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WASC official here to train school administrators
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Posted on Oct 22 2008
An official from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges is on island today to train public and private school administrators about the accrediting process.
WASC associate executive director Marilyn George began the workshop yesterday and will continue today, as nine schools in the Public School System prepare to be evaluated this year.
“We’re here working and learning together,” George said.
She said PSS should be commended for choosing accreditation as a way to improve CNMI schools. Accreditation assures a community that the school’s purposes are appropriate and being accomplished. It also allows school administrators to self-asses and manage changes.
Steve Smith, WASC coordinator for PSS, said George’s visit is beneficial to the school system’s leadership and administrators.
“She’s probably the most high-powered person in the U.S. [for accreditation],” he said. “She really knows the job. Everybody’s going to come out better than when they came in.”
George is able to teach administrators things they might not otherwise be aware of, Smith said.
For example, each school needs to create a profile, listing the breakdown of students. Without it, he said, the school can’t go anywhere.
“If you don’t know who your school is, all you can do it create a general self-study,” he said. “You need a profile, you need to know who you are.”
Craig Garrison, vice principal at Saipan Southern High School, said the workshop has been informative and should help new administrators understand the accrediting process.
“There have been some leadership changes,” he said. “For new school leaders this will help immensely. We need to be focused on this.”
George visits the CNMI yearly to conduct the workshop. This year, administrators from the nine schools that will be evaluated were required to attend the workshop. Any other administrators, as well as private school officials, were welcome to attend, Smith said.
The nine public schools that will be evaluated starting in the spring are Dandan Elementary, William S. Reyes Elementary, San Antonio Elementary, Koblerville Elementary, Tinian Elementary, Tinian Junior High and High School, Rota High,Kagman High, and Saipan Southern High.
