Northwest Academy Looks for Re-Accreditation

For the first time since 1994, Northwest Academy will be applying for re-accreditation, a process that has taken years of extensive preparation.

“An accreditation is like a ‘seal of approval,’ a validation that we are being true to our mission as a school,” Scott Kerman, Dean of Curriculum, said.

To become accredited, a school must first be evaluated in many aspects including school culture, academic curriculum, current and future finances as well as its board of trustees.

“Accreditations last around eight years but schools will begin preparing much before that,” Kerman said.

On November 16th, a visiting team of nine educators, sent by The Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS), will come to Northwest Academy for a three-day visit to evaluate the school and see if it qualifies for a new accreditation.

“Accreditation is important because it assures the public that we are legitimate, offer a solid curriculum, treat our students and staff appropriately, do not discriminate and follow best practices with regard to financial matters,” Mary Folberg, Head of School, said.

During the three day evaluation, the educators will sit in on classes, interview students and staff and become accustomed to Northwest Academy’s culture.

“Don’t worry about acting perfectly while we are being evaluated,” Kerman said. “Just act as you would any normal day: respectfully and responsibly.”

As a major part of the accreditation process, staff recently finished an extensive 200-page long ‘self-study’ that described many aspects of Northwest Academy such as its mission, academic curriculum and connected community. The self study also described Northwest Academy’s commitment to diversity and desire to have a vast range of staff and students.

“Professionally, I very much enjoyed the profound reflection on my own and the universal school curriculum, culture and practices,” Julie Ellington, a teacher, said. “Taking the time to do a detailed inventory of all the pieces that make up the whole was revelatory and I am grateful for the process – even though it was sometimes exhausting.”

The entire self study document took about a year to write.

NWAIS supports independent schools like Northwest Academy and can provide them with accreditation.

“NWAIS believes that independent schools like us should be able to get the same opportunities and respect as public schools and should be able to express ourselves as who we are,” Kerman said.

NWAIS will write an evaluation of the school and measure it against the standards: the agreed upon expectations that a school must have to become accredited. The evaluation will be compared with the self-study written by staff as well as the surveys that were given to many students and parents last year.

Accreditations are not required for an independent school, but are important for a school like Northwest Academy that wants to keep growing.