Daniel Hand High School Seeks NEASC Accreditation
Daniel Hand High School's faculty members met on Tuesday, October 12, 2021 to listen to strategies on preparing for the school's Self-Reflection offered by a staff member from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Fran Kennedy, Associate Director of Accreditation and School Improvement, for the Association's Commission on Public Schools, provided the faculty with an overall picture of the Commission's Accreditation procedures and Standards for Accreditation during the hour-long session.
Mr. Kennedy noted that the New England Association is a voluntary accrediting agency of more than 2,000 public and independent schools, colleges and universities, and vocational, technical, and career institutions. Of these, approximately 725 schools are accredited through the Association's Commission on Public Schools. The Commission works with individual schools to improve the quality of education through a continuous process of evaluation and Accreditation.
Principal Salutari said, "To become a member of NEASC, a school must align with the Standards for Accreditation. The purpose of the Self-Reflection is to provide an opportunity for our professional staff to review all our educational programs, processes, systems, and practices to determine the degree to which our school aligns with those rigorous Standards.” The Standards were established to ensure that the necessary components for effective education exist within the school. Principal Salutari also noted that, "While Accreditation by the Association does not imply perfection, it does ensure that the school has the resources, leadership, and organization necessary to support the ongoing improvement required of all schools."
One of the major requirements for NEASC membership is that the entire school be assessed following the extensive Self-Reflection by the professional staff. This assessment is conducted by visiting teams of professional educators, sent by the Commission, who review all materials prepared by the faculty in the Self-Reflection, visit classes, and talk with students, teachers, administrators, parents, and community members during their four-day visit to the school. Daniel Hand High School has been scheduled for visits at the conclusion of the Self-Reflection and again on November 17-20, 2024.
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges, founded in 1885, is the oldest accrediting agency in the country and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the sole agency to award Accreditation to PreK-12 schools, elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools in New England.
For more information contact:
Person: Principal Anthony (T.J.) Salutari, Jr.
School: Daniel Hand High School
City/State/Zip: Madison, CT 06443
Email: salutaria@madison.k12.ct.us
Telephone: 203.245.6350