Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy announced today that it has been accredited by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), joining more than 1,500 independent private K-12 schools in the U.S.
First established in 1962, NAIS says its mission is to empower independent schools and the students with resources, publications, professional development opportunities, and forums that keep member schools at the forefront of elementary and high school academics, and “belong to a vibrant community of educators and administrators for networking, idea sharing, and professional growth.”
Along with NAIS and its authorization as an International Baccalaureate (IB) school, Notre Dame is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI).
Fr. Leon Olszamowski, s.m., Notre Dame’s president, said the NAIS accreditation is yet another validation of the school’s strong academic offering.
“It may seem at times like an alphabet soup of accreditations for Notre Dame,” he said, “but we believe that all of the work that goes into these accreditations ensures that our students are getting the finest education available anywhere in our state or in the U.S.”
According to NAIS, accreditation of a school with their organization indicates that it meets or exceeds standards and criteria for the assessment of institutional quality periodically applied through a peer group process.
Further, NAIS says that an accredited school “is one that has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation. Accreditation, which has a multi-year validation, involves a periodic self-study and an evaluation visit to the school by a committee of peers.”
Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org.
Follow us on Twitter @NDPMA
About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." The Marist Fathers and Brothers sponsor NDPMA's Catholic identity and manages its educational program. Notre Dame is accredited by the National Association of Independent Schools, the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.