CHS Middle States Accreditation Culminates This Week

This week, will be completing its Middle States accreditation process, as a team of educators from the group will evaluate the school’s progress and growth plan.

Middle States is an accreditation company that certifies a high school has reached a certain level of excellence. This week, a two-year process comes to an end, as educators will evaluate the school.

Results form surveys that were distributed to staff, students and the school community yielded results that CHS Middle States committees will look at.

“From those survey results, we identify two or three things we want to work on moving forward and make them our goals for the next seven years,” said Ryan Gorman, vice principal at CHS.

The goals CHS has identified are to establish benchmarks to measure student performance and to improve standardized testing scores in the language arts and math portions of the HSPAs.

Educators are at the school this week to evaluate the school’s progress regarding the 12 standards. The standards include health and safety, student services, facilities and more.

For example, a survey was distributed regarding information resources and technology.

“We took those survey results and had a committee review them and come up with recommendations,” Gorman said.

Five educators from the northeast corridor of Middle States will interview teachers, observe classes and review documentation the school has prepared.

“The whole purpose of it is not only a weighing of where you are now, but it’s being a school that’s constantly looking to improve in the future,” Gorman said. “It’s an accolade to a kid who can say he or she is from a Middle States-accredited high school.”

Assessments began Monday and will end Thursday. On Thursday afternoon, the evaluators will present the results of their findings.

On Wednesday at 3:30, the public is invited to talk to the educators regarding the accreditation process. That will be held in the high school library.

Cinnaminson High School has been accredited since 1971, but every eight years, must reapply. Official word on whether the school achieved accreditation status will be determined in the spring.