The journey toward accreditation by the Western Association of
Schools and Colleges began at Central Continuation six years ago
when Principal Irene Macias-Morriss began to look within the high
school for improvements. After an exhaustive review including the
state committee touring the school and interviewing at random
students and parents, Central was accredited once again.
Morgan Hill – The journey toward accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges began at Central Continuation six years ago when Principal Irene Macias-Morriss began to look within the high school for improvements. After an exhaustive review including the state committee touring the school and interviewing at random students and parents, Central was accredited once again.
According to the WASC website, accreditation is done to certify the school as a “trustworthy institution of learning,” and it fosters improvement through the reflection the school’s staff does during the process. All schools in Morgan Hill Unified must be accredited by WASC.
This year, WASC shortened the accreditation period from six years to three.
“We got to go to amazing workshops and we were really able to reflect,” Macias-Morriss said at the Oct. 12 school board meeting where she and two teachers, David Craig and Frank Lines gave a presentation and showed off their framed accreditation certificate to board members.
“We took it so seriously. … We looked into ourselves,” she said, adding that the WASC committee was helpful in figuring out what Central needed to keep and what they need to improve. “I loved it. I loved the process.”
Craig, a longtime Central teacher was on his fourth WASC review, and acted again as the facilitator of the process.
“If you can really make it an authentic self-study, it has a ring and a resonance not just as what we do, but that resonance comes through our parents and students,” Craig said.
The WASC and California Department of Education criteria are organized into five categories: Organization (vision, purpose, governance, leadership, staff and resources); standards-based student learning in curriculum, instruction, assessment and accountability and finally support for student personal and academic growth.
“It’s kind of rejuvenating, but exhausting,” Lines said.
