Accreditation Accreditation is the process of certifying that a school meets all formal and official requirements of academic excellence, curriculum, facilities, etc. Did you know that the word ACCREDITATION comes from the French word for TRUST? AIS has been accredited since the 1970’s, and this year, we will go through the process of preparing to be reaccredited. To this end, AIS is spending this year designing a growth and improvement plan, and in November 2008, we will be visited by a Validation Team from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA), an American professional association that accredits colleges, universities, and schools in the United States and American Schools abroad. Accreditation and International Credential Reports Report Of The Accreditation For Growth Validation Team Report Of The International Credential Visitation Team AFG AFG is an accreditation process that uses strategic planning as a vehicle for growth and improvement in student performance and in the institution’s capacity to effect that growth. AIS will complete the MSA’s ACCREDITATION FOR GROWTH (AFG) protocol, which emphasizes SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT THROUGH IMPROVING STUDENT PERFORMANCE. A set of standards are provided by MSA to guide us through the accreditation process. Standards Rigorous standards of quality have been set by MSA to define acceptable operation and performance in educational institutions. To be reaccredited, AIS is required to demonstrate that they meet these 12 Standards for Accreditation. Each standard is amplified by a set of indicators that show possible evidence or ways that AIS can demonstrate it meets the Standard for Accreditation. The standards below are linked to survey results of the indicators: Philosophy, Mission, Beliefs and/or Objective Governance and Leadership School Improvement and Planning Finance Facilities School Climate and Organization Health and Safety Education Programs Assessment and Evidence of Student Learning Student Services Student Life and Student Activities Information Resources and Technology Process A Planning Team, consisting of staff, students and parents, has been created to steer the process. The Planning Team is composed of representatives of each of the institution's stakeholder groups (staff, students, teachers.) The team works to help oversee deveopment of the school's vision, beliefs, and profile of graduates, and to help monitor implementation of the action plans to achieve performance objectives. Action Plan Teams have worked to “design” the actions AIS will take to achieve its mission and objectives. These actions are in the form of behavioral objectives, and collectively, make up the Strategic Plan. Implementation Teams are working towards overseeing and monitoring the implementation of the Strategic Plan that has been approved. Implementation Teams, comprised of WBAIS faculty members and Administrators, are tasked with overseeing and monitoring the implementation of the steps of the Strategic Plan. Since AFG requires that student performance objectives are measurable in the present and over the entire length of the plan for growth and improvement (7 years), baseline data have been collected to serve as a starting point. Members of the AIS community (staff, students and parents) participated in the AFG standards review process by completing a survey online. The survey results were analyzed, areas of significant strength and weakness were identified, and recommendations were generated. To see the survey data and results, click on one of the above standards. The required “Context of the Institution” and “Profile of a Graduate” have been written. Strategic Planning Strategic planning is the means by which an organization continually recreates itself for extraordinary purposes – in the case of WBAIS, our purpose is clearly defined in our Core Values and Mission Statement. Strategic planning assumes that WBAIS has the ability to create the future.
I. By 2015, each student will demonstrate responsible citizenship by choosing to contribute actively to society.
II. By 2015, each student will meet or exceed academic requirements of the program in which they are enrolled.
III. By 2015, each student will understand and implement concepts of conflict management as a way to resolve differences.
We will continue to review and adapt current curriculum and introduce new programs as needed to help each student achieve the goals stated in the WBAIS Mission, and we will ensure that all members of our community understand and support this mission.
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