Tabor is engaging in preliminary planning this spring for a year of self-study in preparation for their 10-year Accreditation through the New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC) in the fall of 2019. NEASC works with schools and colleges across New England, including private, technical, parochial, and public schools from pre-K to the doctoral level.
According to their website, NEASC has been around since 1885 working to establish and maintain high standards for schools and colleges. Through their process of self-evaluation and an accreditation visit by peers, their mission is to stimulate constant improvement in education. Divided into four commissions to fine-tune their approach to different types of schools, NEASC uses 15 research-driven standards to test how well a school does what it says it is doing through its mission, programs, governance, and administrative structure and policies.
The first step in this process is a time of self-study where Tabor’s faculty and staff will all be involved in assessing exactly what they do and how and why they do it. “This is an enormous opportunity for reflection and growth, as we will no doubt uncover areas for improvement and opportunities to be more streamlined in our processes. This collation of the status quo, as well as ideas and plans for future improvement is a huge undertaking that will require lots of communication between groups of diverse teams so that we get the clearest view of our current work and the widest input on our future potential,” said Director of Communication Kerry Saltonstall. This stage includes surveying students, parents, and alumni to gather data and information directly from the extended community. The self-study takes about 9-12 months to complete.
After submitting the self-study document, the school will prepare for a fall 2019 visit from an assigned NEASC Visiting Team. These teams are created by NEASC and made up of volunteer professionals from peer schools that bring expertise from many different schools into our process. The teams are populated with experienced teachers and administrators from schools with similar missions. Their job is to read the self-study and then come to campus to see the school in action, asking questions to ensure that the actions reflected in the study are actually happening at the school. The team will then judge whether Tabor is meeting the 15 standards NEASC sets out for accreditation. The team will also make commendations and recommendations to the school.
Tabor’s faculty has been the most active in New England to volunteer as Visiting Team members, with over 20 faculty members serving in the last four years. “Our participation as volunteers on Visiting Teams has been fantastic preparation for this process, as well as wonderful professional development for faculty who regularly bring back great ideas from other schools in the process,” said Saltonstall.
The faculty officially began work on this project on March 20, taking a day just before the beginning of Trimester 3 to get a jump on the Student Program Section, one of the largest parts of the report.
Frank Townsend, the faculty coordinator of this extensive process was encouraged, “The work was engaging and sparked terrific conversation and enthusiasm for the task ahead. I am confident that the full, extended Tabor community will likewise engage wholeheartedly in this process to squeeze out every potential benefit for our great school.”