WASC Words Hawaii

• Chairperson's Update
  

• President's Update
• Hawaii Update
  
• Connecting the Dots of Accreditation: Leadership, Coherence, and Continuous Improvement
  

• WASC's Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

• Speaking Of... Free Speech in a Changing Society
  
• WASC 60 Year Anniversary Celebration Stories
• 2021-2022 WASC Membership and Accreditation Actions
• WASC Accreditation Visit Update
• ACS WASC Authorized Merchandise
  

R. David Gaudi Jr., Ed.D. | Chairperson

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Welcome to the 2022-23 school year! I hope you found some time to relax and recharge over the summer months. As we settle in on what we hope to be a fantastic school year, please allow me to remind our long-time partners (and inform our new friends) that ACS WASC is a collaborative and inclusive organization that is here to help.

WASC currently partners with 20 educational affiliates and serves over 5,200 schools worldwide, including schools in California, Hawaii and other US states; the Pacific Islands; Asia; the Middle East; Australia; New Zealand; Europe; and Africa. But despite WASC’s increasing size and global reach, the entire WASC team works hard to provide personalized support that is tailored to the diverse needs of our individual institutions and affiliates. WASC values its relationships with all its stakeholders and prides itself on supporting high-quality learning through ongoing school improvement.

Some of these efforts include a thoughtful and purposeful approach to our diversity, equity and inclusion work. This DEI work aims to honor and protect the individuality of every student while respecting the sundry values and missions of our various schools. Meaningful work is also being done to refine the WASC process. This includes streamlining the documentation, materials, procedures, and trainings to increase the overall efficacy and efficiency.

So as we continue to transition out of what has certainly been a challenging few years and into hopefully a more traditional reality, please know that President Dr. Barry Groves and Executive Vice President Dr. Marilyn George, along with the entire WASC team, are committed to your success. Please look to WASC to continue their creative, collaborative, flexible, and supportive ways while adhering to our hallmark standard of excellence in education.

Wishing you a wonderful 2022–2023 school year!

Aloha and Mahalo,

R. David Gaudi Jr.

Barry R. Groves, Ed.D. | President

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Welcome back to those schools that are returning after a seasonal break. We understand that for many of our schools the ongoing pandemic and other challenges have resulted in additional pressures to your school communities. Please let our team know if you have questions or need support regarding your school’s accreditation process.

We have recently coauthored a new book, Connecting the Dots of Accreditation: Leadership, Coherence, and Continuous Improvement, that should interest everyone involved in school accreditation. We have written this guidebook as a support to your accreditation efforts. All proceeds from the book will benefit WASC and its accreditation efforts. You can order the hardback, paperback, or eBook directly through the publisher, Rowman & Littlefield, at rowman.com or call 800 462-6420 and use promo code RLEGEN20 to receive a 20 percent discount. The book is also available to order online on Amazon, Kindle, or Barnes & Noble.

We value our work together and look forward to collaborating, supporting, and navigating the 2022-2023 school year together.

Sincerely,

Barry R. Groves

The Hawai’i Department of Education (HIDOE) is committed to addressing the impact of the pandemic and learning loss by ensuring that all schools are back in session for in-person learning. The HIDOE has established four Statewide Foundational Strategies to be implemented throughout the public education system to guarantee all students have the resources and support needed to be successful throughout their K-12 experience.

The Foundational Strategies include:

1. Healthy Habits, Healthy Schools
2. Action-Oriented Data Decision-Making
3. Responsive Capacity Building
4. Effective Academic Practices

School improvement continues to be a leading focus for all schools in Hawaii. For the fall of the 2022-2023 school year, HIDOE will have 11 self-study visits, with 10 choosing an in-person visit and 1 opting for a virtual visit. In addition, there are 18 mid-cycle one- or two-day virtual visits and 1 probationary visit. During the spring of 2022-2023, the HIDOE will have 64 self-study visits, 1 special progress visit, 7 mid-cycle one- or two-day virtual visits, and 1 probationary visit.

As an ongoing collaborative effort between ACS WASC and HIDOE, we are continually reviewing, updating, and improving the Joint ACS WASC and Hawaii State Department of Education Focus on Learning Process Guide to ensure that the process is aligned to the HIDOE initiatives.

WASC President Dr. Barry Groves and Executive Vice President Dr. Marilyn George recently met in Hawaii with HIDOE Superintendent Keith Hayashi, Deputy Superintendent Tammi Oyadomari-Chun, and HIDOE Chief of Staff Camille Masutomi (see photo below). Tammi Oyadomari-Chun has recently been named HIDOE Deputy Superintendent of Strategy.

