By Michael Howell
After a two-year review of its system by a local review team, the Hamilton School District recently received certification by the AdvancED program in Montana. It is one of only five schools in the state to be certified by the program. Darby was the first in the state to be certified in 2015 and Corvallis School District is currently engaged in the process.
AdvancED is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that conducts rigorous, on-site external reviews of Pre-K-12 schools and school systems to ensure that all learners realize their full potential. Not a typical accrediting agency, the goal of AdvancED isn’t to certify that schools are good enough so much as it is a commitment to help schools improve.
The AdvancED review team, comprised of Paula Onstad from Stevensville, Robert Watson from Bozeman, Laurie Barron from Evergreen, Charlotte Draper from Alabama and lead evaluator Barbara Remondidi from Arizona, made the announcement last Wednesday.
Hamilton School District Superintendent Tom Korst said that participation in the accreditation program was totally voluntary and not many schools have opted to go through the long and tedious review process. According to Korst, it took over a year simply to review issues related to the school district’s staff and identifying high level activities and performances as well as areas that needed improvement.
“It was a very significant effort involving the administration, the staff and the parents,” said Korst. “We have a strong sense of leadership from the Board and a strong sense of direction.” He said the involvement by the Families in Education Committee was “amazing.” Something to work on, he said, was putting together a complete student assessment and a more detailed plan for long-range development.
Korst said that getting an external assessment that is scientifically valid and reliable was a very helpful tool. He said a plan for improvements based on the assessment will be put together over the course of the year and implemented next year.
“We are working toward a two-point-in-time assessment,” he said, “so that we can check for improvements.”
Korst is also planning to initiate a conversation with the Board and the public about potentially putting forth a new levy request this spring. He said since the district’s current bond is going to be retired in 2018, “it’s an opportunity to fund some needed projects without increasing anyone’s property taxes.”
Korst said that he was a planner at heart and thought it would be a good idea to discuss doing something wise at an opportune time and proactively addressing the situation.
One option also under consideration is selling the Westview school building, now currently leased to the Bitterroot College. Realistically, he said, it would mean losing the football stadium.
“We are looking at innovative and creative ways to address these issues and to continue improving our system,” said Korst.
A public hearing was scheduled for Monday, November 7.