After a delayed WASC accreditation process due to COVID-19, the school received the accreditation notification on Feb. 3, with an effective six-year accreditation term until June 30, 2027. This certifies that WASC will approve of all credits for students, and the UC system will accept students based on said credits. 

According to assistant principal Kerry Mohnike, the next WASC visit will be a one-day visit in three years, followed by a full self-study during the 2026-27 school year to maintain the school’s accreditation status. Results from this year’s WASC visit have, by all accounts, indicated that the school received good marks, with the Administration and School Site Council overseeing work to improve areas of growth. 

Mohnike said that it took a concerted effort by all stakeholders in the school — students, parents, staff, the district and the school board — to improve the learning environment to accommodate the needs of students. The accreditation process provided a vehicle through which the school could review its progress and set new goals. 

Ultimately, WASC would not have gone as smoothly online without the help of the teachers, parents and students involved in the process. 

“English teacher Amy Keys was our coordinator and she, the Focus Group Leaders, parents, and student leaders really deserve the lion share of credit for completing this work,” Mohnike said.