[L-R] Camille Masutomi, HIDOE Chief of Staff; Marilyn George, WASC Executive Vice President; Keith Hayashi, HIDOE Superintendent; Barry Groves, WASC President; Tammi Oyadomari-Chun, HIDOE Deputy Superintendent of Strategy

WASC President Dr. Barry Groves and Executive Vice President Dr. Marilyn George have recently coauthored a new book that should interest everyone involved in school accreditation. They have written this guidebook as a support to your accreditation efforts. All proceeds from the book will benefit WASC and its accreditation efforts.

As a worldwide accrediting agency, WASC is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access to high-level, rigorous learning opportunities for all students. In addition to the actions WASC has taken that include adopting an equity statement and ensuring that our self-study and visiting committee protocols, materials, and training support DEI, the WASC Commissioners have continued their conversations regarding DEI.

At the Summer WASC Commission Meeting, discussion centered upon the recently released book entitled: Connecting the Dots of Accreditation: Leadership, Coherence, and Continuous Improvement, by Dr. Barry Groves and Dr. Marilyn George. After reading the chapter on DEI, through small group dialogue, WASC Commissioners shared thinking and ideas on ways to strengthen DEI within the WASC accreditation process. Some of the questions and ideas discussed included:

• Key points highlighted in the quotes within the chapter to assist schools to further promote equity, access, and social justice for each student
• The role of the visiting committee in obtaining information/resources about the school’s DEI efforts.

WASC is committed to ensure that these ideas are addressed and embedded throughout the WASC accreditation process.

WASC was pleased to partner on this project as part of our organization’s commitment to support civic education for today’s students. F3 Law has created a complimentary three-part video series designed to help students understand the origins and interpretation of the First Amendment. The series explains why and how the First Amendment was added to the U.S. Constitution and how the Supreme Court has interpreted the First Amendment over time. This includes how new technology raises new questions about freedom of speech and its limits.

Speaking of… Free Speech in a Changing Society is a 3-part video series that is:

• A no-cost resource for any educator to use in government and civics classes
• An aid to give our students an overview of how laws and rights evolve through the court system and judicial precedent
• Designed by constitutional law experts and presented in an easy-to-understand format.

Any educator who would like to use Speaking Of… Free Speech in a Changing Society as a resource in their curriculum can access the video series free of charge on the F3 Law website at f3law.com/civics.

WASC is celebrating its 60th anniversary. Throughout the year, WASC has highlighted the last 60 years with social media posts (#WASC60); a "Celebrating 60 Years" page on our website that highlights current and past employees, Commissioners, and visiting committee members and includes member school stories and a timeline of educational milestones over the last 60 years.

Some of the early schools are featured on our "Celebrating 60 Years" webpage. Read their WASC stories here: acswasc.org/celebrating-60-years.

If you would like to share your school’s story with WASC, please send the text and a photograph of your school to Cynthia Newton. cnewton@acswasc.org.

WASC Membership, 2021-2022

WASC school membership continued to grow during the 2021-2022 school year. Currently, approximately 211 schools are preparing for their initial accreditation visit with WASC during the 2022-2023 school year.

Accreditation Actions, 2021-2022

Over 5,229 visiting committee chairs and members, many serving on multiple visits, participated on teams during this past school year. A special thanks to the chairs and members who served on the 2,168 accreditation visits during the school year!

ACS WASC is offering two professional development units for a course that prepares educators to serve as WASC accreditation visiting committee members to facilitate continuous school improvement. The credits are offered through the Teachers College of San Joaquin (TCSJ), which is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. Click here for additional information.

NEED TO UPDATE:

WASC has adapted accreditation visits during the pandemic. Here is where we currently stand for the visits that take place this coming year:

• Self-study visits in California are being conducted in-person
  
• Mid-cycle visits are being conducted virtually
• All other visit types are being conducted either in person or virtually on a case-by-case basis.
  

Authorized ”accredited” merchandise is available through WASC. Flags, banners, stamps, and embossers are available for purchase. You can find more information as well as the order form in the Communication Toolkit located on the Home page of the School Portal: https://acswasc.force.com/schoolportal/s/login/.

Get to know our Commissioners here:

https://www.acswasc.org/about/commissioners/

The Commission is comprised of up to thirty-five persons, representing various constituencies of WASC, selected by the Commission’s Nomination Review Committee from candidates nominated by member organizations or the Commission.

Email: mail@acswasc.org
Website: www.acswasc.org
Phone: 650 696-1060