Allison Scanlon and Gabriela Birmingham with NEASC Associate Director Kathleen Montagno at Accreditation Luncheon in Boston on December 13
Atlantis Charter School was honored at a luncheon in Boston for receiving its initial accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Atlantis is only the third charter school in Massachusetts to be accredited by the NEASC.
K-12 District Leader Gabriela Birmingham and 7-12 Site Leader Allison Scanlon represented Atlantis at the luncheon on December 13 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place.
They were presented with the official Certificate of Accreditation plaque by NEASC President Cameron Staples and Associate Director Kathleen Montagno.
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges is the nation’s oldest accrediting association. NEASC Accreditation is a globally recognized standard of excellence.
“NEASC Accreditation tells current and prospective students, their families, and the community that Atlantis is delivering on its promise to provide students with a high-quality education that will prepare them well for college and career,” Birmingham said. “We are honored to be granted accreditation and know it will serve our students well in the future because colleges and universities recognize the value of such a prestigious designation.”
The recognition was issued after a rigorous three-stage review process that began with a period of self-study. Faculty, administrators, staff, students, board members, and parents all participated in the comprehensive self-assessment. Then, a team of 12 educators, professionals from within the education community commissioned by NEASC, performed a week-long on-site visit to evaluate Atlantis’s alignment with established NEASC Standards for Accreditation and reviewed the school’s self-study. Finally, the NEASC Commissioning Board examined the visiting team’s evaluation report and voted to grant Atlantis initial accreditation at its June 2018 meeting. For Atlantis, the process took about 18 months.
“A successful self-study process and team visit require the efforts of many individuals. Accreditation signifies that “peers” have made a favorable judgement about the quality of education available at your school,” Cameron Staples, NEASC President and Chief Executive Officer, wrote in the recognition letter. “The achievement is special and the officers of the Association wish to recognize successful institutions.”
In order to maintain accreditation, schools must submit regular progress reports to show continued school improvement and transformation through further self-reflection and future planning.