, Resources, Instruction, Facilities, Personnel, Safety, Student Performance, and more. In response to hundreds of questions, the administration and faculty produce countless pages of evidence in support of their answers, but more importantly, the process sharpens their focus on better serving the individual and collective needs of their students and parental partners.

Here are just a few examples, in preparation for the coming accreditation visit, taken from the CCS website:

Curriculum Guides/Scope and Sequence were revised and republished by teams of teachers after evaluating our entire K-12 curriculum. They looked at what we teach (scope) and the order in which we teach it (sequence). This on-going process prompts adjustments and provides a basis for prioritizing new textbooks as the budget allows.

Stakeholder Surveys were completed with parents, students and staff members in November. We have been evaluating these results, listening to the input from our stakeholders, and addressing concerns while building upon our achievements and strengths.

A Continuous School Improvement Plan (CSIP) has been reviewed and published by a cross-section of CCS stakeholders based on input from the Stakeholder Surveys and the expertise of our teachers and administration. The CSIP was submitted to the School Board for review in February. Part of the board’s oversight role is vision casting and assisting the administration in ongoing implementation and stakeholder involvement.

Emergency Protocols have been updated with the on-site direction of the County Emergency Management Director. This process included emergency drill training, publishing of safety procedures and protocols, and the purchase of equipment through grants and other individual donations.

Updates of all governing documents are now complete: Board Policy Manual and Bylaws, Staff Manual, Parent/Student Handbook, and all Enrollment Materials.

Technology Upgrades have taken place in classrooms. E-911-compliant phones have been installed in all classrooms and offices. The school website has been redesigned, and teachers now have their own webpages accessible through the school website. Additional security cameras (24 now in place) and other upgrades are in process. In February, our internet speed was quadrupled and moved to an unshared dedicated-service line.

Integration of Mission: The ACSI accreditation process is very specific in confirming that the CCS Statements of Faith and Mission are at the core of everything we do. We have revised the same longstanding goals of our Mission Statement down to 18 words which were the subject of this space in the fall and have been on display in signage and communication on a regular basis.

Student Performance Data Analysis helps us improve our instruction for individual students and whole classes as well as providing  plan for ongoing staff development in this area.

By the time you read this, hundreds of pages of reports will have been submitted to ACSI and NCA. On March 20-23 an External Review Team will be at CCS for three and a half days to examine policies, observe classrooms, interview staff and constituents; review files, procedures and documentation. When finished, these visiting experts will produce a list of commendations and recommendations which will, in short, determine if CCS has earned accreditation for what will be their third consecutive cycle since 1999.

CCS Administrator thanks their faculty and Mrs. Shelley Watkins who has served as their accreditation facilitator for eighteen years. Together with many other volunteers, their team has devoted thousands of hours to this project over the last two years. They do it because they love CCS and the children of the community, and they want to make this school the best it can be.

Please read the full version of this article with many helpful links at: http://2beginwith.blogspot.com/2016/02/seeking-our-third-consecutive-term-of.html

For more information, visit www.calvaryeagles.org, or call (231)-865-2141.