Sample Schedule for Visit

The Visit

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The following sample schedule is provided for full self-study visits. This sample schedule should

be adjusted by the school and the Visiting Committee (VC) Chair to fit the local situation. In this

process, it is very important to allow enough time for extensive dialogue with the Schoolwide

Focus Groups and the Leadership Team; this discussion will include the examination of evidence

used to determine growth needs by the stakeholders. The focus of the subject area and support

staff meetings will be to understand their information and evidence that led support to the

schoolwide findings. The VC chairperson should be in regular communication with the chief

administrator and self-study coordinator to discuss the progress of the visit.

Day before Visit (Usually Sunday)

(12:00 NOON) (Visiting Committee may meet for Sunday brunch)

1:00 PM Meeting of VC members to begin group discussion on

perceptions of self-study — planning of questions and

group processes for forthcoming Sunday meetings

3:00 PM Meeting with the chief administrator, self-study

coordinator, and Leadership Team to clarify issues in the

self-study and explain the visit; the VC and school leaders

participate in a reflective discussion of the self-study

4:30–5:00 PM School leaders conduct a brief school tour for VC

5:00–6:00 PM Brief meeting with the governing authority, school and/or

community representatives

6:00–7:00 PM Meeting with parent/community committee

7:30 PM Dinner and meeting of VC to debrief, receive instructions

from the chair, organize the work of the committee, and

examine supplementary materials

First Day

7:15–8:00 AM Meeting with Leadership Team (Total VC Team)

8:00–8:30 AM Meeting with principal and VC chair (possibly other VC

members)

8:00–11:45 AM Gathering of Evidence: class/program observations,

interviews, examination of student work

11:00–11:45 AM Meeting with student committee (VC reps.)

11:45 AM–12:00 PM Brief meeting of VC

Focus on Learning: The Accreditation Manual

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12:00–1:00 PM Lunch in school cafeteria; informally talk with students and

staff

1:00–2:30 PM Gathering of Evidence: class visits, etc.

2:30–4:30 PM Meeting with Focus Groups for 1-½ to 2 hours (at least two

VC per Focus Group meeting) [Suggestion: possibly meet

with Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Focus Group

and another area]

4:30–7:00 PM VC debrief/discussion and writing individually or in pairs

7:00–8:00 PM Dinner/Discussion of Findings (VC alone — may order

food and keep working at school)

8:00 PM– Discussion of findings continued and individual/paired

work on written summaries

Second Day

7:15–8:00 AM Meeting with Leadership Team (VC reps)

8:00–8:30 AM Meeting with principal and VC chair (possibly other VC)

8:00–11:45 AM Meetings with subject area staff, counselors, support staff,

classified staff, and administration (Suggestions: 45 minute

meetings with VC reps; subject areas may be clustered)

Gathering of Evidence: class/program observations,

interviews examination of student work

11:45 AM–12:00 PM Brief Meeting of VC

12:00–1:00 PM Lunch in the school cafeteria

Informal contact with student and staff

1:00–2:30 PM Meeting with the Ad Hoc student group (VC reps for

45 minutes)

Gathering of Evidence: class/program observations,

interviews, examination of student work

2:30–4:30 PM Meeting with Focus Groups for 1–½ to 2 hours (at least two

VC reps per focus group meeting)

4:30–7:00 PM VC debrief/discussion and writing individually or in pairs;

identification of schoolwide strengths and critical areas for

follow-up

7:00– Dinner (VC alone) and work on draft report

The Visit

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Third Day (Check out of hotel)

7:15–8:00 AM Meeting with Leadership Team (Total VC)

8:00–8:30 AM Meeting with principal and VC chair

8:00–11:00 AM Completion of draft report, contacting school staff as

needed

11:00 AM–1:00 PM Meeting with the Leadership Team and other invited by the

school to discuss/clarify findings of visit and the VC

Report — All Leadership Team members have copy of

draft VC

1:00–3:00 PM Closure on issues raised in the earlier session discussing the

draft VC Report; The VC may revise the report as a result

of this meeting; VC members complete the final draft of the

VC Report

Completion of the Recommendation for a Term of

Accreditation and the “Documentation/Justification

Statement”

Finalization of expense forms, evaluations, PowerPoint exit

presentation for closing session

3:00–3:30 PM Oral Report to staff/stakeholders using PowerPoint

presentation; the chief administrator is encouraged to invite

representatives of students, classified staff, and community

to attend

3:30–4:00 PM Final draft of report left with principal; departure of VC