ACS WASC Mission"Through ACS WASC’s evaluation of institutions, ACS WASC accreditation assures the educational community, the general public, and other organizations and agencies that an institution has clearly defined objectives appropriate to education; has established conditions under which their achievement can reasonably be expected; appears in fact to be accomplishing them substantially; is so organized, staffed, and supported that it can be expected to continue to do so; and demonstrates that it meets ACS WASC’s criteria and accreditation standards. ACS WASC encourages and supports institutional development and improvement through an institutional self-evaluation using the accreditation criteria and policies, as well as mid-cycle, follow-up, and special reports, and periodic evaluation of institutional quality by qualified peer professionals."
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Calistoga Junior Senior High School
Summary of The WASC Accreditation Process
Calistoga Junior Senior High School, like most public high schools in California, participates in an accreditation process developed by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The six-year accreditation cycle involves two parts: the school conducting an extensive 18-month reflective self-study into 5 specific areas (school governance, curriculum, instruction, assessment/accountability, and school culture), and periodic visits from a WASC Visiting Committee.
Calistoga Junior Senior High School created a 126 page Self Study document during the 2017-18 school year that reflected the status of the school at that time. The WASC organization sent a four-member team to visit CJSHS in Spring 2018. The WASC Visiting Committee, as is common for all schools, generates a list of Schoolwide Strengths and Critical Areas for Follow up.
Summary of The WASC Accreditation Process
Calistoga Junior Senior High School, like most public high schools in California, participates in an accreditation process developed by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The six-year accreditation cycle involves two parts: the school conducting an extensive 18-month reflective self-study into 5 specific areas (school governance, curriculum, instruction, assessment/accountability, and school culture), and periodic visits from a WASC Visiting Committee.
Calistoga Junior Senior High School created a 126 page Self Study document during the 2017-18 school year that reflected the status of the school at that time. The WASC organization sent a four-member team to visit CJSHS in Spring 2018. The WASC Visiting Committee, as is common for all schools, generates a list of Schoolwide Strengths and Critical Areas for Follow up.
The Visiting Committee acknowledged 5 Schoolwide Areas of Strength:
1. Qualified and caring committed staff
2. The general school culture is positive among students and staff
3. Students feel safe and supported
4. Community support and resources are abundant and plentiful
5. Eager and willing staff ready for next steps
1. Qualified and caring committed staff
2. The general school culture is positive among students and staff
3. Students feel safe and supported
4. Community support and resources are abundant and plentiful
5. Eager and willing staff ready for next steps
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The Visiting Committee also identified 7 Schoolwide Critical Areas for Follow-up: 1. Schoolwide systems and protocols for data analysis need to be implemented. 2. Embracing the WASC process as a live document with a cyclical pattern of self reflection with refined and aligned School Site goals aligning the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) with the district LCAP. 3. Establish clear communication systems that involve all stakeholders. 4. Establish a data driven centralized focus to be outlined in a SPSA. 5. Review current programs to ensure alignment with CDE requirement/expectations and align with LCAP and SPSA to meet the CDE’s definition of a prepared student. 6. Develop and sustain a data analysis system to review and evaluate current practices. 7. Develop and use Common Core Standards-aligned curriculum, pacing guides, instructional strategies, rubrics, benchmarks, and assessments for all core areas and execute an accountability model to ensure implementation |
CJSHS Response
As a result of the 2018 Self Study and WASC Visiting Committee visit, the WASC Commissioners granted Calistoga Junior Senior High School accreditation through Spring 2020 but placed Calistoga on probationary status. Probationary status required a probationary report and revisit in Spring 2020 to monitor the progress since the 2018 Spring visit. (WASC reports are always made public, and always reported by NUSD at our Board of Trustee meetings.)
The CJSHS community immediately began to address the 8 recommendations identified by the Visiting Committee in Spring 2018. A Probationary Report was created during the 2019-20 school year and sent to the Visiting Committee for review. A Visiting Committee will return to Calistoga to assess the progress on the recommendations suggested in the 2018 Visiting Committee Report. They will then make a determination of the newest accreditation status for the school.
As a result of the 2018 Self Study and WASC Visiting Committee visit, the WASC Commissioners granted Calistoga Junior Senior High School accreditation through Spring 2020 but placed Calistoga on probationary status. Probationary status required a probationary report and revisit in Spring 2020 to monitor the progress since the 2018 Spring visit. (WASC reports are always made public, and always reported by NUSD at our Board of Trustee meetings.)
The CJSHS community immediately began to address the 8 recommendations identified by the Visiting Committee in Spring 2018. A Probationary Report was created during the 2019-20 school year and sent to the Visiting Committee for review. A Visiting Committee will return to Calistoga to assess the progress on the recommendations suggested in the 2018 Visiting Committee Report. They will then make a determination of the newest accreditation status for the school.
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Calistoga Jr/Sr High School
Home of Scholars & Champions 1608 Lake Street | Calistoga, CA | 94515 707 942-6278 | cjshs.calistogaschools.org |
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