Announcements

Three Cedars Waldorf School is proud to announce that the school will engage in a joint Accreditation process with PNAIS (Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools) and AWSNA (Association of Waldorf Schools of North America) in the 2012-13 school year.

The process of Accreditation with both associations was started by my predecessor a few years ago, and we are grateful that both organizations have granted us extensions to accommodate our transition in leadership and organization.

The Accreditation process, called Self-Study, is a powerful tool designed to guide a school community through a thorough assessment of its programs and administration. At this time of transition and expansion, our school will benefit immensely from this guidance, as we ponder options and make choices for the present and future.

For this process, we will use the PNAIS Self-Study guide, and supplement and cross-reference our self-study document – which typically includes over 200 pages – with the AWSNA Shared Principles. You can find links below to these documents.

About 50% of schools seeking accreditation for the first time actually receive accreditation. The remaining 50% enjoy additional support from the associations, in the form of specific recommendations, and precise indications of the additional elements which need to be in place to fulfill the expectations of both accrediting bodies. As both associations continue to tell us, the value of accreditation lies in the self-study process. This said, we of course fully intend to meet all of the PNAIS Best Practices and AWSNA Shared Values, and we are looking forward to engaging in these tasks with enthusiasm.

• PNAIS Self Study Manual
• AWSNA-PNAIS Cross-Reference
• AWSNA Accreditation Guide