1. The Accreditation For Growth Process Washington Township School District

2. What is the Middle States Association? The Middle States Association (MSA) is a private, non-profit organization that provides leadership in school improvement.

3. Why Accreditation for Growth (AFG)? • AFG is based on Strategic Planning. • Single Planning Team develops and manages improvement plan and accreditation activities • Planning Team remains active throughout term of accreditation • Onsite visit every seven years • Annual Review carried out onsite by Planning Team • A mid-point, one-day onsite visit by a member of the original Validation Team (2 ½ years following visit)

4. Standards Component of AFG • The Standards under which AFG is based include: • Philosophy/Mission/Beliefs/Objectives • Governance and Leadership • Organizational Design and Staff • Educational Programs • Learning Media Services and Technology • Student Services

5. Standards Component of AFG • Standards – continued • Student Life and Student Activities • Facilities • Health and Safety • Finances • Assessment of Student Learning • Planning

6. The Process • Create a committee representative of the school’s stakeholders • Conduct an internal scan of the school -strengths, weaknesses, opportunities • Assess school’s realization of Middle States standards • Consider student achievement data • Identify critical issues • Identify student achievement objectives • Develop action plans

7. The Process (con’t) • Communicate results and plan to stakeholders • Middle States Validation Team visits the school: Reviews plans and objectives • School begins to implement plans • Plan for annual review and revision • Middle States returns to assess progress • Cycle continues

8. Five Required Components • Mission statement • Belief statements • Profile of Graduates • Two to four measurable objectives for improved student performance • Action plans to achieve each objective

9. Our district is participating in a challenging and rewarding process of self-assessment as part of the Accreditation for Growth Process. The Accreditation for Growth (AFG) protocol, developed by the Middle States Association and the Commission of Elementary and Secondary Schools, asks schools to examine their current performances, identify objectives and develop a plan to better achieve the objectives.

10. In January 2005, Washington Township School District began the formal process of accreditation. Teachers, students, administrators, parents, and community members began working together to assure that all stakeholders had a voice in the process.

11. Why is accreditation important? Accreditation provides an approach that requires the school to examine and reflect upon the current curriculum, teaching methodology, and standards to provide an environment which is developmentally appropriate, culturally sensitive, and challenging. Accreditation provides a way to manage the change through regular assessment, planning, implementation and reassessment.

12. What does AFG mean for my child? Our focus is to improve the skills of all students, preparing them to successfully meet the challenges of tomorrow.

13. What is our task? After gathering information from all stakeholders, our tasks were identified and have become our goals and objectives in this endeavor. AFG shows our community’s commitment to the welfare of our students.

14. What does AFG mean for parents? The Accreditation Committee is committed to provide the parents with feedback of the accreditation process through various avenues such as the district report card, newsletters and the district website: www.wtpsmercer.k12.nj.us

15. What Does Accreditation For Growth Require? • Requires the commitment of all stakeholders • Commits to continuous review • Agrees to peer review and external validation

16. What happens during the AFG "visit" to the school? The visiting team of educational professionals will interview members of the school and community to determine whether the Middle States Association expectations and standards are being met. If all standards are met, the Validation Team offers an accreditation recommendation to the Commission and accreditation is granted.

17. What happens after the visit? AFG is an ongoing process. The school will continue to meet the requirements of the action plans that have been put into practice and will continue to move closer to meeting our objectives. Each year we will conduct an annual review to chart and analyze our progress. The Middle States Association requires that a mid-point progress report is completed. In addition, the Middle States Accreditation Commission requires that each school is revisited by the validation team every seven years.

18. The Hope of Tomorrow The hope of tomorrow lies not with giants with corporate titles but with common ordinary people willing to tackle uncommon, extra-ordinary goals; people willing to set aside their own personal comfort and convenience; to reach out through love and commitment to touch another human soul. Sue Vineyard