Why CAIS Accreditation?
As an independent school, Montcrest chooses to be part of different associations which bring faculty, staff and students together with other school communities provincially, nationally and internationally. While Montcrest views itself as unique in the independent school sector, we also benefit from strong relationships with others who are also committed to providing children with excellence in education. One such association is the Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS). CAIS is an association of almost 100 schools across Canada that choose to exceed provincial expectations and meet rigorous standards across all areas of school function.
What are we doing now?
Montcrest will be pursuing the "self study" component of the accreditation process during the 2022–23 school year. The self study requires that schools reflect on their current practices, determine the effectiveness of those practices, consider the possibilities for improvement and set priorities for future areas of focus.
The timing of this self study process could not be better for Montcrest.
Schools in Canada and across the world are emerging from a global pandemic that has had a profound impact on people and societies. As schools, this moment in time represents a moment to reflect on what we do very well and where there is an opportunity to rethink our approaches to learning and teaching to meet the needs of our students in a rapidly changing world.
For Montcrest specifically, the pandemic was also punctuated, on a positive note, by the opening of a new facility and, on a more disruptive side, by successive changes in leadership. Currently, in the second year of an aspirational three-year strategic plan, the accreditation process will provide robust data and insights, consultatively collected and reflected upon, to inform the school's strategic direction. This planning will begin in 2023–24 upon the completion of the CAIS Accreditation process.
What happens next?
From October 1–4, 2023, Montcrest School will welcome a team of educators from across Canada who will be undertaking an in-depth Peer Review process. The Peer Review Team will validate the school's self study of the education program and school operations and result in both commendations for things the school is doing well and recommendations for ways in which the school can improve. In many ways, their visit is like bringing in a team of consultants with different areas of expertise to offer suggestions for improved practices that will positively impact the education we provide at Montcrest. In meeting the CAIS Standards, Montcrest will also maintain our accreditation with the Canadian Association of Independent Schools (CAIS).
What are the Standards within the CAIS framework?
CAIS accreditation is seen through the lens of 3 Pillars, Strategic Direction, Education Program and School Operations. The accreditation process supports schools to assess their function in relation to 11 Standards (Standard 8 does not apply to Montcrest):
What will the process look like?
Over the next year, all faculty, staff, and the Board will participate in the self-study and peer review processes. Students, parents, and alum will also be invited to provide input in various ways, including surveys and focus groups. The resulting Self Study Report will celebrate those things we do very well and articulate the areas where there is room for improvement. The Peer Review Report will provide further direction as we build a School Improvement Action Plan to inform the school's future strategic direction.
As a learning community, we are eager to grow and continually improve and are excited by the opportunity to participate in this process.
If you are interested to learn more about the process, visit the CAIS website. If you are curious to be involved in the process, please connect with Matthew Berry or Gerry De Fazio who are coordinating the self study process.
