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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATE: 30 April 2004 SUBJECT: GOOD HOPE SCHOOL RECOMMENDED FOR CONTINUED ACCREDITATION BY MIDDLE STATES ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS CONTACT: From April 27 through April 30, 2004 , the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools visited The Good Hope School campus as part of the School's ten-year reaccreditation process. Members of the Good Hope community including faculty, staff, parents, Board of Trustee members, and students began preparing for this evaluation in 2001. For the past three years, every aspect of school life has been under scrutiny using the Middle States "Pathways to Improvement" protocol. Megan Weary , third grade teacher and internal coordinator for the accreditation said of the process, "It's been a community-building experience that has given new vitality to the curriculum, extracurricular activities, as well as our internal organization." In her oral report to members of The Good Hope School community on Friday afternoon at 2:45 p.m. , Mildred Calvesbert, Principal of Colegio Rosa-Bell in Puerto Rico and the Chair of the Middle States Visiting Committee, had much to praise about Good Hope. She remarked, "The Good Hope School is a special place and we have felt the excitement generated by your community. After three days here, we leave feeling that we have had a full and rich experience in your school and we thank you for that opportunity. When I first read the school documents, I realized we were coming to a very unique place.and you are indeed fortunate to have such a beautiful setting in which to create a learning environment. You have been very honest and candid in your analysis and self-evaluation and very thorough in identifying your strengths and areas you'd like to improve. Very friendly and eloquent students, from pre-school to seniors in high school, gave testimony to the fact that they 'feel like a family,' and that they are happy at Good Hope, that they love their teachers, and they value the education they receive." She continued about the teachers. "The faculty is a very dynamic, open, and committed group of diverse individuals who feel their work is a vocation and do it from the heart, putting in long hours to make good things happen. In a world that tempts us to become more and more impersonal, it is refreshing to see a learning community that makes a conscious effort to personalize instruction and care "for the success of each child." The "dedication to excellence," that is stated in your Mission and shared by all stakeholders, continues to be the driving force behind all your initiatives." Mrs. Calvesbert went on. "Some of you may be familiar with Spencer Johnson's famous book Who Moved My Cheese. Some of the wisdom he offers is about dealing with change at work and in life in general. It also offers much insight for educators, who need to adjust to the constant changes they face in their schools and communities. I think the teachers here must have been given this book as a reading assignment when they signed their contracts, because they are prime examples of individuals who have put it into practice. We, as a Team, are very sensitive to the fact that Good Hope has gone through changes, but we think that you have weathered the storm very well and we commend you for seeing this accreditation visit though its completion as it was originally scheduled. Remember, 'We make a living by what we GET, we make a life by what we GIVE.' Muchas gracias, and congratulations to The Good Hope School on a job well done!" Middle States is based in Philadelphia and accredits schools on the mainland, the Caribbean , the Middle East , Asia , and Africa . Members of the Visiting Team came from Puerto Rico , St. Thomas , and St. Croix in order to determine how well the School is realizing its goals of sustained academic excellence and developing a student's strength of character, sound values, and a passion for learning. Mrs. Calvesbert, Chair, was joined by: David Corey, Gwendolyn Toro, Alexandra Rodriguez, Charles Peters, Israel Irizarry, Ana Acosta, Veronica Guzman, and Sharon McAllum. All professional educators, these teachers and administrators volunteered their services to Middle States and worked hard as a member of the evaluating team. They stayed at the Buccaneer, due to the continued generosity of alumna Elizabeth Armstrong. Carole Everett , Acting Head of School, said, "When I moved to St. Croix in August and learned of the Middle States process at Good Hope, I started obsessing about the date of the visitation on April 27th . Now it's here and gone and we are all so grateful to the Visiting Team for sharing their expertise, wisdom, and time with us. Through all the planning we have done for this protocol and visit, we have a clear, shared vision for the future of this wonderful school." |
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