Thursday, May 30, 2019

MERHS Awarded NEASC Accreditation!

New England Association of Secondary Schools (NEASC)

NEASC Excerpt of Site Visit Summary Letter:  The Committee on Public Secondary Schools, at its April 7-8, 2019 meeting, reviewed the report from the recent Collaborative Conference visit to Manchester Essex Regional High School and voted to award the school continued Accreditation in the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

The Committee was impressed with many of the programs and services and wishes to commend
the following:
  • the school's safe, positive, respectful, and inclusive culture that ensures equity and
  • honors diversity in identity and thought
  • the commitment of the faculty and principal to school improvement and growth to
  • support learning and the best interests of students
  • the new master schedule including the U Block directed study period, which
  • prioritizes student learning, achievement, and well-being
  • the development and implementation of effective student support programs such
  • as Bridge, the Academic Center, U Block, and the Teacher Assistance Team to
  • meet students' individual needs
  • the authentic, project-based courses and experiences, offered at the school, that
  • emphasize real-world learning, especially the SCORE extended learning program
  • required for all students
  • the inclusive, co-teaching special education delivery model that supports access to
  • the school's challenging curriculum for all students
  • the community and district support for the school's curriculum, co-curricular
  • activities, and programs


The Committee was pleased to note five of the six Foundational Elements in the Standards for Accreditation have been met by the school. The Committee noted that the following
Foundational Element has not been met by the school and has been included as a Priority Area for Growth:
  • the school has a written document describing its core values, beliefs about learning, and vision of the graduate (1.2a)
The Committee was also pleased to see that the Collaborative Conference visiting team
confirmed the following Priority Areas for Growth. These Priority Areas for Growth should be
used by the school as the basis for its School Improvement/Growth Plan:
  • development of a district-wide vision of the graduate (1.2)
  • increase the focus on the use of data throughout the school (3.3)
  • increase built-in time for interdisciplinary collaboration, collaboration with
  • special education, and opportunities for lesson planning with co-teachers (3.2)
  • expand the curriculum to ensure students make real-world connections (2.3)
  • develop social and emotional supports for students through the implementation of the Yale Ruler program (4.1)
The Committee congratulates the school administration and faculty for completing the first
phases of the Accreditation program: the Self-Reflection and the Collaborative Conference visit.