This past week, I was in Merced for three days, evaluating the work of a small private school. From going into classrooms or talking with parents to examining their financial practices and playing Dodgeball with their students- I (and a team of three others) were “in their business.”
Our work was to examine every aspect of the school, assessing if they were in alignment with their accrediting body as well as fulfilling the promise of their mission. The school had submitted a 160-page report reflecting on its practices and culture. Our job was to see how accurate their self-reflection was, give feedback, and help them set goals for the next six years.
Saklan is in the middle of that accreditation process right now. Over the past nine months, the faculty and staff have been working on our own California Association of Independent Schools Accreditation Self-Study. The report will be submitted in December, and there will be a team of 4-5 accreditation members visiting Saklan for four days in March. Once they visit, they will submit their report with “notable strengths” and recommendations for improvement.
They examine not just how well we are doing in the areas of teaching and learning but also whether our culture is in alignment with our mission and core values. Do our financial practices and governance follow best practices? Do we have a process for continual improvement? And lastly, have we been honestly self-reflective in our self-study report?
The process is intense and exhausting but also validating and rewarding. It helps us understand our strengths, but also where we need to improve. It is an exercise in self-reflection and learning- which is what we are about. I look forward to sharing our school with the visiting committee in March, as I am so proud to be part of this community.
Sincerely,
David
#HeadsCorner
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