By COLlive reporter
Menachem Mendel Seattle Cheder Day School in Seattle, Washington hosted a visit which led to a recommendation of full accreditation to the National Accreditation Board of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch (NABMLIC) and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA-CESS).
The visitors included Rabbi Nochem Kaplan, chair of the National Accreditation Board of Merkos; Dr. Don Petry, Director of International Relations at Ai-Accreditation International, and Marie Perez, Coordinator of the Center for Excellence in Day School Education at BJE: Builders of Jewish Education.
During the visit last week, the visitation sat in on classes, met with administrators, teachers, students, alumni, board members, and parents.
“Overall, there is much enthusiasm about the changes that are taking place; the students love coming to school, and they feel that the school cares about them and their well-being,” said Dr. Petry.
The principal Mrs. Chaya Elishevitz visited Merkos some 5 years ago and inquired about the accreditation program. “Since that time, accreditation has been an evolving process for MMSC,” said Rabbi Kaplan. “It was an arduous undertaking but now the school has proven that it is a quality institution, capable of completing an accreditation protocol successfully.”
The mission and purpose of the National Accreditation Board of Merkos is to foster the continuous pursuit of educational excellence in both Judaic and general academic subjects. A self-study peer review creates an atmosphere conducive to educational progress. Strategic, long-term planning sets the stage for an ongoing process of advancement toward excellence.
The standards, training and assistance offered by the National Accreditation Board provide the mechanism and help generate the enthusiasm which makes the accreditation protocols effective and meaningful.
“The Cheder and Mrs. Elishevitz, the board of the school, and indeed the Seattle community, have much to be proud of,” Rabbi Kaplan stated.
What exactly is the point of accreditation from this organization? Are there any educational or monetary benefits?
Accreditation ensures that the school maintains a certain level if educational standards. Typically, when being accredited, the school looks at every aspect of itself from governance and finance to educational practices to ensure the quality of education and self-governance.