On Sept. 18, Principal Brian Jandreau received a letter informing him that the Commission on Public Schools, at its meeting on June 22, had reviewed the Decennial Accreditation Report from a recent visit to Gorham High School and voted to award the school continued accreditation in the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Gorham High School was congratulated for the successful completion of goals by staff and administration.
The letter from Alyson M. Geary and Carl R. Johnson highlighted the progress that GHS had made on the priority areas for growth and increased alignment with the Principles of Effective Practice, including:
-the effective use of technology to meet student learning needs
-the authentic opportunities provided through the team teaching model
-the collaborative decision-making process that is dynamic and responsive to staff and student needs
-the creative shifts in curriculum structures in English, social studies, and science to create flexibility and engagement that will enable more learners toattain the vision of a graduate
-the autonomy provided to staff through the self-selected book study to create an understanding of the “why” behind differentiation
-the collective understanding fostered through the adoption and use of the Carol Ann Tomlinson model of differentiation
-the focus on intentionally developing the instructional conceptual understanding, competency, commitment, and capacity of the staff
-the transparency and collaboration fostered through the staffing-needs process and prioritization
-the plan for long-term capital improvement projects that ensure a physically safe environment for all students and adults
-the real-world opportunities provided by the extended learning opportunities program
-the variety of pathways toward graduation requirements offered through the Social Studies and English departments
-the approach to determining the mental health and wellness needs of studentsbased on data
-the emphasis on the vision of a graduate as a living document that should guide all aspects of the school, including curriculum documents
-the expansion of learning spaces through the Modular Phase I project to better accommodate student learning needs
-the peer-to-peer learning facilitated through observations and work within
departments
The Commission also found it noteworthy that Gorham High School met all eight Foundational Elements in the Standards for Accreditation.