Accreditation and Evaluation visits (CIS/WASC & IB)

Dear BIS community,

As you know, we had accreditation /authorization visits this week.  Before the visitors left, we received feedback which I would like to share with you.

First, the visitors wanted to extend their thanks for the welcome that they received and the very positive meetings that they had with everyone.  All three institutions were extremely positive and complimentary of our school community.  They all mentioned many times how it was apparent that trust has been built, good relationships have been formed and that we all support each other – students, teachers, admin, support staff, leadership, parents and Board.

Our CIS visitor stated that there will be no need for any follow up (everything is good) and our WASC visitor indicated that our accreditation will be renewed in their January meeting.  The official report with commendations and recommendations will most likely arrive in January.

The IB visitors were also pleased with our progress and extremely complimentary of the teaching and learning that they saw while visiting classes.  Additionally,  they were very impressed with our teaching staff and our hiring ability/processes.

I would like to thank Deb Plant, our accreditation officer, for all the work that she has done to lead this process over the past two years.  She has kept us on track, reflective and organized. She has lead this process; taking a very large complex project and making it manageable for all of us.

Another reason that the visit was successful was due to all of us, the commitment shown to the school by all of the community, the preparation done and the teamwork shown.  Our visitors were very complimentary of all aspects of the school – accounting, purchasing, HR, facilities/ground staff, security, cleaning staff, teaching staff and support staff. They were also very impressed with our parents and students – how knowledgable, positive, and articulate they are and how well they represent our community.

We can now move forward and concentrate on forward planning and continuously improving the educational experience for our students.  I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who was involved in the CIS/WASC visits.

Best,
Denise Walsh
Head of School