During this season of counting our blessings, taking stock of 2017, and setting our goals/resolutions for 2018, it is fitting that we, as a school, are also in the middle of assessing our schools and formulating goals and plans to continually improve our school.  While continuous improvement is something that is part of our planning and implementation process each year, every five years we work with a task force from AdvancED to be officially accredited.  AdvancED will be visiting our schools in April as part of this accreditation process.

AdvancED is the largest global resource for innovative and transformative school improvement. The AdvancED Improvement Network is a community of over 34,000 schools and school systems that employs over 4 million educators and enrolls over 20 million students — across the United States and in 70 other nations. Members have unique needs and visions for their institutions, but all are dedicated to their students, parents and communities, all are focused on learner advancement while using continuous improvement as the guiding force.

School improvement is a journey and not all education institutions start or end at the same place. We receive exclusive access to the AdvancED Continuous Improvement System, a framework for data-informed school improvement and effectiveness. This fully integrated solution helps us map out and navigate a successful journey that is personalized and customized to our specific needs.

Using tools provided by the AdvancED Improvement Network we:

1. Evaluate learning environments by focusing on students

2. Reveal strengths and weaknesses using measurable data

3.  Identify trends by comparing classroom observations across subjects, grade levels and other filters using AdvancED’s education technology

4. Implement powerful tools for professional development, peer learning and ongoing improvement

5. Ensure the quality of education remains at the forefront through a variety of diagnostic and improvement tools

To this end, in December, all Pacelli grade 3 – 12 students completed several online surveys to gather their perceptions and insights about their academic, religious and extra-curricular formation.  Pacelli staff also completed online surveys dealing with teaching pedagogy, faith formation, and relationships with students, families, and staff.  Parents will be invited to provide their input in January when two surveys will be released the week of January 8, to be completed by the end of January. The Pacelli principals completed training and certification with AdvancEd to administer a student engagement protocol.  Throughout the year,  principals do walk-through classroom visits in each building to observe and record student engagement information. We are then able to process this information and determine trends in the area of student engagement, a key factor in student achievement.

A leadership team of Pacelli staff and administration will review this perception data, along with academic student achievement data provided by NWEA math and reading benchmark testing administered three times a year to all students K-12, to develop a continuous improvement plan for the upcoming year and into the future.  Trend data and the continuous improvement plan will be shared with stakeholders. This process is one that we implement every year to assess our growth and develop our short and long term goals.  Continuous improvement is a journey, not a destination.  Happy New Year, and best wishes as you set your goals for 2018!

If you are interested in learning more about Pacelli Catholic Schools visit our website at www.pacellischools.org, email admin@pacellischools.org or call 507-437-3278.