Revere High preparing for re-accreditation visit

REVERE – The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) will be visiting Revere High this Sunday to review the school for its renewal of the organization?s accreditation.?It has been a long journey and we have all worked very hard,” RHS Principal Lourenco Garcia said at Tuesday night?s school committee meeting.NEASC will be visiting the high school for four days. On Sunday, they will meet with parents, students, teachers and the School Committee. On Monday and Tuesday, they will shadow students and go into every classroom in the school. Finally, on Wednesday, they will speak with Garcia and teachers and indicate what their recommendations will be.?We are going to do everything we can to make them feel welcome and for their days here to be meaningful,” Garcia said.Before the visit, teachers had to write a study or what is called a “Self Study” collectively. The Self Study is 100 pages on what teachers think the school does well and what they need to work on.Some strengths they listed were communication of students? progress and formal evaluation of teachers. Students understanding the core values, beliefs and learning statement and to increase opportunities for 21st century learning skills were on the list of things to improve.Teachers and administrators must combine to present two- and a five-year plans for targeted improvement.On the two-year plan, the faculty and administrators want to implement a civic and social responsibly rubric, develop student portfolios and address the need for new science labs.?We are currently going after a grant for the science labs,” Garcia said.The five-year plan seeks to address the need for additional classroom space, enhance student?s college readiness and expand internship programs and introduce the Junior ROTC program.Garcia will receive a report about NEASC?s findings 10 to 12 weeks after the visit. If the principal disagrees with anything in the report, he is allowed to provide feedback to the NEASC chairman.?We are allowed a little push back here,” Director of Humanities Jonathan Mitchell said.The full commission will meet on either September or October to determine the school?s status.Mitchell believes RHS is in “great shape.”?Only 12 schools in the area are on probation. That will certainly not happen to us,” he said.School committee member Carol Tye agreed.?What we do, we do well. We do a great job educating our kids,” Tye said. “We will pass with flying colors. It may not be perfection but there is always something to strive for.”Sara Brown can be reached at [email protected].