Wiscasset High School Receives Accreditation

On Jan. 20, Wiscasset High School Principal Deb Taylor said the school has been awarded continued accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

The accreditation comes after a process that began in October 2011 when the school began a self-assessment, phase one of the three-step process.

“I am thankful for the process that insisted we take time to reflect on ourselves,” Taylor said. “It gave us the opportunity to pause and reflect on where we are and where we want to be.”

Taylor said the report was very consistent with what the school’s self-examination revealed.

In May 2013, 16 educators from across Maine spent four days in Wiscasset evaluating the school according to NEASC standards.

The team’s evaluation was a result of 45 hours of shadowing 16 students for a half-day; reviewing the school’s self-study materials; five hours of additional classroom observation; informal observations around the school; tours of the facility; meeting with 32 teachers about their work, instructional approaches, and the assessment of student learning; meetings with parents, students, administrators and teachers; and an examination of students’ work.

Taylor said the committee felt really good about the school’s climate.

“The school community has built a safe, positive, respective, and supportive culture that fosters student responsibility for learning and results in shared in ownership, pride and high expectations for all,” the report states.

The report also commended Taylor for her leadership, describing her as “open and cooperative.”

Since the last accreditation in 2003, enrollment at Wiscasset High School has dropped from 401 to 212 students.

With a decrease in enrollment, course offerings have declined some since the last accreditation; however, Taylor said the committee was impressed with the comprehensiveness of the programs offered at Wiscasset High School.

“The school is equitable, inclusive and fosters heterogeneity where every student over the course of the high school experience is enrolled in a minimum of one heterogeneously grouped core course (English/language arts, social studies, math, science, or world languages),” the report states. “Despite an enrollment of approximately 212 students, WHS still continues to offer many different course options.”

The committee also praised the implementation of e-portfolios; individualized websites where students collect their best work. “They were very impressed,” Taylor said. The report states the e-portfolio “allow(s) students the ability to self-assess and document their understanding of the school’s curriculum.”

Sometime during students’ senior year the e-portfolio is shared with parents, advisors and the principal, Taylor said.

Although Taylor said she was pleased with the committee’s 57 commendations, she understands there is room for improvement. She said she is currently focused on incorporating the committee’s 41 recommendations, which is the third step in the accreditation process.

Taylor said she will be required to provide updates on work being done on the recommendations of the committee.

One recommendation suggests a plan be developed to address outdated equipment, poor lighting, outdated fixtures, missing and stained ceiling tiles, window replacement, mold issues in the alternative education building, and more.

“Given the impact of budget cuts, the school minimally develops plans and funds programs to ensure the maintenance and repair of the building and school plant to properly maintain, catalogue (sic), and replace equipment to keep the school clean on a daily basis which impacts the learning experience of the students.” the report states. “With a zero budget increase, it has been a challenge to implement a long-range plan that addresses capital improvements and facility needs.”

Taylor said the NEASC requires the report be provided to the school board. She said it will also be posted to the school’s website and a copy will be sent to the Wiscasset Town Office.