Transcript FCC VISITATION TRAINING for CHAIRPERSONS AND TEAM - EAS-ed

OUTLINE
 Accreditation
 Initial / Preparatory Steps
 Roles and Responsibilities
 Preliminary Visit
 Visit
 Written Report
Accreditation
 Can be exceptional reform / renewal process
 Involves constant updating
 It is an ACTIVITY – not a STATUS
 Schools are accredited because of the
way they MOVE – not how they STAND
 Accreditation concentrates on what schools
are DOING –not on what they have DONE.
Catholic School Accreditation
Seeks to Evaluate:
Academic excellence
Rooted in
Viable
Catholic Identity
And
Strong Christian Values and Ideas
SIP Report
Executive Summary -- Performance and Progress Report
School Profile
Beliefs and Mission Statement
STUDENT PERFORMANCE
School Performance
ACTION PLAN
Reference Materials
 FCC Companion for NSSE SCHOOL
IMPROVEMENT: Focusing on Student
Performance. 3rd ed. 2010.
 FCC Visitation Manual for School Improvement
Process. 2nd ed. 2010.
 FCC Standards Checklist. 4th ed. 2010
 NSSE Visiting Team Handbook
Role of Chairperson
 Must be an administrator /serve on 3 teams/ be
trained
 Official representative of FCC Accreditation
Committee
 Verifies readiness of school to be visited.
 Contact person with (Arch)diocesan Education
Office
 Visiting Team Leader
 Professional Evaluator
 Public Relations Person
 Catalyst
Visiting Team Responsibilities
 Read School Improvement Report
 Actively engage in consensus decision-making
 Complete assigned Standards Review & Area of Report
 Complete assigned Interviews & Meetings
 Observe assigned classrooms
 Complete working draft of assigned standards and
Area to be shared with Team. (At least 1-2
commendations and recommendations for assigned
Area)
 All observations/ insights/ reports shared with
entire team
Preliminary Visit - Preparations
 Letter of Acceptance – confirm dates of Preliminary
Visit and Visitation
 Read SIP thoroughly – questions & clarifications
 Prepare Schedule for Preliminary Visit (p. 26) &
Review Chairperson’s Checklist (p. 25)
 Forms: Visitation Readiness & Review of Personnel
Files
Preliminary Visit--Schedule
 Arrival at School – around 8:00 a.m.
 Meeting with Principal & Steering Committee Chair
--review SIP
--review previous Visitation Report
--review current and previous 2 yrs. of ARCA’s
--prepare Visitation Schedule (p. 31)
--arrange for lodging
--arrange for work area, equipment, supplies, etc.
--obtain school schedule with arrival, dismissal, lunch,
--obtain floor plan of school
Preliminary Visit - Continued
--arrange for Voucher Forms for Team
--arrange for times and rooms for interviews and
meetings
 Review Personnel Credentials - Checklist
 Meet with Pastor – procedures and importance of Visit
 Tour School Facilities & Plant
 Call Diocesan Office – readiness of school for visit
 Meet with Faculty at end of day –information re Visit:
Team, schedule, questions, affirmation of SIP
Preliminary Visit – Post Prep.
 Follow-up Letter to Principal –verification of
schedule, reminder to send SIP to Team
Members , copy of materials sent to Team
 Letters to Team –schedule, assignments,
travel arrangements to be sent to Chair and
Principal, read SIP thoroughly and carefully
Visitation –Assignments for Team Members(p. 38)
Member 1
Profile & Mission & Beliefs
Standards A, B, H
Inter. -- Religion Coor, & Pastor
Member 2
Desired Results
Standards C, G
Inter.—Guidance & Resource
Chair:
Effectiveness / Action Plan
Standards D, E, F
Inter. – Technology/; Media
Pre-Visitation Mailing to Team Members
1. Visitation Cover: Team Names &
Addresses / Hotel
2. Visitation Schedule
3. Team Assignments
4. Schedule for Interviews and Meetings
Visitation – Day One
 11-12:00 p.m.
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Team arrives at Hotel
12:30 p.m.
Lunch for Team
1:15 p.m.
Team Orientation
3:20 p.m.
Meeting at School with
Administration and Steering Comm.
4:20 p.m.
Tour of School Facilities and Campus
5:00 p.m.
Dinner for Team and School Officials
7:00 p.m.
School Activity: Liturgical Prayer, Brief
Introduction to Accreditation Program,
School’s Presentation , Reception
Keep dinner and presentation SIMPLE!
Visitation – Day One - Continued
 Orientation of Team
- Explain folder
- Check names and spelling of Team
- Review Schedule
- Review Assignments
- Standards Checklist / Area Guide Sheets
- Classroom Visits
- Review of Results of Preliminary Visit
Visitation – Day One - Continued
 Guidelines for Administration/ Steering
Committee Mtg.
-- understand process and work on SIP
-- clarify and ask questions about SIP
-- ask about communication of process
-- ask about difficulties / successes
-- Is school pleased with outcomes? Why? Why not?
-- housekeeping / schedule details
Visitation – Day Two
 7:30 a.m.
 8:15 a.m.
 9:30 a.m.
 10:30 a.m.
Team Breakfast/Meeting
Meeting with Parents / Comm. Reps.
