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NJAIS Accreditation ACHIEVED!

The NJAIS (New Jersey Association of Independent Schools) accreditation has been the result of a long and detailed self-study process that involved our entire community of faculty, staff, and trustees.  We are proud to now officially be part of this prestigious association. 
 
Here is an excerpt from the letter informing us of our accreditation success, sent to us from Carole Everett, Executive Director of NJAIS.
 
"On behalf of the NJAIS Board of Trustees and Accreditation Committee, congratulations to you, your faculty, administration, staff, and Trustees upon the approval for achieving accreditation through the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools for the first time. The NJAIS Accreditation Program is one of a select few recognized at the international level through the International Council Advancing Independent School Accreditation (ICAISA, formerly known as the NAIS Commission on Accreditation). This mark of distinction should be seen as a hallmark of your school's excellence, and we are proud to have Westfield Friends School among our accredited member schools."
 
 " Goals of accreditation are critical self-reflection and school improvement. The NJAIS Accreditation Committee wanted you [Westfield Friends School] to know that the Visiting Team,....found much to laud about Westfield Friends. The Visiting Team specifically noted the Quaker values and practices infused throughout the school, restructuring the relationship with the Westfield Monthly Meeting, and the [ the school's ] outstanding .... leadership."
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As seen on the NJAIS website, the following gives a description of the benefits of accreditation to Westfield Friends School.

NJAIS Accreditation Overview

Accreditation is central to the mission of NJAIS.  NJAIS has been accrediting member schools since 1995, either as the sole accrediting agency, or cooperatively with the American Montessori Society (AMS), the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA), or the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA-CESS).  As an association, NJAIS schools are either accredited or, as Provisional Members, on a path to becoming accredited.

Similar to its member schools, NJAIS itself participates in a rigorous and impartial review of its accreditation program and demonstrates adherence to the Criteria for Effective Independent School Accreditation Practices set forth by the International Council Advancing Independent School Accreditation (ICAISA, formerly known as the NAIS Commission on Accreditation).  In 2001,  the NJAIS accreditation program was granted recognition by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).  In 2013, NJAIS was granted certification by an international review panel from the NAIS Commission on Accreditation.  NJAIS is a member in good standing of ICAISA.  The NJAIS accreditation program is reviewed every 10 years by members of the Council. 

The NJAIS accreditation process is both intensive and thorough.  NJAIS believes that successful schools must periodically take time for self-reflection and an in-depth look at current practices, not only to assure compliance with the NJAIS Standards for Accreditation, but also to be certain that the school’s mission informs every aspect of school life, and that the process also centers on growth as an educational community.  Beyond the audit/compliance aspect of accreditation, this focus of accreditation as a school-improvement model is fundamental to NJAIS accreditation and its support of member schools.  

Ultimately, accreditation is for the benefit of students, who are not only at the heart of each school’s mission and community, but also central to NJAIS accreditation.

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