NEASC Decennial Accreditation Report
We are proud to announce that the Commission on Public Schools has reviewed the Decennial Accreditation Report from the recent visit to PMHS and has voted to award the school continued accreditation in the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). PMHS has now continuously maintained accreditation through NEASC since 1955.
The final version of the Decennial Accreditation Report from March of 2023 is enclosed and available on our school website (see the About Us tab). The report was written by a visiting team of external educators following a comprehensive cycle of internal and external assessments and strategic planning.
NEASC requires that member schools demonstrate alignment with the Standards for Accreditation. The visiting team concluded that PMHS aligned with each of the six foundational elements (pages 16-22). PMHS met the standards for Learning Culture (1.1a), which included the completion of a Vision of the Learner, and Student Learning (2.2a), by establishing a written curriculum for all courses in all departments and grade levels. The visiting team and the Commission expressed high praise for our progress in the priority areas for growth (pages 23-28) and our increased alignment with principles of effective practice.
Other areas of significance in the final report include the Reflection on Student Learning and Capacity for Continuous Growth (pages 29-33). The visiting team noted the following: “Most importantly, there is a shared commitment amongst the staff to the well-being of students and to meeting their academic and social/emotional needs. Staff demonstrate a high level of collegiality in working with students, sharing the responsibility for extra help, vetting one another’s work, and making sure that someone is available for student questions and support (page 32).”
The visiting team included a total 10 commendations and one recommendation in the final report (pages 35-37). The PMHS faculty and staff are particularly proud of the third commendation – the resilience of the staff in the face of challenges from all sides and their determination to do “whatever it takes” to meet student and school needs. The complete list of commendations and recommendations can be viewed here.
The spirit of the accreditation process is to make continuous efforts to address recommendations for school growth and improvement. We have recently completed our School Improvement Plan that will guide our work during the 2023-2025 school years.