Aztec High accredited
Aztec High School recently earned accreditation for its campus through AdvancED District Accreditation.
“It's a pretty intense process. To have it finally come through was very exciting for us,” said Principal Molly Kelly.
She noted that representatives spent time observing classrooms, looking at data and interviewing students and staff as well as examining the purpose and direction of the school. Kelly said she and her staff had been working to receive the accreditation for the past year and a half.
“They said something that stood out the most and something that we got really, really highly complimented on was the fact that when they interviewed the kids, they said that the school felt like it wasn't a school but it was a family. They said that came through loud and clear, that everybody who worked at the school and with the kids cares about them personally.”
Kelly said they had always felt that was true, but it was nice to hear the students share that during their interviews.
She said the accreditation team was also surprised and pleased that all of Aztec's instructors are highly qualified and actually teaching in the classroom as opposed to providing only online courses or packet coursework.
As to what they have to work on, Kelly commented that they were told to use more classroom data to help further benefit the students.
She concluded that the campus accreditation will look great on students' college or military academy applications and will also help them when they are transferring from one school to another.
“It's a sense of pride in the school itself and the teachers that are working here. It's a sense of accomplishment and we want the kids to feel that when they get that high school diploma that diploma means something and they're getting it from an accredited institution.”
Aztec High School is a charter school with 140 students and 11 staff members.
Sarah Womer can be reached at swomer@yumasun.com or 539-6858. Find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/YSSarahWomer or on Twitter at @YSSarahWomer.
