With all nine Caledonia High School students affected by an injection of H1N1 flu vaccine administered Wednesday back in school Monday, the Lowndes County School District was able to return its attention to pursuing its goal of higher accreditation.
LCSD Superintendent Mike Halford reported Monday each of the students who suffered adverse reactions Wednesday after the vaccine was administered by Mississippi University for Women nursing students had returned to class this week. He was unaware of any students receiving additional medical attention over the weekend.
“I imagine we can close the book on this until we give the next vaccination,” he said.
LCSD plans to continue vaccinating its schools as scheduled. Caledonia middle and elementary schools will reschedule dates for vaccinations through the Mississippi State Department of Health.
Meanwhile, a seven-member team from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is in Lowndes County this week to determine whether the district has met the standards for SACS accreditation. The team met with district officials Monday and will visit county schools today before delivering an oral presentation on its findings at a LCSD school board meeting Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the district office.
Edna McGill, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for the LCSD, describes SACS accreditation as a “set of standards above state standards” for education.
“There are no financial gains from this process,” McGill explained. “The gains are in proving to our community that we go above and beyond the minimal standards and have attained national standards. If you have students transfer in from another district that”s nationally accredited, those people can feel confident this district has attained the standards they”re used to.”
During its oral report, the SACS team will reveal whether it will recommend the LCSD be accredited districtwide to its state offices in Jackson and, later, to its national offices in Decatur, Ga. The district”s high schools have been SACS accredited since 1992. Columbus, West Point and Starkville school districts also are SACS accredited.
Halford and McGill both believe the district has met the seven standards SACS requires for accreditation. The standards, according to the SACS Web site deal with vision and purpose, governance and leadership, teaching and learning, documenting and using results, resources and support systems, stakeholder communications and relationships and commitment to continuous improvement.
“This is something we”ve sought for an awful long time. We”ve done a lot of work. This is not a song and pony show. We”re showing that these educational programs and improvements we”ve made and we”re benefiting from it,” said Halford.
McGill says the changes the district has made are focused, first and foremost, on increasing student achievement.
“I think we”re in an advanced state of readiness. I don”t anticipate them finding any deficiencies,” she said.
The SACS team”s report will point out the district”s strengths and weaknesses based on the standards of: Vision and Purpose, Governance and Leadership, Teaching and learning, documenting and using results, resource and support systems, stakeholder communications and relationships and commitment to continuous improvement.
The LCSD assigned teams of teachers and administrators to address each standard over the past year in preparation for this week. Additionally, the district revised its vision and mission statements and sought greater involvement from stakeholder groups such as parents.
“The process is very much team driven. This has taken the efforts of so many stakeholders in the district to make this visit possible. They”ve been excited and done an excellent job getting ready,” said McGill.
If the SACS Quality Assurance Review team does recommend LCSD for accreditation, McGill says the district will be notified in January.
Founded in 1895, the SACS Council on Accreditation and School Improvement accredits more than 13,000 schools and school systems throughout the United States and overseas.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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