School district gets good evaluation

A "quality assurance review team" of outside educators will recommend that the Aiken County School District and its schools receive a five-year accreditation.

The recommendation will go to the AdvancED Accreditation Commission early in 2010 for review and approval, retired educator Joe Delaney told the Aiken County Board of Education at a special meeting Wednesday.

School Board Chair Dr. Christine Harkins and Vice Chair Rosemary English said they were gratified by the results of a 2¬½-day evaluation by the review team.

"This is one of the most grueling processes a district can participate in," Harkins said. "It's voluntary and you have to be willing to be looked at critically. Our district was willing to do that."

The team, led by former Marlboro County superintendent Delaney, interviewed district administrators, board members, principals, teachers and parents. The 14 members divided up to spend a half-day at 14 schools.

AdvancED is a unified organization of several accrediting institutions, including the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The review team's intent was to confirm whether the Aiken School District is moving forward with its academic mission and quality standards identified by AdvancED, Delaney said.

He cited the district's focus on literacy, its commitment to instructional improvement and increased student achievement. The review team praised the "unwavering commitment of the school-level faculties and administration to the success and well-being of each child."

"It's important to me that accolades go down to the school level," Harkins said.

The school district also collaborates with business, industry and higher education, providing important supplemental resources and learning opportunities. Delaney described those relationships as "unique" in a positive way for the school system.

Schools invariably must work with all students, and the district always will have those who perform poorly, Harkins said. Good teachers recognize the challenges and do what they need to do, English said.

"It is so pleasing to hear the good reports. I always thought this was a great school district, and we've always attempted to get better. It's good to have someone here from outside to give us recommendations," she said

Some districts never apply to AdvancED because they know they can't meet the standards, Delaney said.

"Accreditation has value," he said. "If you don't meet the standards, you don't get in."

At Oakwood-Windsor Elementary School Tuesday, team members Carla Daniels of Columbia and Kay Gossett of Lexington met with many people, including parents Annette Bond and Altresa Bush. Both have had children at the school for several years and readily acknowledged their loyalty and support.

"We got to speak our minds and how we feel about the district's mission," Bond said. "It's nice for them to want parents' input."