W.C. Friday Middle earns accreditation as a quality school
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Distinction as a Quality School – it’s a phrase that has a nice ring to it, and it applies to all public schools in the Gaston County school district, including ours.
In June 2018, Gaston County Schools earned its re-accreditation from AdvancED, an organization that is responsible for reviewing schools in the United States and around the world. The extensive accreditation process takes place every five years and involves an outside team of education professionals coming into schools to observe, interview stakeholders, collect data, and determine whether a school district is deserving of accreditation.
Accreditation is an endorsement, certification, and recognition that signifies that schools have earned the distinction of being a quality school.
Superintendent of Schools W. Jeffrey Booker stated, “We are so proud of our schools for what they do every day to provide a quality education for our children, and to earn accreditation is affirmation that we are achieving and excelling here in Gaston County Schools.”During the accreditation review process, the team of educational professionals shared four key takeaways from their visit to Gaston County Schools. The takeaways are listed below.
▪ The accreditation team believes the district’s investment in school choice gives students an opportunity to “find what they like, and it will help them to thrive.”
▪ During their school visits, the team observed well-managed classrooms. They characterized our schools as “very safe and conducive to learning.”
▪ They commended the district’s efforts in Career and Technical Education, commenting that we are “empowering our graduates.”
▪ The team complimented our sense of neighborhood pride and described our culture of engagement as “highly commendable.”
For our school, accreditation means we are doing what we should to make certain that our students are learning and growing every day.
VIDEO: Click below to watch the School Accreditation Presentation that was recorded in February 2019 for broadcast on Channel 21, the Education Station for Gaston County Schools.