Chair Training Scheduled at February Conference

Be part of an AdvancED Quality Assurance Review team and assist schools with their school improvement efforts by becoming a nationally qualified AdvancED Chair.  Quality Assurance Review Chair training will be held February 27 and March 1, 2011, in conjunction with the AdvancED Virginia Conference, at The Williamsburg Hospitality House in Williamsburg.  During the Sunday and Tuesday training, participants will have the option of attending the first day of the conference at a special rate.   The training will be led by members of the AdvancED Professional Learning team.  Participants will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the training.   Click here for more information and details on how to register for the chair training. 

Call for Session Presenters at State Conference

The AdvancED Virginia office invites you to submit a proposal to lead a small-group session presentation at the state conference on February 28-March 1, 2011 at The Williamsburg Hospitality House in Williamsburg.  Submit a paragraph describing your session topic, along with those who will present, to Dr. Patricia Golding, Associate Director, at pgolding@advance-ed.org.  If you have specific questions about the process, please feel free to contact Dr. Golding.

AdvancED Launches New Web Site

AdvancED has launched a new Web site – www.advanc-ed.org -with a fresh look and refined navigation!  We took your advice and made the Web site both user-friendly and more up-to-date.  We’ve included new sections on School Improvement and Issues in Education, and added more news items.  Check out AdvancED’s new Web site and find out how we are fostering new ideas and solutions, putting schools and districts first, advancing excellence, and transforming education. 

Resources & Tools Available at New Web Site

Schools and districts preparing for their QAR visit will find all tools and resources necessary in one convenient location on the redesigned AdvancED Web site. These guides and links are available only to accredited AdvancED institutions.  The location of this information was sent by e-mail to the head of schools and superintendents at the start of the school year.  Please call the AdvancED Virginia Office if you need this information. 

Demographic Update Necessary for Accuracy

It's time for AdvancED schools and districts to check the accuracy of their demographics on the AdvancED Web site.  This allows our office to have the most current information. To update the demographics, go to www.advanc-ed.org.  Log in with your e-mail and password. After logging in, place your mouse over the Accreditation tab, and click on Demographics Update. If you have not logged into the Web site before or should you need assistance, please contact the AdvancED Virginia Office. 

Using the New Self-Assessment Tool

Do you have a Quality Assurance Review visit coming up this year?  If you do, you’ll need to complete the new Self- Assessment.  The Self-Assessment replaces the Standards Assessment Report. Why the change?  Several reasons, but mainly because you suggested it! People have been telling us that the questions on the Standards Assessment Report were not clear, and it was difficult to decide how much information to include.  In the new Self-Assessment, it’s simply a matter of answering multiple choice questions and completing narratives regarding the work that you do.  We have several resources available to help you learn more about the Self- Assessment tool and how to complete it.  Contact our office to learn more about these resources or if you have questions. 

Welcome New Council Members

AdvancEd Virginia welcomes four new council members this year.  The new council members are:

• Dr. Jennifer Coyne Cassata-Acting Director of Accountability, Prince William County Schools
• John Reynolds-Superintendent, Rockbridge County Schools
• Michael Sturgill-Principal, Chilhowie High School, Smyth County Schools
• Dr. Deran Whitney-Superintendent, Suffolk Public Schools
  

Visit the AdvancED Virginia Web page to see a complete list of all AdvancED Virginia council members.  We appreciate the dedication of these fine educators, their contribution to AdvancED, and their vision for improving education for the students of Virginia. 

Congratulations Schools and Districts

Check out the list of schools and districts on our AdvancED Virginia Web page that hosted a successful QAR visit in the school year 2009-10 and were granted continued AdvancED accreditation.   Congratulations to all!