Meeting with Students
Classroom Observations / School
Personnel Interviews
 11:30 a.m. Team Meeting
 12:00 noon Lunch
 1:00 p.m. Classroom Observations/ School
Personnel Interviews
 2:00 p.m. Team Meeting
Visitation – Day Two - Continued
 3:25 p.m. Meetings with Area Committees (1-4)
 4:25 p.m. Meeting with Action Plan Committee
(include administration, Steering
Committee)
 5:25 p.m. Team Debriefing
 6:00 p.m. Adjournment
 7:00 p.m. Dinner for Team
Individual Work Sessions
Visitation – Day Two - Continued
 Parent/Student Meetings
-- Meetings are confidential/ Take notes
-- 10-20 parents / 4th – 8th grade students (about 20-30)
-- Questions:
1. What influenced you in choosing this school?
2. If you could make changes what would they be
and why?
3. What , in your words, is the Mission of the
school?
4. What do you know of the SIP process and the
Action Plan
Visitation – Day Two - Continued
 Personnel Interviews
--Describe your role and responsibilities.
-- What was your role in the process of the SIP?
--How do you see your role in the implementation
of the Action Plan?
Visitation – Day Two - Continued
 Area Section Committee Meetings
--Questions of clarification.
--Questions concerning process.
-- Possible Focus Questions from NSSE
Visiting Team Handbook.
-- Suggestions for possible
recommendations and why.
Visitation – Day Three
 7:30 a.m. Visiting Team Breakfast & Meeting
 9:30 a.m. Meeting with Administration and
Steering Committee
 10:00 a.m. Team Work Session
 12:00 noon Early Dismissal Bell for School
 12:30p.m. Lunch for Visiting Team and Faculty
 1:30 p.m. Oral Exit Report
 2:30 p.m. Adjournment
Visitation – Day Three - Continued
 Meeting with Administration and Steering Comm.
-- Review Standards Checklist – ask questions about
items not observed.
--Review Recommendations to SIP Process and Action
Plan.
-- Share comments from Parent and Student Meetings
check for any clarifications
Visitation – Day Three - Continued
 Team Work Sessions
-- Share consensually the Area Recommendations
-- Share consensually Standards Recommendations
-- Each Member hands in at least 1-2 commendations
and recommendations for Areas and possible
recommendations for Standards
--Preparation for Oral Report –
“Talk it – not Read it”!
Visitation – Day Three - Continued
 Oral Exit Report
-- Gratitude for hospitality
--Affirmation of work done on SIP
-- Brief update on importance of FCC Accreditation
-- Chairperson gives brief summary of comments from
Parent and Student Meetings
-- Each Team Member gives a brief description of area ,
commendations and recommendations.
--Chairperson summarizes work and implications for
future -- re-accreditation from FCC Committee
Written Report
 Outline in Visitation Manual (pp. 48-56)
 “Introduction” – include objectives of
Visit, brief demographics, brief
description of Visitation process,
comments from Interview and Meetings,
as well as uniqueness of school program.
Written Report - Continued
 Executive Summary—comment,
commendation, and recommendation on
implementation of Recommendations to
Standards and Process.
 Performance and Progress Report—
comment, commendation, and
recommendation on implementation of Action
Plan goals.
Written Report - Continued
 Area Reports– brief paragraph, 1-2
commendations and recommendations
(Refer only to areas – not standards)
Use information from NSSE Team
Handbook and Assessment Worksheets)
Written Report – Areas Continued
 Area Recommendations
--must be specifically addressed to “process”
Ex. “The school profile should be updated
annually.”
“The priorities for improvement in
student learning should be restated in
clear, concise, measurable goals.”
Written Report - Continued
 Recommendations to Standards
-- must relate specifically to standards
-- Standard deficiencies are listed first; the
remainder are listed in order (A-3, F-2. etc.)
-- Use appropriate language: “continue to,
enhance, more thoroughly, consider, etc.”
Written Report - Recommendations
 Recommendations:
D-15 “The school needs to implement a written,
school-based program of professional
development.
G-1 “The school should continue to enhance and
delineate more clearly its written plan for
counseling services.”
Written Report-Continued
 Evaluation and Summary
-- Overall impression of the school
-- Intent to implement Action Plan
-- Written Report will be sent to FCC
Accreditation Committee for review and
granting of status
-- Statement of appreciation for hospitality
Written Report - Continued
 Certificate
-- Use Worksheets and Assessments to fill this out
-- Indicate Standards Deficiency; indicate other
recommendations are within the body of the
Report.
-- Obtain signatures of Team Members
Written Report - Continued
 Chairperson’s Last Duties
-- Receive from each Member:
1. Assessment Tool for Specific Area
2. Area Work (Comments, Commendations,
Recommendations)
3. Standards Recommendations
-- Obtain signatures on Certificate
-- Review Chairperson’s Checklist
-- *Write and edit Report
Written Report – Chairperson Cont.
-- Send report “first” to local Accreditation
Member for review.
-- Send final report, electronically, to Mary
Camp at FCC Office and to Team Members.
(Remember, FCC will send copies to
school.)
HAPPY
ACCREDITATION
VISIT!
You’ve helped
another Catholic
School to
greatness!
E-Mail
Sister Joan’s e-mail address:
[email protected]