Phillips Exeter Begins Process of Renewing Accreditation

As the Academy heads into its 237th year of operation, the administration will reexamine the school’s mission and practices through a re-accreditation process supervised by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

Founded in 1885, the NEASC is an independent nonprofit research organization that connects more than 2,000 public and independent schools across New England.

Accreditation confirms that an institution meets or exceeds NEASC standards and criteria of quality. An accredited school is one which has the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future.

“While PEA has a reputation for excellence and a long history of distinction, we can always get better. It is a positive process, and Exeter can benefit from going through it,”

When a school chooses to partake in NEASC’s accreditation process, it undergoes a ten-year cycle of comprehensive self-evaluation spanning 12-18 months, then strategic planning to enact change or uphold standards established by the NEASC. Other secondary schools and colleges will “peer review” the school’s progress before a commission of approximately 15 educators visits campus in the spring of 2019 for a final analysis.

These educators certify schools based on NEASC standards in curriculum, enrollment, student experience, health and safety, infrastructure and residential programming.

Mathematics Department Chair Eric Bergofsky has headed Exeter’s accreditation process for the last ten years, beginning his stint in 2007. Bergofsky said that while pursuing accreditation for the school is a voluntary procedure, a stamp of approval from NEASC ratifies the Academy’s prestige. In addition, he believes that the accreditation process urges the Academy to consider any flaws in administration and conceptualize advancements.

“While PEA has a reputation for excellence and a long history of distinction, we can always get better. It is a positive process, and Exeter can benefit from going through it,” Bergofsky said. “This process forces each school to take a hard and long look at what they are doing as compared to their mission statement. With the help of an outside committee of observers, goals are established for the next ten years.”

Ten years ago, the Academy focused on improving residential life and diversifying the Exeter community. Bergofsky feels that although the school still grapples with issues of diversity and inclusion, it has come a long way since 2007.

“There is still progress to be made before every student feels safe and included on campus, but we have become a much more diverse community in both the student body and faculty over the past few years,” he said.

This year, Bergofsky will bequeath his role to Physics Instructor Scott Saltman, who will represent the Academy during NEASC deliberation beginning this October.

Saltman emphasized that although faculty will plan and draft all amendments for the accreditation process, other perspectives from the Exeter community will be acknowledged in their resolutions. During strategic planning sessions, the faculty references past and ongoing research conducted on students, alumni and parents to reach more informed, representative conclusions.

“This [re-accreditation] is a process that involves the whole school,” Saltman said. “So we [faculty] are collecting data from surveys, and also using data that we’ve collected over the past several years as part of strategic planning, because that really informs what we’re doing as a school.”

Saltman also said that even though the Academy seeks NEASC reaccreditation once every decade, the school continually works to better the Exeter experience. For example, in the last school year, the Academy focused on creating a space that better accommodates the theater and dance programs.

According to Saltman, it is too early in the accreditation process for him to foretell any upcoming institutional amendments. “We have a lot of planning going on, we’re looking at the timing of the process, laying out what sorts of committees will meet, and when, in order to accomplish that,” he said.

However, the faculty recently outlined an abridged version of Exeter’s mission statement, which will be a blueprint for any changes in the coming year-and-a-half of reflection and reform. The mission statement expresses Exeter’s dedication to uniting knowledge and goodness.

“As long as they [the faculty] keep their commitment to our school’s mission of knowledge and goodness, I think our school can only improve through this accreditation process,” said upper Lizzie Madamidola. “I’m excited to see what changes come to fruition by the time those NEASC members visit during our senior spring. It will be nice to see our school’s progress and what it holds for future Exonians.”