Categorized | Education

Accreditation team to visit Waimea Middle School (March 30-April 2)

MEDIA RELEASE

Waimea Middle School, which was designated a “Candidate for Accreditation” about 18 months ago by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), will welcome WASCʻs five-member Visiting Committee to campus March 30-April 2, 2014 to determine if the 285-student 6th, 7th and 8th grade public school is ready to be accredited.

The WASC Accreditation process is designed to assist schools in engaging the energies of all members of the school-community in reviewing and clarifying the school’s purpose, analyzing the effectiveness of the current program for students, developing plans to strengthen the current program, and assessing the stability and operation of the school.

Members of the WASC Visiting Committee include Team Chair Steve Shiraki with the DOE Office of Curriculum Instruction and Student Support, Katina Soares, Vice Principal at Kualapuu Elementary Public Conversion Charter School on Molokai, Puanani Wilhelm, Education Director at Kua O Ka La Public Charter School in Pahoa, Ryan Masa, Chief School Officer at Hawaiian Education Council, and Mollie Sperry, Head of School (retired) with Academy of the Pacific.

Preparing for this Accreditation visit has been a two-year process involving every member of the WMS faculty and staff and also its Hoʻokakoʻo Local School Board, its Local Advisory Panel (LAP) as its families and students.

They have collaborated on an in-depth Self-Study that evaluates the effectiveness of the school’s programs and operations to support high achievement of all students.

The WMS Accreditation Self-Study resulted in developing four schoolwide Action Plans that will serve as a guide for ongoing improvement. WMS Action Plans address (1) Student Supports, (2) Curriculum Alignment, (3) Educational Technology and (4) Development and Resource Management.

During the visit, Accreditation team members will observe all classrooms, meet with faculty and staff members of the Self-Studyʻs eight Focus Groups to discuss their research, findings and proposed Action Plans, and talk with students, families and community partners.

All WMS families, community partners and friends are invited to meet with the Accreditation Visiting Committee during the monthly Local Advisory Panel (LAP) meeting from 4-6 p.m., Mon., March 31 in Classroom K-04. The meeting, chaired by community volunteer Dr. Kamana Beamer, will begin with a presentation by WMS 8th grade East Coast Travelers who will have just returned from an American History educational trip to Washington, D.C, New York City and Philadelphia.

Supporting WMS through the Accreditation process has been the Hawai’i Association of Independent Schools (HAIS) and Kamehameha Schools.

To review WMSʻ Accreditation Self-Study and Action Plans, go to www.WaimeaMiddleSchool.org, and scan down the home page for “Candidate For Accreditation.”

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