A delegation of 12 representatives from peer independent schools across the country will visit Notre Dame for its re-accreditation on Nov. 10-13. The school holds accreditation from ISACS (Independent Schools Association of the Central States) which reviews the school every seven years to ensure it remains accountable to its mission and high academic standards.
The process kicked off during the 2018-2019 school year, when students, parents, faculty and staff completed an online survey. Topics explored opinions on everything from school safety and the learning environment to perceptions of Notre Dame and student development needs.
The survey results provided the administration with a broad set of data identifying areas of strengths and opportunities for improvement. From there, more than a dozen committees comprised of teachers and staff worked together to compile a 160-page document that identified strengths, potential challenges, and strategic priorities for the future. It was presented to the ISACS visiting committee last spring.
“Ongoing evaluation is critical to progress toward our mission,” said Michelle Garcia, Notre Dame Prep mathematics department chair who is involved with the visit. “They will hold meetings with the board, administration, department chairs, parents and students. They will also visit classrooms to observe what a typical day at our school looks like and how we live out our promise to students and families.”
Garcia said the team will arrive on campus Sunday evening for a tour and dinner with faculty and will stay through Wednesday afternoon. At that time, they will present their preliminary findings and recommendations to the administration.
“We don’t expect any disruption to our students,” Garcia said. “Students in Pre-K through 12th grade will go about their normal school day. Many won’t even notice the ISACS team is here.”
ISACS is a membership organization of more than 230 independent schools from 13 states in the U.S. Midwest region. Notre Dame has been ISACS-accredited since the school opened in 1994 and shares such accreditation with Cranbrook, Country Day, Grosse Pointe Academy and The Roeper School.
Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org.
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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. Notre Dame Preparatory School 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 schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three school are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by 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