Officials at The Pinnacle School were recently notified that they have obtained accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC). NEASC is the nation’s oldest accrediting association, serving more than 2,000 public and independent schools, colleges, and universities throughout New England, as well as American/International schools in more than 67 nations worldwide.
Accreditation is a standards-based assessment process that includes both a self-study component and a peer review completed by visiting committee representatives from other schools. The accreditation attests to substantial compliance with established qualitative standards, focus on a mission-driven program, commitment to improvement, and a sufficiency of institutional resources.
Dr. Alisa Dror, Head of School and Chief Administrator of The Pinnacle School, stated: “We are incredibly proud of achieving NEASC accreditation at The Pinnacle School. This is a result of the hard work and dedication of our team. The visiting committee report cited that, ‘One of Pinnacle’s greatest strengths is its exceptionally qualified and dedicated administration, faculty, and staff who are engaging in work that can transform the lives of its students.’ To me, there’s no better endorsement of our program.”
The NEASC accreditation processes is a balanced assessment that provides recommendations as well as commendations. The Pinnacle School is taking to heart the visiting committee’s recommendations and is creating a comprehensive plan of action in order to implement them.
Dr. Dror acknowledged many people for the successful accreditation. “The entire Pinnacle community of teachers, administrators, support staff, students, parents and advisory board members came together in this effort. The process was much more comprehensive and demanding than any we had undertaken previously, which made the results that much more satisfying.”
The Pinnacle School, located in Stamford, is a private, state-approved special education day school for college-bound students in grades 2 through 12 who have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Auditory Processing Disorders, Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorders, Learning Disabilities, and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Students are both privately and district-placed and come from Connecticut and Westchester County.
At Pinnacle, the focus is on rebuilding self-esteem, resilience, and an enthusiasm for learning in students who have struggled to succeed in more traditional learning environments.
Students are included as insightful members of the team and encouraged to become self advocates. The individualized programming meets students where they are, and slowly raises the bar so students feel successful, but also learn important academic, social, and executive function skills. This scaffolded approach enables students to reach their true potential and flourish. For more information, visit www.pinnacle-ct.org.