Nativity Earns Middle States Accreditation

Nativity of Our Lord School recently earned re-accreditation through Middle States Association Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS), ending an intensive three-year process that culminated in three half-day visits from a volunteer validation team of educators.

Nativity of Our Lord, which has been accredited since 1990, has sought reaccreditation every five years or so in an effort to keep the standards of excellence high at the school, according to Principal Roselee Maddaloni.

“It’s important to constantly look at the school and see what we’ve done well, what we need to change and how we want to proceed into the future,” says Maddaloni.  “It’s a wonderful thing, but accreditation is also a grueling process – it takes a long time – and so it forces a school to study itself, to see how it can improve, and that’s actually very healthy in helping assess where you need to be academically, socially, and, in our case, religiously.”

To be accredited by the Middle States Association, which has accredited more than 3,500 schools in the tri-state area and overseas, a school must meet the association’s standards in a variety of areas, including mission/beliefs/objectives, governance and leadership, organization design and staff, educational programs, learning media services and technology, student services, student life and activities, facilities, health and safety, finances, assessment of student learning, and planning.

During their visit in April 2010, the Middle States team toured the school facilities, interviewed various teachers, students, administrators, and parents, reviewed the school’s plan for improvement, and observed every facet of the school day – lunch, class, even dismissal.

The team then submitted their recommendation and commendations to the Middle States Board, which, last week, officially announced the reaccreditation of Nativity of Our Lord.

“This school joins a prestigious network of Middle States accredited schools committed to a more fair and comprehensive assessment of achievement and success that goes beyond standardized test scores and student performances to encompass programs, services and facilities,” says MSA-CESS President Henry G. Cram, Jr., Ed.D. “The school community is to be commended for their commitment to ensure that every student reach his or her fullest potential.”

Many of the recommendations the MSA team made have already been put into action. For instance, the team suggested better means of moving dismissal along and the creation of a full school yearbook (previously there had been just an eighth grade year book), both of which were implemented immediately.

In their commendations, the MSA team praised the atmosphere at Nativity of Our Lord, particularly the healthy spirit and safe environment, according to Maddaloni. They also praised the teaching methodology and concentration on technology at the school, both of which tie into its mission objective, “Learning from the past, living in the present, planning for the future.”

Although Maddaloni was working at the Archdiocese as Director of Elementary Education when the team visited, she has been shepherding Nativity of Our Lord into the future of technology-driven education since she became principal. When she arrived last year, the school only had three smart boards, but since that time, due to a grant and other funding, six more have been added and seven more are on the way.

‘’The teachers here are very hard working, flexible and open to learning new things, which is helping to take us where we need to be,” says Maddaloni. “I’m very much into technology, so I’ve pulled them with me into the use of smart boards. Soon, each teacher will have access to interactive technology, so children can come up and use it and learn that way.

“We try very hard to integrate learning into everyday life. It’s not just learning for the test. We’ve begun abandoning old ways of learning; it’s no longer just a lecture or text book reading, but ‘What can I do to get these concepts integrated into everyday life.’ We are helping children with critical thinking skills, providing the children technology and real world experience they will need to be active members of society.”

According to Maddaloni, seeking reaccreditation with Middle States is one of the many ways Nativity of Our Lord can make sure the community knows the school will continue to improve at every opportunity.

“The school is always in a process,” she says. “We’re not going to be stagnant, and we take nothing for granted, especially today with things moving so quickly with technology and how information is processed. I would hope the parents see that we are keeping up with this.”

The school, which currently has 512 students in pre-K-4 through eighth grade, will continue to improve and expand next year with the addition of a pre-K-3 program. Maddaloni stresses that such a program won’t just be playtime – every Nativity students gets the same quality education, regardless of grade. Every student gets the chance to take advantage of Nativity’s exciting programs, from Spanish, to music, to computers.

“I’m very proud of the education we offer here, from preK all the way up through eighth grade,” says Maddaloni. “When our kids come into school now, what used to be first grade, they’re getting in kindergarten. Keeping up with the times, constantly changing for the better, we’re not afraid to do that.”