SACS Review

5 year SACS Accreditation Review - 2009
(Southern Association of Colleges and Schools)

CONGRATULATIONS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL TEAM!

Our five-year SACS Quality Assessment Review, conducted April 2^nd and 3^rd, was truly a successful team effort. Thanks to each of you for all the things you did to make the Review a success. The two days flowed smoothly and our visitors were very complimentary of our school. We will be recommended for continued accreditation.

A special thanks to our friends, parents, and colleagues from the COE who came and shared in the process. We are thankful for your partnership.

Below is a list of the Commendations and Recommendations the Review Team presented to the faculty and staff at the conclusion of the review. The Review Team reported that they had never given this many commendations before.

YEA TEAM!

Commendations and Recommendations:

The Quality Assurance Review Team commends University School for:

Strong school-wide focus on student performance and actively engaging students at various levels
Supportive, knowledgeable and accessible leaders
Excellent community and parental support
Commitment to the teacher-mentoring program
Exhibition of a continuous process in meeting AYP
Use of various sources to guide, inform, and improve instruction
Provision of high-quality staff development
High expectations for exemplary academic achievement
Allocation of time and human, material, and fiscal resources
Analysis of data by the administration for teacher use in improvement of teacher and student performance
Emphasis placed on the use of best practices by each instructor
Problem-solving activities used by the administration with students and guardians in the areas of placement and academic progress
Hiring practices of highly qualified and caring support personnel
Training opportunities through East Tennessee State University for support personnel
Willingness and openness to facilitate teacher training opportunities in partnership with East Tennessee State University
Use of a full-time resource officer and designated attendance position
Loyalty to the administration, faculty, parents and students by support personnel
Recipient of the Silver Award in US News and World Reports “America’s Best High School Rankings” – 2009
Recipient of the Value Added Assessment Award as a Highly Effective School by the Educational Consumers Foundation – 2008
Attainment of all SACS recommendations since 2004

The Quality Assurance Review Team recommends that University School:

§ Investigate opportunities to combine the Vision for School Improvement and the Vision for Revisioning into one vision statement.

§ Engage all stakeholders in activities to promote ownership of the vision.

§ Increase awareness to all stakeholders of data provided by the school report card and other academic and non-academic sources.

§ Show progress in the implementation of benchmark exams and remedial activities to meet the Tennessee Diploma Project.

§ Pursue additional instructional aides.

CONGRATULATIONS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL TEAM!