School Accreditation Update

Saint Brendan Parish School  

September 2004

St. Brendan Parish School is to be commended for completing the accreditation process for School Improvement. The Pastor, Principal, faculty, staff, and parents are committed to on-going school improvement. During the school improvement process the school community affirmed its mission, clarified its philosophy, and adopted Student Learning Expectations. The process provided an avenue for all stakeholders to examine, discuss, and reflect upon the curriculum, programs, and practices of the school, and to establish new directions for the future.

Some of the key areas of strength at St. Brendan Parish School determined from the visiting committee’s evaluation were the spiritual and instructional leadership from the Principal and Pastor, the quality learning experiences for all students from the highly qualified, professional and dedicated faculty and staff, the display of student work that gives witness to the faith filled Catholic values of the school, and the cooperative relationship among the various St. Brendan communities.

At the conclusion of the self-study in the spring of 2004, the staff identified areas of growth and developed an improvement plan. The three areas for growth include increasing student knowledge of service oriented vocations and organizations, developing a greater understanding of various student learning styles by students, faculty, and parents, and generating a cyclical review of curriculum by subject areas by students and teachers.

The visiting committee observed that St. Brendan Parish School has many factors which will support the school improvement plan such as a supportive pastor, a qualified principal, a committed faculty and staff, and a supportive parent community and parish.

The Archdiocese of Seattle and WCEA annually monitor the school improvement plan. These checks and balances will assist the school in carrying out all the steps of the School Improvement Plan.

St. Brendan Parish School was notified in June 2004 of receiving accreditation for the maximum term of six years.

January 2004

The Leadership Committee, together with review from the school staff, PTO, and the School Commission, has finalized the Self-Study Report and sent the report for publishing. Teachers and specialists are completing their evidence binders, which contain actual student work that aligns with our Student Learning Expectations and Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements. The teacher evidence binders include a description of lesson plans and student work that documents what is being taught, how it is taught, and how the learning is assessed. These portfolios are a wonderful display of the variety and depth of learning that our students experience. The administration and office staff, Instructional Assistants, PTO, Art Docents, School Commission, and Development Committee are also completing their evidence binders.

On January 13, 2004 the Accreditation Site Team, composed of principals and teachers from the Archdiocese of Seattle and other archdioceses, visited Saint Brendan Parish School for a preliminary tour and meeting and received the final copy of our Self-Study Report. The team will return for the in-depth site evaluation on February 11, 12, and 13^th. At that time the accreditation team will observe students, classrooms, teaching, and evidence binders, as well as discuss their observations and the Self-Study Report with Father Lawrence, Mrs. Sullivan, teachers, school staff, PTO Board Members, School Commission members, and the Development Committee.

At the end of the site visit in February, the Accreditation Team will meet with the school staff and discuss the school evaluation. Thereafter, the Team will notify the school if we achieved accreditation and for how long of a period. The longest a school can receive accreditation is for is six years.

Beginning on February 23rd, copies of the Self -Study Report and the evidence binders will be available for parents to review. These items will be located in the library, and we ask that parents sign out and return each copy of the Self-Study Report. The evidence binders cannot be checked out, but can be reviewed in the library. We will also display this information during our Spring Concert in May.

We look forward to a remarkable year to complete the accreditation evaluation. We appreciate all the time, energy, and talents from our outstanding staff and parents that have allowed us to produce such a thorough study of our school.

Leadership Committee

Arlene Sullivan

Chris Lunn

Karen Constantino