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May 6, 2005/Nisan 27 5765, Volume 57, No. 36
Pardes day school receives accreditation
BENJAMIN LEATHERMAN
Special to Jewish News
After more than a year under the microscope of one of the nation's largest accreditation organizations, Pardes Jewish Day School has become the Valley's only fully accredited K-8 Jewish day school.
The North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement certified that the curriculum of the Scottsdale educational institution meets quality standards and that it has "a continuous school improvement plan focused on increasing student performance."
The accreditation by North Central, a Tempe-based organization that evaluates more than 9,000 public and private schools in 19 states, was effective April 17.
Diane Silberman, elementary division director at Pardes, said the accreditation not only provides a "seal of approval" for the school's teaching methods, but it also makes the educational institution the Valley's only fully accredited K-8 Jewish Day School.
"We've always been an excellent school, but when an institution becomes accredited, it becomes more credible," Silberman said. "When people ... look at Pardes, they see we've met certain criteria, we're really up to par, and we're educationally sound."
The Jess Schwartz Jewish Community High School in Phoenix is also accredited by North Central, while The King David School in Scottsdale is in the process of evaluation and could be accredited by next year, according to Don Enz, North Central's Arizona state director.
Jill Kessler, head of school at Pardes, said the North Central's "intensive" multi-step accreditation process began in September 2003, when the school received "candidacy status," before beginning a yearlong evaluation last spring.
A steering committee of Kessler, Silberman, and middle school director Tobee Waxenberg worked with a peer review team made up of local education officials and headed by Scottsdale Christian Academy Superintendent Gary Damore. The school staff determined goals that "best met the needs of the students and the institution."
Damore said North Central accreditation requires suitable pupil-to-teacher ratios, highly qualified staff, a broad and rigorous curriculum and "other components necessary to provide a quality education."
Schools are required to submit "very comprehensive documentation" to the peer review team.
Damore added that a variety of methods are used to ascertain student improvement in all targeted goals over the course of the year, including standardized test results.
The team visited Pardes to verify the information, and its findings were forwarded to North Central's headquarters, where administrators voted on accreditation at the organization's annual meeting in Chicago last month.
The accreditation is valid for three years, with the process starting again in the 2007-08 school year. Pardes also must submit to annual audits that determine if the school is continuing improvement and meeting its goals.
Damore said what stood out to him the most during the process was Pardes' leaders and administrators.
"They have a very strong leadership team, they have a clear vision for the future of the school, and (they've put) together a sound educational program for all the kids," he said.
Waxenberg said that Pardes' administrators are not planning on resting on their laurels, especially since North Central officials will continue monitoring their progress.
"Which is exactly what accreditation means. Just because you have it doesn't mean you stop building," she said. "This honor speaks very highly of the staff, because everybody involved - teachers, students, parents - will keep looking at the gaps and make things even better and stronger."
Benjamin Leatherman is a freelance writer based in Tempe.
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