SACS Accredits New Covenant Schools

For the first time in its 17-year history, New Covenant Schools is accredited, which its headmaster said marks a commitment to continuous improvement.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, a regional accrediting body, recently awarded the private Christian school the distinction.

“We had been in the process for about two years,” said headmaster John Heaton, adding the last year was spent doing a self-study. “I like to tell people I’ve been working on accreditation for 10 years. We delayed it for a long time because we wanted to make sure we met or exceeded the standards.”

The school, which currently enrolls 335 students, was started in 1991. Heaton said intentionally putting off the accreditation was important to developing the school’s curriculum and facilities.

“I’ve been pushing our faculty for a decade because I didn’t want them to feel like they were in the 24-month accreditation crunch,” he said.

The accreditation process, which takes two years, calls for schools to assess areas for improvement, and create and implement an action plan. In addition, SACS officials also evaluate the school.

SACS accredits various colleges, universities, elementary, middle and secondary schools in 11 states. For example, locally Liberty Christian Academy and Holy Cross Regional Catholic School are also accredited by SACS.

In order to maintain its accreditation status, New Covenant Schools must improve student performance, submit annual reports indicating progress in its improvement plan and be re-evaluated every five years.

Heaton said the entire process has required a lot of self-examination.

“The world of accreditation is changing,” he said. “Accreditation used to be a status to be achieved.”

Not any more.

Instead, Heaton said, accreditation represents a changing benchmark, excellence to be upheld - continuous improvement.

“There are standards that you have to meet, but it’s not just that,” he said. “Just achieving those standards doesn’t mean a quality school. Schools need to be committed to continuing improvement. Otherwise there’s no guaranteed accreditation.”

New Covenant plans to start a middle school in fall 2008. Currently the school is divided into the upper school, grades seven through 12, and the lower school, kindergarten through sixth grade. Heaton said the school also plans to offer intramural sports, which will be played during the day.

Heaton said the school’s accreditation wouldn’t have much of an impact on students.

“Believe it or not it won’t affect students much at all,” he said, later adding, “I think it does help us if a student transfers to another public or private school. It makes it easier for that other district to know there’s an equivalent standard.”

Heaton attributed the school’s commitment to high standards to its staff.

“I think I would say that New Covenant invests a significant amount of money in its faculty and views the faculty as its greatest asset for the success of our students. I think that SACS has recognized the good they have done,” he said. “It validates what we have endeavored to do.”