The work of the Visiting Committee Chair

The Visiting Committee Chair

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Important Reminders for the Chair of a Visiting Committee:

The Chair of a Visiting Committee plays a most important role in the WCEAAccreditation Process. 1. The Chair is the leader of the Visiting Committee and controls the actions of the Visiting Committee.

2. The Chair must understand the entire accreditation process and be able to provide direction for both the school Leadership Team and the members of the Visiting Committee.

3. The Chair is the person to whom the Accreditation Commission will refer if there are any questions regarding the visit at the school, and particularly if there is a question about the Term Recommendation of the Visiting Committee.

4. The Chair must be able to “wear the hat” of the school being visited, lead the committee members in this effort, maintain objectivity, and bring the committee members to consensus in writing the final report and making a Term Recommendation to the WCEA Commission.

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The Chair must:

1. Become very familiar with the E3 format.2. Contact the Principal and the Leadership Team of the school as soon as possible after being selected as Chair:

Discuss: (use as a Checklist)

a. Calendar: timeline for receiving the Self Study, b. How the school has been organized for the Accreditation Process (Integral Groups, Leadership Team, Home Groups, other groups) c. Development of the Data Library (how was this done?) d. Clarification of the Integral Student Outcomes (ISOs) (formerly ESLRs) e. Progress since the previous full Self Study f. Analysis of the student program (how has evidence been gathered and analyzed with respect to curriculum, the ISOs, and the seven principles of E3 Accreditation).

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1. Are all groups in the school community using the ISOs and the seven principles (and Standards) for determining “What exists,” “how effective is it,” and “where do we want to be?”

2. How is the evidence being organized and used in the Integral Groups (formerly Schoolwide Focus Groups) and the Home Groups (Departments and other groups determined by the leadership Team)?

g. Review of school’s Self Study table of contents (to get an initial sense of the Self Study), a summary of an Integral Groups work, and a basic outline for the EIP (Educational Improvement Plan 1. Are the EIP’s sections supported by the school community? 2. Do the sections include: a. Identification of the Vital Growth Area b. The goal of that action plan item c. A rationale for the plan (based on the Findings in Chapter IV) d. The action steps e. The acting agents (who is doing this)

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f. Necessary resources including budgetary needs g. Ways of assessing progress h. Ways of reporting progress i. A timeline for completion

h. Follow–up Process 1. Have the administrators, SC, Leadership Team begun discussion of a sound follow-up process ( in general)

i. Exhibit of representative evidence for the Visiting Committee 1. How will exhibit materials that reflect the evidence analyzed in the Self Study be organized for the Visiting Committee? (Data Library binder, etc.) 2. Will the evidence reflect a linkage to the ISOs and the seven principles, identified vital growth areas and EIP? 3. Will the Visiting Committee be provided a general list of available evidence?

j. The schedule for the actual visit: 1. How can the schedule maximize time for dialogue with the various Integral and Home Groups (and other determined groups) (Interviews) and possible meetings with Home Groups?

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2. Does the schedule permit regular daily meetings with the Leadership Team regarding the progress of the visit and the “findings” of the Visiting Committee 3. Visiting Committee workroom and exhibit area at the school 4. Meeting room for interviews with Integral and Home groups 5. Computer access and necessary compatibility with the system the Chair will be using for draft and final report 6. Clerical support 7. Housing arrangements, 8. Copy of previous Self Study, Mid-Term Report, VC Report for reference if needed

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k. Receive roster of Visiting Committee Members from the Local Commissioners by mid October 1. Send initial letter including a brief description of the school a. Ask for preferred areas of coverage and pre-writing b. Remind VC Members to attend the required training c. Set a date for VC Members response to initial letter

l. Maintain contact with the school to determine: a. If school needs further assistance b. Progress on Self Study c. Progress on housing and other physical arrangements d. Appropriate clerical support in advance of the visit

m. Send second letter to Visiting Committee Members: 1. Provide writing assignments 2. Ask VC Members to send questions about issues, concerns clarifications based on the reading of the Self Study 3. Require written narrative statements for assigned sections (seven principles). Inform VC Members that there will be a “first draft” report available at the initial meeting of the Visiting Committee 4. Provide tentative schedule for the school visit

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n. Maintain regular contact with the school: 1. Progress of report by seeing some samples of the report sections for critique (clarifications) 2. Date the school will mail the Self Study and the digital copy of the Data

