May 22, 2008 — The Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School on St. Thomas has been accredited for the next three years, according to an official notice sent Thursday from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
The award letter, signed by Laird Evans, president for the Commission on Elementary Schools, said, "You are hereby welcomed to a full and official membership in the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Regional accreditation is a landmark even in the history of any institution, one deserving notice and appreciation by its community."
BCB's accreditation did come with two conditions, however, and the school will be required to conduct an annual review of its progress during the next three years. The results of the reviews must be documented and available to Middle States representatives prior to the end of the third year of accreditation, according to an Education Department news release.
The two conditions of accreditation are development of a curriculum for each of the core subjects by next January, and the development of curriculum in all subject areas by January 2010.
BCB was the first of six eligible junior high and middle schools to complete and submit its application for accreditation. Other schools eligible for candidacy are Addelita Cancryn Junior High, Arthur A. Richards and Elena Christian junior high schools and the Julius E. Sprauve Elementary School on St. John. St. Croix's John H. Woodson Junior High is still going through the accreditation process.
"This is an extremely proud moment for the administration, faculty staff and student body of BCB," school principal Carver Farrow said Thursday. "Our teams have worked very hard to get to this point and we are grateful that our efforts have been acknowledged. This was clearly a team effort, and I publicly thank my staff, the students, our parents and our community supporters for their cooperation and collaboration."
The news of the accreditation prompted accolades from both acting Insular Superintendent Jeanette Smith-Barry and Education Commissioner LaVerne Terry.
"It is definitely a proud moment for BCB School, the district and the department as we add to the recent announcements of the senior high schools Ivanna Eudora Kean and Charlotte Amalie High’s recent accreditation reviews," Terry said.
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