MNSAA

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MNSAA

• NEW ADMINISTRATOR WORKSHOP

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What will we cover today?

• What is MNSAA and what is the accreditation
  process?
• What is a strategic plan?
• How do I write my annual report?

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WHAT IS THE MNSAA AND WHAT IS THE ACCREDITATION
PROCESS?

• The MNSAA is the Minnesota Non-public Schools
  Accrediting Association
• An association of non-public schools which may or
  may not be denominational
• Approved by the State of Minnesota to accredit
  non-public schools
• Works to assure quality in the non-public schools
  throughout the state.

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Why would my school choose accreditation?

• Accreditation provides recognized credibility for
  schools in the eyes of the public. Accreditation
  represents to other educational institutions,
  prospective students, foundations, legislators,
  alumni and the general public, recognition of the
  quality of a school program.
• Accreditation provides outside validation that a
  school has met certain basic standards, and is
  actively seeking a quality education program.
• Accreditation assures the public that the school
  program and organization will periodically
  undergo an intensive self-evaluation by the
  school community, and a review by educators who
  are not affiliated with the school.
• Accreditation provides a practical framework for
  long-range strategic planning, focused on ongoing
  school improvement efforts.
• Accreditation makes a public statement that the
  school is committed to quality education, is
  willing to be measured against standards, and is
  willing to engage in school improvement
  activities.
• Accreditation provides a network of educational
  relationships, whereby the exchange of ideas and
  methods to better meet the needs of students can
  be developed and shared.
• Accreditation provides the school with an
  objective outside viewpoint which can oftentimes
  be necessary in addressing long-standing issues
  and concerns.
• Accreditation facilitates an intensive
  self-evaluation process whereby improvement in
  staff communication and cohesiveness has been a
  consistent result.
• Accreditation provides an opportunity to
  highlight the many excellent accomplishments of
  the school and its students.

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We need to start the accreditation process. What
do I need to do?

• Make Preliminary Considerations
• Send a Letter of Intent with the Application Fee
• Prepare a Self-Study Report Demonstrating
  Compliance with Accreditation Criteria
• Appointment of the Team Chairperson
• Send Notification to Executive Director Regarding
  Team Details
• Develop a School Strategic Plan
• Host an Onsite Team Visitation
• Board makes Accredited Status Determination
• Schools Respond to Onsite Visitation Report

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What is a Strategic Plan?

• A School Strategic Plan sets the course and
  direction for all development and growth within
  the school. At its core, the plan identifies
  where the school wants to be and how the school
  plans to get there it defines a practical
  vision and strategic plan for the school. Any
  and all specific planning activities should be
  consolidated in the School Strategic Plan.

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What should be included in a Strategic Plan?

• The goals established within a School Strategic
  Plan can result from analyzing real school data
  or through self-evaluation (i.e. self-study).
  Addendums to this plan may come from external
  sources (i.e. visitation team findings or
  state/federal legal guidelines). The School
  Strategic Plan should be driven by the mission of
  the school.

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Objectives in Your Schools Strategic Plan

• the end results the school sets out to achieve
• student-focused
• Some objectives should specifically address
  student performance
• formally adopted and appropriately challenging
• built around significant areas of growth
• breadth and substance - and are limited in number
  
• support and reflect the mission

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Examples of good end result objectives.

• Objectives identify where the school wants to be.
  All improvement efforts are then directed
  towards achieving the objectives. Objectives
  focus on both quantifiable and qualitative
  change. For example
• The school will provide a safe, functional, and
  attractive learning facility.
• The school will have a plan to address issues of
  financial viability in order to continue
  providing educational services to students.
• All students will be assessed on student learner
  outcomes identified within the curriculum
  handbook.
• The school will develop a plan to identify and
  prioritize changes to the physical plant that
  will be necessary to accommodate the current and
  future programs of the school

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Objectives Good vs. Poor

• The schools library will provide students with
  current and applicable resources to support
  learning
• All students will improve writing skills across
  the curriculum
• The school will determine the feasibility of
  building a new gymnasium and act accordingly
• The school will provide a safe, functional, and
  attractive learning facility.

• Additional library resources will be secured
• All students will improve their performance by 10
  percentile points
• The school would like to (or hope to) build a new
  gymnasium
• The school will install safety rails on the
  outside staircase

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Strategies Support Objectives

• Strategies begin to identify how the school plans
  to achieve objectives.
• Strategies are concise statements that begin to
  define action steps.

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Action Steps Support Strategies

• Action steps identify specifically how strategies
  are implemented.
• Action Steps are detailed.
• Action steps are sometimes the establishment of a
  recurring good practice.
• Action Steps can project out a few years into the
  future.
• Action Steps increase accountability.
• Action steps help foster greater ownership and
  vision within the school community.

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SCHOOL STRATEGIC PLAN - TEMPLATE
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SCHOOL STRATEGIC PLAN SAMPLE OBJECTIVE/STRATEGIE
S/ACTION STEPS
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(No Transcript)
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How Do I Write my Annual Report?

• Each spring schools report progress on
  objectives, strategies and goals to the MNSAA.
• The Strategic Plan is a living document.
  Objectives may/should be added/changed as the
  reality of the school unfolds.
• You will need to provide supporting documentation
  of your progress with your annual report.

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SCHOOL STRATEGIC PLAN SAMPLE OBJECTIVE/STRATEGIE
S/ACTION STEPS
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS