SAD 29 questions accreditation process

By Sarah Berthiaume
Special to the Pioneer Times
    HOULTON – Accreditation – just how important is it?
    That’s the question SAD 29 board members will mull in the coming months.
    “We need to start gearing up for another accreditation process,” explained Superintendent Mike Hammer at Monday’s board meeting. “It’s a lot of work and we need to make sure we’re all behind that work.”
    Houlton High School is currently accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), a distinction received in 2007. According to information presented at the meeting, NEASC accreditation is valid for 10 years, but if they chose to pursue another decade, preparation for that process must start soon. Accreditation means an outside team of experts judge the school on 11 different standards — everything from its curriculum and facilities to community support. Preparing extensive reports and gather supporting evidence for those reports requires large doses of time and costs roughly $60,000 over a 10-year period.
    “It does have value, but this is a big budget item,” said high school Principal Marty Bouchard.
    Superintendent Hammer suggested the board could consider an alternative type of evaluation, done at the local level. But some board members wondered about the implications of ending its NEASC status.
    “My fear is that if we don’t do it (the accreditation), we’re really just relying on ourselves to say what the standards are,” said Board Member Fred Grant. “Are we doing a disservice to our learners?”
    Liz Anderson, chairman of the board, said she thought the board would like to see some form of evaluation.
    “I think we’re all feeling like if we don’t do this accreditation process that we’d like to do something else in lieu of it,” she added.
    In other agenda items, the following items were considered.
    • A completely revamped district website was reviewed. The site, with a new district logo and easier-to-use design, is expected to debut before the next school year.
    • An adult education agreement between RSU 29 and SAD 70 was approved.
    • The following fall/winter coaches were OK’d for 2012: Mike Carlos, varsity boys soccer; Tim Tweedie, varsity girls soccer; Matt Swallow, junior varsity boys soccer; David Grant, varsity golf; Misty Porter, junior high girls soccer; Brian Reynolds, varsity football; Andy Hay, assistant coach, varsity football; Rob Moran, varsity boys basketball; Shawn Graham, varsity girls basketball; Wendall Harvey, junior varsity boys basketball; Mark Faulkingham, junior varsity girls basketball; Renae Foley, junior high cheering; Joel Trickey, varsity hockey; and Ray Mailman, seventh grade boys basketball.
    The next regular school board meeting will be Monday, July 2 at 6 p.m. in the superintendent’s conference room.