Rock Hill Schools Get Good Report From AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Team

The AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Team, led by Dr. Jacqueline Beery, made a brief presentation of their findings to the Rock Hill School Board at a special called meeting. The Review Team, consisting of; Dr. Beery, retired superintendent from Indiana; Ms. Mary Babb, retired Assistant Superintendent of Pickens County; Dr. Thomas Faulkenberry, Dean of the School of Education & Graduate Studies at Converse College; Ms. Judy Wesley, Field Consultant for AdvancED; Mr. A. J. Gappa, Superintendent of Schools for the Knox Community Schools in Indiana; Mrs. Linda Herman, Director of School Improvement for the Lumpkin County School System in Georgia; Ms. Deborah Wimberly, Director of Federal Programs for the Marlboro County School District; and Ms. Brenda Turner, Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Services for the School District of Pickens County.

Below is a brief summary of their findings:

District Strengths

• Happy, self-disciplined students who feel and are valued and challenged
• Warm, welcoming, and safe learning environment
• Open door policy at both the district and school levels for all parents and patrons
• Efficient use of district resources
• District-wide commitment to professional development for all staff
• Addition of administrative and instructional support staff
• Strong system-wide professional learning communities
• District commitment to communicating with its stakeholders through the use of a wide variety of media
• Investment in instructional technology
• Culture that encourages innovative, research-based programs to maintain student engagement and increase student achievement
• Professional Code developed through an all-inclusive process that highlights putting students first, nurturing relationships, working together, growing professionally, and continuing to promote student success.

Commendations

• Highly qualified and nurturing faculty and staff who put students first
• Community support as evidenced by active business partnerships and passage of the last 2 bond referendums
• Strong administrative leadership that supports teaching and learning
• Experienced, knowledgeable, and committed Board of Trustees that works cohesively without personal agendas
• District priority of providing and maintaining excellent and equitable facilities
• District's long-standing history of excellent fiscal management
• Visionary and dynamic leadership of Superintendent Dr. Moody

Challenges

• Maintain current innovative programs during the current budget cutbacks
• Maintain adequate facilities and highly qualified teaching staffs and fully licensed administrators to accommodate the growing student population
• Provide additional professional development to address the instructional needs of the increasingly diverse population
• Build capacity and understanding for the current district initiatives
• Provide appropriately translated communications to parents

Recommendations

• Complete the development of curriculum alignment, curriculum maps, and formative assessments.
• Implement a systemic and systematic process for data-driven decision making to address the under-achieving subgroups
• Provide training in the Model Strategic Planning Process at the district and school levels to facilitate continuous school improvement.

Accreditation Recommendation

• The Quality Assurance Review Team recommends to the AdvancED Accreditation Commission that the Rock Hill Schools York County District Three be awarded District Accreditation as a quality school system!
• Once reviewed and approved by the AdvancED Accreditation Commission, the district and all its schools are granted a 5-year term accreditation.