Springfield High School taken off NEASC ‘warning list’

Springfield High School is no longer in danger of losing its accreditation.
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20130409/NEWS02/704099873

Springfield High School taken off NEASC ‘warning list’ By Christian Avard Staff Writer | April 09,2013 Rutland Herald SPRINGFIELD — Springfield High School is no longer in danger of losing its accreditation. Springfield High School Principal Bob Thibault said the high school was taken off the New England Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges “warning list” last week after it met the organization’s school mission and student expectations standards. NEASC commended the high school’s improvements at a Commission of Public Secondary Schools meeting earlier this year. Every 10 years, NEASC conducts an accreditation audit of public schools throughout the region. NEASC put Springfield High School on a “warning list” of schools that did not meet accreditation standards and SHS faced losing its accreditation if it did not fix two specific criterion: school mission and student expectations. Thibault was not the principal when the audit began in spring 2008, but he said the school was in flux at the time, turnover was high and preparation for the NEASC evaluation was compromised. According to Thibault, the school mission was not one that the school rallied around and that student expectations did not include vital input from key stakeholders. Thibault and Superintendent Zach McLaughlin, collected up to 1,100 surveys from teachers and staff, students, School Board members and the local community. The high school’s mission statement at the time of the NEASC audit was “Springfield High School will educate students to become critical thinkers who possess the integrity, knowledge and skills necessary to become contributing citizens.” With input from stakeholders, the new mission statement reads, “Springfield High School students will prepare for postsecondary learning through achieving fluency in the essential skills of reading, communication, collaboration and reasoning. Successful SHS graduates will be capable, respectful, responsible citizens of the community in which they live,” according to the Springfield High School website. “(The old mission statement) wasn’t what you would call ‘alive.’ People didn’t know what it was or they did not consult with it when they made decisions around things,” Thibault said. “What NEASC expected was a living breathing statement that everyone knows and that you operate within that framework. That wasn’t happening. That is happening now.” The high school’s prior list of student expectations were based on three standards: integrity, knowledge and reading, writing and speaking skills. The high school’s new expectations are based on academic, civic and social skills. According to the school’s new academic guidelines, SHS graduates must be able to read critically; communicate by producing clear, coherent, purposeful writing; communicate through effective listening; communicate by analyzing, comprehending, and creating complex visual materials; convey complex ideas and information; and solve problems by collaboration. Students will demonstrate civic skills “by being an informed and participatory citizen in the community” and social skills by showing “respect for self and others,” according to the high school website. Thibault said the high school took a hard look at current practices. Although the high school was not cited for major deficiencies, Thibault stressed that an adequate mission and well-defined student expectations are critical for educating students. “For us it was important that we not lose accreditation for the kids and the college process. It gives us credibility in the community as well,” Thibault said.