This Sunday Academy faculty, staff, administration, and the Board of Trustees will welcome the ISACS (Independent Schools Association of the Central States) Visiting Team as part of our accreditation process. For the past three years, the Academy has been preparing for this visit, led by Steering Committee chair Robynn Horner, along with Michael Taylor, Mary Reepmeyer, and Tim Horner. Below, Mrs. Horner shares the process that has brought us to this point.
Over the past three years, the faculty, administration, staff and Board of Trustees at the Academy have been working to become fully accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS).
You may be wondering, “What is ISACS and why is it an important distinction for our school?” ISACS is a nationally recognized accrediting organization that evaluates Independent Schools through a comprehensive and rigorous review process. There are 240 ISACS accredited schools in the 13 central-states region, and we are proud to join the ranks of these prestigious schools.
ISACS accreditation supports our goal to provide an exceptional education for our students. It helps ensure our programs are academically rigorous, our environment is safe and supportive, and our faculty, staff, and leadership are aligned with our mission. It also confirms that our school meets established standards of excellence in academic programming, faculty and staff qualifications, governance, financial stewardship, and institutional stability.
As two of the three faculty and leadership members who have worked in other ISACS accredited schools, Michael Taylor and I were asked to lead the Academy’s accreditation. Michael and I previously chaired self-study committees or served on the steering committees at our former schools, and we were excited to lead the Academy through this journey.
The accreditation process includes data analysis, an in-depth self-study, reflection, goal setting as a road map for continuous improvement, curricular alignment and review, and an on-site visit by a team of independent educators and administrators from fellow ISACS schools. This team reviews our self-study and observes our practices in order to recommend us for ISACS accreditation. In doing so, they formally recognize our strengths and provide recommendations for continuous improvement.
As an educator, teaching at an ISACS school confirms that our school community is committed to providing a premier education to our students. The accreditation process, which is a seven-year cycle, provides the structure to collaborate with our colleagues across all divisions to ensure a cohesive educational program that is continually striving to improve. Essentially, it is confirmation that we hold ourselves accountable to the same standards we set for our students: striving to do our best, analyzing our successes and struggles through data collection and self-reflection, and setting SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). I think you will see our students demonstrating a very similar process during student-led conferences next week.
Another benefit to becoming an ISACS school is access to professional development through webinars, conferences, events, and the opportunity to serve on the visiting team at other schools completing their accreditation process.
Four years ago Tim and I were led to the Academy through an ISACS colleague who was a Head of School in St. Louis and was familiar with the Academy and its great work. He told us, “There is a very special school in St. Charles, and I think you need to check it out.” Knowing that as a member of the ISACS accreditation board his standards were high, we decided to step outside our comfort zone (where every educator knows true growth happens) and “check it out.” What we discovered was a truly unique, highly respected school with rich tradition, respectful, engaged students, and a supportive community glowing with the Sacred Heart love that St. Philippine has been inspiring since 1818. I feel truly blessed to step into my classroom every morning.
