Accreditation team visits Penquis Valley

MILO – A 15-member team of educators arrived Sunday in Milo to begin the accreditation renewal process at Penquis Valley High School.

The team, assembled by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Public Secondary Schools, interviewed teachers, school board members and parents for comment, according to SAD 41 Superintendent Shirley Wright.

Wright said the accreditation process, which is done every 10 years, is important because it plays a role in how students are viewed by colleges. Accreditation shows that the school meets standards and is willing to maintain those standards, she said.

“What it really means is we live up to those expectations of a model high school program,” Wright said Monday.

The prime object of an accreditation process is to assess the quality of the instructional practices in grades seven through 12.

Wright said the high school staff has been preparing for the reaccredidation process for two years.

The team will provide the district with a snapshot of its findings at the conclusion of its visit on Wednesday, with a more detailed report to follow, according to Wright.