I was very happy to return to school on Thursday morning to greet the children as they walked into school. One of my responsibilities as part of the larger community of independent schools is to serve occasionally in the capacity as chairperson of a visiting team to a school undergoing accreditation. We experienced this same accreditation process last year -- a yearlong process of self-assessment on how well we have been meeting standards set by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools (HAIS). A team of three other educators and I served as the visiting team for an independent school in Kihei, Maui. From Sunday through Wednesday, we visited classrooms, met with every constituent group of the school (Board members, faculty, etc.), examined school documents, and deliberated every evening on what we had learned in conjunction with the school's report. A visiting team is immersed in the life of the school; the experience is deeply rewarding and educational. While I was impressed by many aspects of the school I had visited, I was eager to settle back into the ebb and flow of life at Mid-Pacific Institute. Good to be home!
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