Secondary Spotlight

Madison Campus Elementary and Madison Academy Complete Joint Accreditation

Together as a PK-12 campus, Madison Campus Elementary and Madison Academy completed a year-long critical self-study followed by an onsite accreditation visit in early March. The self-study process included creating focus groups with faculty, staff, students, and board members from both schools.  These groups collected data, evaluated successes and opportunities, and drafted responses to each of the standards’ indicators.  Then, a 10-member visiting accreditation team of educators from across the Southern Union validated the study and provided useful feedback in the form of recommendations and advice on action plans.

This joint accreditation process was proposed two years ago with the intent to strengthen relationships in the two schools that would lead to more vertical allignment of curriculum, goals for student learning, and intentions for the family experience.  Although a joint process had never been done before, the North American Divisison, Southern Union, and Kentucky-Tennessee Conference supported the simultaneous two-school accreditation.  Due to the complexity of the assignment, Dennis Plubell, retired from the North American Division Office of Education, served as the committee chair.

The process and the visit were both a huge success!  MCE and MA have much for which to be grateful and a clear path forward.  While we won’t know our official status until mid-July after the Adventist Accreditating Association and Middle State Accreditating Council meet, we feel confident in that we learned a great deal about ourselves.  It is evident that our Madison schools are better together.  This need for a collaborative approach is seen in the pursuit of academic excellence, financial sustainability, family support systems, and certainly spritual campus culture.  Our schools are committed to celebrating this achievement and continuing to grow a PK-12 campus model. 

-Kris Fuentes, MCE & MA Administrative Lead