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Central
High School Officially
Off
of Probation
NEASC
Report Shows School is Moving in the Right
Direction
Student-Led
Press Conference Scheduled
to
Announce the Great
News
Officials
of Central
High
School
were notified that
the Commission on Public Secondary Schools of
the New England Association of Schools and
Colleges (NEASC) has officially removed the
school from probation for the standards of
Accreditation on Curriculum, Instruction, and
Community Resources for Learning. In a
student-led press
conference on
Thursday,
May 12, 2011 at 10am,
students and staff will share the great news and
talk about plans to continue moving the school
in the right direction. There will be
performances by the Central High School Choir,
cheerleaders, and the school marching band.
Plus, student leaders will share their positive
experiences and their career plans after high
school. Leaders of the community will also be in
attendance.
Just
this past March, NEASC also recommended that the
school receive continued accreditation in the
Association. The Commission’s decision was based
upon review of an evaluation report prepared by
a visiting committee last November. Central High
School has completed
two phases of the accreditation program: a self
study and an evaluation visit. The next step
will be the follow-up process during which the
school will implement valid recommendations in
the evaluation report.
Bridgeport
Public Schools Superintendent John
J. Ramos, Sr., Ed.D
applauded Central’s efforts to reach and achieve
their goal. “I am proud of the staff and
students of Central High
School. We know that
there is wonderful work happening everyday at
Central, and it is this work that is the shape
of great things to come.”
The
New England Association of School and Colleges
is a voluntary membership organization of more
than 2000 public and independent schools,
colleges and universities, and vocational,
technical, and career institutions. Of these,
approximately 650 schools have been accredited
through the Association’s Commission on Public
Secondary Schools. The Association works with
individual schools to improve the quality of
education through a continuous process of
evaluation and accreditation.
For
more information contact:
Veronica
Douglas-Givan
Director
of Communications & External
Affairs
(203)
275.1015
vdouglas-givan@bridgeportedu.net
Central
High no longer on
probation
Courtesy
of the Connecticut
Post
BRIDGEPORT
-- The largest urban high school in the state is
no longer on probation.
After
three years, the New England Association of
Schools and Colleges' Commission on Public
Secondary Schools lifted the probationary status
from Central
High
School.
Principal
Anne Engleson was
informed of the decision last week and the news
was made public Monday.
On
Tuesday, NEASC finally took Central off its
probationary list on its website, where it has
sat by itself for
some time.
"It's
major," Engleson said of getting what she
considered "a cloud" lifted off
the school.
"It's
great," said Bill
Morton, a social
studies teacher who, along with fellow social
studies teacher Candice
Dritschler co-chaired
the accreditation committee. For three years
they, along with Aresta
Johnson, director of
Central Magnet
School, worked with
a team of others to address curriculum,
instruction and facility concerns outlined by
NEASC in a 2008 report.
NEASC
could have decided to keep Central on probation
in any of those areas,
Engleson said.
Morton
said NEASC could have fully accredited Central
with a normal two-year review, given it
accreditation with a special report,
accreditation with a warning or kept it on
probation.
Late
last month, the commission met and voted to give
Central accreditation with a special report,
meaning some areas must be addressed within
one year.
"A
lot of people were concerned about being on
probation. They wanted to make that go away,"
said Morton.
On
probation, a school can still hand out diplomas
but it is a stigma no school wants to have,
he added.
The
letter taking the school off probation, signed
by Janet Allison, director of NEASC, commends
Central in a number of areas, including having
an effective curriculum revision plan,
opportunities for students to learn beyond the
school day, its climate, partnerships and
student services.
NEASC
also listed areas of concerns that must be
addressed by Feb. 1, 2012, including a
confirmation the school has sufficient
instructional materials, technology and
equipment, that teachers are given more
opportunities to assume leadership roles in the
building and plans to improve the facility
are implemented.
When
the school was put on probation, it was largely
because of overcrowded conditions, a
deteriorated facility and a lack of sufficient
funds going toward instruction. Dritschler said
the school received a new heating system, new
windows, fresh paint and some
minor renovations.
An
auto shop was turned into classroom space before
NEASC sent a 20-member site team to the school
last November. In March, the school received a
70-page report with 70 recommendations and
55 commendations.
Teachers
plan a staff celebration on Wednesday with
Schools Superintendent
John Ramos and
Assistant
Superintendent Denise
Clemons. A separate
celebration for students is scheduled for
May 12.
NEASC
officials did not return repeated calls
for comment.
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