Library to the Visiting Committee 3. Preparation of reference/evidence materials for the visit 4. Receive a list of reference/evidence material 5. Availability and knowledge of clerical support

o. Make final contact with the Visiting Committee Members 1. Confirm receipt of Self Study 2. Offer assistance with understanding of assigned tasks and writing 3. Remind members to send questions and tentative writings 4. Confirm initial visit time for the beginning of the actual visit

p. Develop basic Visiting Committee Report of Findings correlated to the school’s Self Study and the outline for writing the Report of Findings

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q. Plan Orientation Meeting for the Visiting Committee (Sunday afternoon) The meeting should include the following:

1. Purpose of the visit 2. Conducting the visit in an atmosphere of collaborative and open communication 3. Emphasis upon the principles and ISOs as the basis for the Self Study and the visit 4. Discussion of the school’s direction as a result of the Self Study (EIP) 5. Discussion of the Self Study Report: trends/perceptions questions, concerns, tentative written comments, etc. 6. Discussion of ways to gather evidence (Data Library, etc.) 7. Review of the Accreditation Recommendation process, and have the VC begin to think about its recommendation based on initial work 8. Review of initial meeting with the school Leadership Team and interviews of any groups such as the governing board which may meet with the VC on Sunday afternoon and go over the overall schedule for the visit

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Some thoughts on the Actual Visit for the Chair:

1. Conduct an orientation meeting for the VC Members on the Sunday afternoon of the actual visit

2. Conduct an initial meeting with the school Leadership Team that includes a reflective discussion on the general perceptions of the VC from the Self Study on Sunday

3. Facilitate the visit: a. Maintain a positive atmosphere and keep to the task… b. Maintain open communication and collaboration at all times c. Regularly communicate with the principal, self study coordinator and the Leadership Team d. Ensure that all VC Members are active participants in the school focus group meetings. e. Ensure that the gathering of evidence (classroom visits/program observations/ interviews, examination of student work and other data, subject area/ support group meetings) is occurring throughout the school f. Be certain that no area is overlooked g. Be sure to remind VC to avoid issues related to school policies or negotiations or grievances by individuals (parents, teachers, administrators, students)

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h. Stress with the VC to absolutely avoid prescription and “how we do it at our school” discussions with anyone at the school i. Be sure that all discussion on the findings focus on the seven principles and standards leading to the VC Report of Findings

4. Facilitate the thorough discussion and synthesis of all key concepts in the principles and standards, the school Self Study in general and the findings of the VC

5. At the final meeting with the Leadership Team be sure to discuss thoroughly your Report of Findings ensuring that the Leadership Team has the opportunity to ask questions and clarify areas of your report. To prepare for this discussion give draft copies of your Report of Findings to the Leadership Team in advance of your meeting so that they will read it and come prepared for discussion.

6. Allow for modifications to your report provided there is mutual agreement to do so, and bring closure to what will appear in the Report of Findings

7. Complete the Report of Findings with all VC Members participating

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8. Take careful time to discuss an Accreditation Recommendation and coordinate the confidential VC Recommendation Forms a. Ensure alignment between the Accreditation Recommendation and the Report of Findings b. Be sure that the VC Members sign the appropriate documents

9. Prepare with the VC Members a “Presentation to the School Community” of your Report of Findings. This presentation should be “highlights” from your report and not the reading of the report.

10. This presentation should begin with the Chair acknowledging and thanking the school community for its participation and hospitality.

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After the Accreditation Visit:

1. Finalize all required documents: Accreditation Recommendation, Justification Statement (signed by Chair and all VC Members)2. Complete the VC Report and sign it (Chair and VC Members)3. SEND: To the Local Commissioner the following in electronic form, scanning the completed signature page for each of those documents:

a. Visiting Committee Report b. Accreditation Recommendation c. Justification Statement (Rationale for Recommendation) Note: Be sure to check with the local Commissioner if he/she wants a hard copy

of any of the documents. 4. The Chair will keep copies of all documents until after the Accreditation meeting

in May. The major reason for this is that the Chair may receive a call regarding its Accreditation Recommendation especially if the WCEA Commission wishes to

recommend a different status. In this case a conversation with the Chair is required and a mutual agreement must be reached.5. Send appropriate letters of appreciation (to your team for its work), the

Leadership Team of the school (for its work, and for the hospitality of the school community)

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