AISNE Accreditation

Epiphany begins the 2004 – 2005 school year as a fully accredited middle school, having satisfied the Association of Independent Schools in New England’s six criteria for membership. The AISNE team that visited the school in February wrote a comprehensive Visiting Team Evaluation Report that includes every aspect of school life. This document will guide Epiphany in the years ahead. Commendations received will inspire our continued commitment to excellence. Recommendations and suggestions will be addressed in a systematic and active manner.

Ten Major Commendations were made. Here are some highlights. Epiphany was commended for being true to its mission and incorporating it into every day. The school was commended for understanding the hindrances to learning faced by its students and for nurturing students in a safe and healthy manner. We were also praised for continuing to assess and change our programs with the goal of better meeting the needs of the student population. Epiphany’s Board was commended for fiscal goals and procedures that maximize its assets and provide for long-term management of its financial resources. The faculty was commended for providing opportunities for students to do community service and to bring religion into daily life.

Ten recommendations for areas of improvement were also made. Many of these needs had already emerged during the self-study and the staff began working toward improvement last spring. Recognizing the need for better supervision, evaluation and mentoring of interns, more experienced teachers have been hired and each intern has been assigned a mentor. Before taking over a class, each intern will observe and co-teach with his/her mentor for a period of time. A new math curriculum is being developed under the guidance of a Math department head. The Science department is coordinating its curriculum with the school’s stated benchmarks and considering the increased use of texts to enhance the discovery based program. Also, in light of the Visiting Team’s recommendation, a regular meeting of senior staff has been set up to create an effective forum to look at the school as a whole, and Ben Carter has been hired as a Dean of Students to handle discipline issues to allow the Principal to devote more time to curriculum development.

Epiphany begins its sixth year with enthusiasm and commitment to this incredible place. The Head, the Board, the administration, the faculty, and the many volunteers continue to rise joyfully and faithfully to the challenge of making a dramatic impact on the lives of our students and their families, as well as on each other and the wider world.

To conclude, here are some closing words from Sonia Valentine, Chair of the AISNE Accreditation Committee:

“During our visit, the mission of the school was conveyed with clarity and conviction in all aspects of school life. The unwavering commitment of the Head, the Board, the administration, faculty, and staff allows everyone connected to the place to dream, to raise the bar, and to make a dramatic impact on the lives of students every day. What distinguishes Epiphany from other schools is its willingness to question the unquestioned ways of being and doing in the school and asking the questions that have never been asked before. This is truly extraordinary.”

-Sherley Smith, Volunteer Coordinator