Photo taken from @rosaryroyals on Instagram

The ISOs highlight the products of a Rosary education.

Next week, Monday, March 18, through Friday, March 22, Rosary will have some special guests on campus: the WCEA committee. Royals may have heard their teachers talking about WCEA or remember visits in past years. That being said, many students may not know what WCEA is or what they should expect from their anticipated visit next week.

Rosary Principal, Mr. Basford, took some time to help explain and prepare Royals for the WCEA visit:

What is WCEA, and why is it important?

WCEA stands for the Western Catholic Educational Association. It is an accrediting agency that evaluates and accredits Catholic schools in the western United States. WCEA accreditation signifies that a school meets certain standards of quality and provides an environment conducive to learning and student development.

WCEA accreditation is important for several reasons:

• It ensures that schools meet established standards of excellence in education.
• It enhances our school’s credibility and reputation, both within the community and among stakeholders such as parents, students, and colleges.
• The process involves self-study, which helps schools identify areas for improvement and implement changes to enhance educational quality.

What should students expect when WCEA visiting team members enter their classrooms?

When WCEA visiting team members enter classrooms, students can expect a professional and respectful atmosphere. Visiting team members typically observe classroom activities and review documentation related to the school’s educational practices.

Typically, visiting team members do not interact with teachers and students while visiting classrooms. Students should be friendly and polite as they usually are on campus.

Will students be interviewed by WCEA? If so, what should they expect to be asked?

WCEA visiting team members may or may not interview students. If they are interviewed, they can expect to be asked about their experiences at the school, their perceptions of the learning environment, and their interactions with teachers and peers.

Students should answer honestly and thoughtfully, as their input can contribute to the accreditation process and help the school identify areas of strength and areas for improvement.

A visiting committee member may ask students if they have ever looked at the ISOs and if they understand them. The ISOs are posted in each classroom. ISO stands for Integrated Student Outcomes. These integrated student outcomes are statements about what we as a school strive to make sure you, as graduates, are able to accomplish.

World Language Department Chair, Sra. Kappe ’03, comments her perspective as a teacher: “From a teacher’s point of view, the accreditation process is an opportunity for our school to learn about our areas of strength and our areas of growth. It is so important to continue becoming the best school we can be. We want to show the visiting team that who we are as a school community. We are so blessed to be a school whose focus is to educate young women, and we want to continue to bless future Rosary students.”

Be sure to listen to morning announcements in the next few days for more information from Mr. Basford, and make sure to take a look at our school ISOs in one of your classrooms to prepare yourself for this important visit!