On Sunday, May 6, a five-member team will come to town with the intention of scrutinizing the educational work of the Van Buren Public Schools District in order to present an oral report on Wednesday afternoon.
That’s when the district will learn its accreditation status with North Central Association on Accreditation and School Improvement. This is the first year the district is seeking accreditation as a district, instead of school by school. Each school currently is accredited separately.
The public is invited to the 3 p.m. meeting on Wednesday, May 9, in the Administration Building to hear the report from the Quality Assurance Review Team. A longer, written report will be sent to the district within 30 days.
No matter how strong a district is, the QAR team is charged with presenting suggestions for improvement.
“I have high hopes,” said Special Services Supervisor Diane Kullis to the school board at a special meeting on Monday.
If the QAR review goes well, the district will have bragging rights and will be able to advertise its new designation of accreditation of the whole district. Kullis said in the future if the district wishes to reopen one of its closed schools or open another school, that school will already be accredited through the district.
Kullis gave the board many documents to study to prepare for the three-day QAR team visit, since the board members will be interviewed, along with the superintendent, administrators, teachers, members of the community, and probably a few students.
Board members were a little nervous about whether they would be able to answer the questions posed by the team.
Kullis calmed their fears, then presented the schedule. The team, which includes members from Georgia, North Carolina, and South Redford High School in Michigan, will arrive on Sunday to check into a local hotel, so they can start early on Monday.
On Monday they will get an overview of the district from School Supt. Michael Van Tassel and then start their interviews in schools throughout the district, along with parent and community member interviews.
They’ll eat in their hotel and Kullis has prepared carryout menus from local restaurants, so they can order and school representatives can pick up and bring the meals to the hotel. The team will continue working into the evening and start again early on Tuesday. They will split up in order to visit six different schools.
When board members asked if the team will be impressed with the new Belleville High school being constructed, Supt. Van Tassel replied that they don’t care about the new buildings, but want to see artifacts (which includes many pages of reports) and conduct interviews.
They’ll be working Tuesday night again and then finish up on Wednesday morning before a final, heads-up report to Van Tassel before the public oral report at 3 p.m.
In the past the district had a QAR visit for each school every five years. If accredited as a district, that would be reduced to one visit every five years.
“This is voluntary. There is no requirement to do it,” Van Tassel said, adding it will make the district stronger. “It’s a growing experience for the district. It’s a learning experience.”
He said the report will show where the district is doing well and where it needs improvement.
Kullis, who has served on a QAR team to study another district, said the team members just want to know the board cares about education of students and fully supports its superintendent.
After they get the hoped-for good news of district accreditation, Kullis said she wants to advertise the success, so the community will know how well their schools are doing.
While some districts take a year and a half to prepare for a QAR visit, the Van Buren Schools decided in December to seek a spring review.
The local QAR team that prepared for the visit was made up of Kullis, Tim Ottewell, Michelle Briegel, Alisha Pitt, and Michelle Baker Herring.
In other business at Monday’s meeting, the board:
• Held the second readings and approvals of the new District Vision, Mission and Belief Statements and the Revised Board Policy on staff discipline;
• Was advised the May 14 meeting would include the RESA budget, reports from three elementary principals and a superintendent’s evaluation in closed session. The board will be hearing from Van Tassel in that evaluation;
• Was advised the May 21 special meeting will hear from two more principals, have discussion on whether the board will have four or six-year terms (to comply with new state law), and to begin budget discussions. The budget for the new school year must be adopted before July 1; and
• Heard Van Tassel announce that the long-awaited public open house to see the new BHS has been tentatively set for Saturday, Aug. 18. There will be a ribbon cutting and the Education Foundation wants to have a roving dinner. Van Tassel said the date seems to be good so far because it is after demolition of the old high school and just before registration begins in the new high school. He emphasized the date is “not etched in stone”.