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Holy Cross earns high marks from reaccreditation team

By Debbie Gardner

PRIME Editor



SPRINGFIELD Holy Cross School Principal Claire Cote has always been proud of the hard work and dedication shown by her teachers and students.

But as the 2008-09 school year begins, Cote has a reason to be doubly proud of her school.

Over the summer, Cote received word that the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) reaccredited Holy Cross School for another 10 years. NEASC is an independent evaluating organization which provides voluntary accreditations to private and public elementary and secondary schools, international schools abroad and colleges.

Originally accredited in 1997, Holy Cross was one of the first Catholic schools in the Greater Springfield area to receive that distinction.

"I'm so thrilled to death," Cote told Reminder Publications. "Not that I thought we weren't going to do it, but it's always wonderful when you get the news that they [have] accredited you for another 10 years."

In preparation for the accreditation visit by a team from the NEASC, faculty and administrative staff at the school embarked on a months-long self-study program ranking the school in accordance with 16 standards required by the NEASC.

Based on the self-evaluation, the teachers and administrators, coordinated by first grade teacher Doreen Matthews, remedial mathematics teacher Loretta Gaffnery and eighth grade teacher Carol Brown, developed an action plan to outline academic, infrastructure and procedural areas at the school, noting each areas strengths and weaknesses.

"We have a wonderful staff at Holy Cross School," Cote said. "They all attended to the process and worked very hard to complete the evaluation."

Cote also complimented the pastor of Holy Cross Church, Fr. J. Victor Carrier, for his interest and concern for the school and its students, and his involvement in the accreditation process.

"If he had not been supportive of the project, we would not have been able to do it," she said.

In March 2007, NEASC sent a team of eight evaluators to meet with the school's faculty and staff, review the self-study documents and perform independent observations and evaluations of the school and its program.

The study committee also met with parents and students to get a well-rounded impression of how the school functioned.

"To be accredited, a school has to meet some very specific standards, and [Holy Cross] did it with flying colors and with commendation from the [visiting] committee," said Dr. Bonnie Moriarty, Associate Superintendent for School Personnel and Curriculum for the Diocese of Springfield. "They don't usually write a personal letter to the school, but in this case, [the evaluating committee] did."

Cote said the evaluating committee did have two major recommendations for the school suggesting a redefinition of its technology program and the formulation of a plan to address the school's long- and short-term development needs as well as a few other minor recommendations, but that "very few schools get so few major recommendations in the accrediting process."

Moriarty said the fact that Holy Cross received such high marks in its reaccreditation makes it a model for the schools in the Springfield Diocese that are working toward accreditation and reaccreditation.

"It's a sign of academic excellence and that's why we want all of our schools to work toward accreditation," Moriarty said.