NCS Granted
Candidate Status for ACSI/SACS Accreditation
On
Tuesday, January 27th Norlina Christian School
was granted candidate status for accreditation.
This approval came after a yearlong process of
meeting the necessary guidelines. Mr. Hodges,
ACSI Southeast Regional Director, met with the
NCS Board of Trustees this week regarding the
standards of accreditation. This was followed by
a school inspection with the Administrator and
Board. Based on the school’s current performance
and commitment Mr. Hodges granted the school
candidacy status for accreditation. At the end
of the term there will be a site visit by the
Accreditation Committee to evaluate the school.
The double accreditation will be with ACSI and SACS, with ACSI as the lead agency.
Administrator A. P. Shah (Ph.D. cand.) said that
“the process took over a year to reach this
stage of accreditation. Now the challenge is
even greater.” Accreditation is a national
benchmark of quality that ensures excellence in
all areas of school operations. It will involve
the board, staff, parents and local community
leaders. Mr. Shah also said that, “Any
improvement at NCS will also enhance the face of
our local community. We all have to work hand in
hand.” The NCS community is excited about this
achievement and is looking forward to the coming
year. Indra Eatmon, an NCS parent, said, “In the
minds of prospective students and their
families, accreditation will eliminate any
question that NCS is anything less than a high
quality educational institution. It will help
provide the recognition that this school and its
staff and faculty are so deserving of." James
and Indra have three children at NCS: Wesley
(4th grade), Taylor (7th grade) and Holly (9th
grade).
|
Accreditation and school improvement assist
schools in changing for the better in an orderly
and systematic way. It brings a vigorous dynamic
into the school by engaging every staff member
in a process of organizational appraisal.
Accreditation, a national benchmark of quality
is a voluntary process validated by peer review
and involving systematic self-evaluation against
nationally accepted standards.
Our
involvement in the accreditation process raises
the NCS’s commitment to quality through this
intentional investment.
Benefits of
Accreditation:
-
Documents that the school is true to its own
foundational statements (mission,
philosophy, and goals)
-
Affirms
that the school meets standards of quality
established by the international school
community
- Promotes accountability to the school
community and impacts parental contentment
- Improves instruction targeting increased
student achievement
- Increases confidence and reduction of
isolation
- Promotes on-going institutional improvement
through a continuous process of
self-assessment and systematic
school/program development.
- Encourages the evaluation of the biblical
and spiritual integration of the school
program
- Transfers credits between schools and
between nations’ school systems
- Extends
access to resources and tools to the
school/program
- Provides a complete review and written
documentation of school program
- Gives
purpose and direction for long-range
strategic planning
Mr.
Shah said, “The future looks bright for our
school. We are in the process of joint
accreditation through ACSI and SACS. Currently,
NCS is a member of the Association of Christian
Schools International (ACSI). Accreditation will
give us the added boost in our community of
influence and help us to stay accountable.” |
