MEXICO – The local vocational school is gearing up to seek go its first accreditation.

Region 9 School of Applied Technology Director Deborah Guimont said the move was prompted by the school’s desire to get its accreditation, along with the state’s call for all schools to be accredited under its Essential Programs and Services program.

That program, she said, requires that every school in the state offer a basic minimum of services and programs for all students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12.

If all goes as expected, she said a team from the state Department of Education will review Region 9 next May.

She said much of the curriculum and assessment work for alignment with the Maine Learning Results has already been done.

“We just need to make sure all the pieces are in place,” she said.

She estimated it will cost about $14,000 to conduct the accreditation process.

That will come from Perkins vocational grant money and from tuition carry-over funds.

She said the school’s administration looked into accreditation through the New England Association of Schools and Colleges or through the state’s own accreditation program.

They opted for the state because of the lower cost.

A team of instructors from Region 9 plans to work one day a week throughout the summer gathering the documentation required for consideration for accreditation.

Instructors Sally Arsenault and Norm Jamison have started reviewing the paperwork needed to begin the process, Guimont added.

She said nine of the state’s 27 vocational regions or centers are accredited already.

Standards or policies that must be developed and followed to meet accreditation requirements include:

• methods for assessing student work.

• clear and focused goals.

• community/school relations.

• curriculum.

• school facilities.

• high expectations for students.

• instructional processes.

• leadership and management.

• school atmosphere and affirmative action.

• procedures for staff development.

• services available for students.

Region 9’s accreditation team will be assigned responsibility for each of the standard’s components.

The state accreditation team will provide Region 9 with its commendations and recommendations next May. Two years later, the vocational school will provide a follow-up, detailing its progress in meeting the objectives set forth by the DOE.

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