By the grace of Allah (swt), Northstar School is honored to have received accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) in January 2016. This is excellent news for our school and marks a significant milestone in our ongoing development. The WASC Accrediting Commission for Schools has granted Northstar School full accreditation for an initial period of three years, the most favorable outcome of an initial visit granted by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges.  This status affirms that Northstar School meets the criteria for full accreditation and has a strong history and support system for a high-quality program that can be sustained into the foreseeable future.

In its report, the WASC visiting committee noted the following, amongst other positive feedback:

• The school has established a clear statement of purpose that reflects the beliefs and philosophies of the institution. The purpose is defined further by adopted schoolwide learner outcomes that form the basis of the educational program for every student.
• The schoolwide learner outcomes and academic standards of Northstar reflect and further define the general purpose of the school and community. All the programs are designed to support students in attaining academic, social, and spiritual outcomes that prepare them to move on successfully to high school.
• There is a high level of consistency between the school’s mission, the student learning outcomes (SLOs), and the curriculum.
• The school provides a challenging, coherent, and relevant curriculum for each student that fulfills the school’s purpose and results in student achievement of the school-wide learner outcomes through successful completion of any course of study offered.
• Northstar has a process, which is followed to ensure that all students are placed and monitored in a rigorous, relevant, and coherent standards-based curriculum that supports the achievement of the academic standards and the schoolwide learner outcomes.
• The school leadership makes decisions to facilitate actions that focus the energies of the school on student achievement of the school-wide learner outcomes; it empowers the staff and encourages commitment, participation, and shared accountability for student learning.
• Northstar has a systematic approach to evaluate the student learning outcomes and provide a pathway to making adjustments and supporting changes to assist students. The school has a process to reflect, monitor and refine the overall schoolwide action plan to ensure that it can adjust to align to student needs.
• Northstar provides qualified staff and is properly aligning curriculum to meet matriculation to the next level. The school has a defined plan for staff development to keep staff properly qualified and in training to meet the continued needs of the staff and stay with the vision and purpose of the school.
• The professional staff uses research-based knowledge about teaching and learning. The professional staff designs and implements a variety of learning experiences that actively engage students at a high level of learning consistent with the school’s purpose and school-wide learner outcomes.
• The teachers have qualifications and training to properly prepare their students to matriculate to the next level after leaving Northstar.
• The school has a safe, healthy, nurturing environment that reflects the school’s purpose; it is characterized by a respect for differences, trust, caring, professionalism, support, and high expectations for each student.
• A strength observed during the visit was the sense of a warm and supportive community at Northstar.
• The “family” and closeness of all levels of staff, students, and their families makes Northstar an environment very suited for the success of their students.

As a WASC accredited school, families may have confidence in Northstar School’s purpose, mission, and educational goals. Accreditation assures parents that our mission and purpose are being accomplished through a sound educational program that truly nurtures the mind, body and spirit.