Salem High School Releases Accreditation Report

Salem High School has received its accreditation report from the Committee on Public Secondary Schools of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

This report is from the school’s March 9-12, evaluation by a visiting team of 17 educators from New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Maine. The Committee will meet later this fall to determine the school’s accreditation status based on this report.

The accreditation program for public schools involves a threefold process: the self-study conducted by the local professional staff; the on-site evaluation conducted by the Committee’s visiting committee, and the follow-up program carried out by the school to implement the findings of its own self-study; and the recommendations of the visiting committee, and the recommendations identified by the Committee in the Follow-Up process. Continued accreditation requires that the school be reevaluated at least once every ten years and that it shows continued progress in addressing identified needs.

Principal Tracy Collyer noted that the report reflected what was seen in the school’s own self-study. She was also pleased to see that the report included the following commendations:

• A positive, respectful, and supportive school culture where students feel safe, cared for, and respected;
• The opportunity students have to use and apply their learning in real-world situations in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) curriculum;
• The additional support and alternative strategies teachers provide in their classrooms;
• The wide range of activities available to students that enhances school and community pride and civic engagement;
• The wide array of available counseling and referral services in guidance, nursing, and special education;
• The outstanding responsiveness of the librarian to student interests and needs by aligning library materials with the school curriculum;
• The support the school receives from the community, as evidences by our numerous business, industry, community, and college partnerships.

The report also included recommendations for improvement, some of which will be met through the upcoming renovation project. The recommendations include ensuring our curriculum is designed so all of our students can achieve our 21st century learning expectations, including the use of technology; providing teachers with the training and support they need so their instructional practices support this learning; providing students with the feedback they need to improve their work; creating surveys for feedback on the quality of library, guidance, nursing, and special education services; and following through on the successful town vote to fund the renovation designed to provide a modern structure to ensure delivery of a 21st century education.

Community members interested in reading the report can access it at the Kelley Library, Town Hall, the SAU Office, or the high school’s main office.