WASC evaluation of CVHS a success

During the month of February, the WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) visited CVHS to evaluate our curriculum and provide us with suggestions of how we could improve together as a school.

Results have reached the staff in no time, congratulating on CVHS’s warm, enthusiastic, and welcoming greeting.

Throughout the years, CVHS has improved its communication, be it between staff members, or students interacting with their teachers.  Our school was complimented on the useful facility additions such as the Center for the Arts and the stadium. CVHS comprised of a strong staff and sturdy AP class system and carried out district policies clearly and effectively.  In fact, enrollment in AP classes had increased each year, contributing in part to our high graduation rates.

CVHS’s curriculum had integrated state standards, its students engaged in challenging learning experiences.  When it came to school culture, CVHS was strongest in its student body, which was welcoming and comforting, along with the easily accessible counseling department.  A wide variety of extracurricular activities were offered with policies in place to maintain an orderly environment.

The WASC also found areas in which CVHS could improve upon, including the need of updated technology being made available for students and staff alike.  The bookroom checkout procedures proved to be a continuous problem along with a few minor policy issues.  The WASC members also found a lack of comprehensive plans for high school options, career exploration, and representation of minorities in advanced courses.

As a school, we needed to focus on educating students, staff, and parents on the new online grading systems, as many students and parents still did not know how to use the new system.  The staff was recommended to develop a more professional way to reach underperforming students.  The WASC were particularly focused on supporting enrollment of under-represented subgroups in advanced courses to ensure equal access for everyone.

As the evaluation came to an end, the WASC recounted that CVHS’s strengths outnumbered the weaknesses.  As expected, there were definitely quite a few things that need to be improved and many things we have yet to learn, but all in all, CVHS’s WASC evaluation had been a success.