On Wednesday, May 3, Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District Superintendent Ron McCowan announced that Valley Center High School had received a six-year accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
"This is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of everyone on campus," McCowan said in a statement. "I cannot say enough about the high-caliber professionals who commit themselves to making Valley Center High School an outstanding school for our students. And while it is terrific to receive the accreditation, it only confirms what we already know about the outstanding people we have at VCHS."
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC), a world-renowned accrediting association and one of the six regional accrediting agencies in the United States, works closely with the Office of Overseas Schools under the U.S. Department of State. ACS WASC provides assistance to schools worldwide, especially in California, Hawaii, Guam, Asia, the Pacific Region, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
An accreditation assures a school community that the school’s purposes are appropriate and being accomplished through a viable education program — a trustworthy institution for student learning, and validates the integrity of the school’s program and transcripts.
It also facilitates transfer of credits to other English-speaking schools — critical for college/university acceptance worldwide.
"The WASC visitors conveyed that they were extremely impressed by our programs and our beautiful campus," McCowan said. "They took a whole-school approach when assessing our school site and complimented the welcoming atmosphere as well as the student-centered focus of all employees on campus."
The superintendent said there was a great deal of preparation for the WASC visit by Principal Arron Little, and Administrators Norma Carrillo and Kelly Xitco, with Andrew Walford preparing the WASC report. The entire staff put forth a tremendous effort and can be proud of the result.
"Principal Little and his team did a great job preparing for and coordinating the visit to ensure the best possible experience for the visitors, which resulted in an outstanding showcasing of our Valley Center High School," McCowan said.
He said the WASC team also provided constructive feedback on areas that will allow the school to move forward with the goal of continuous improvement and providing students with the best possible education and high school experience.
"The Governing Board, and Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District is proud to receive this accreditation and validation from WASC and it will serve as inspiration to further our commitment toward providing excellence for our students district-wide," McCowan said.