Latest Stories
April 2023
April 2023
For more pictures, please click here.
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) visiting committee visited DIS last April 24-27, 2023. The committee was composed of four members, one of whom is the chairperson. The committee is comprised of educators representing a wide range of educational experience and expertise. They were well-trained by WASC to perform the task of accrediting DIS.
Visiting Committee Members were
The Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC), a world-renowned regional accrediting association, assists schools in California, Hawaii, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Fiji, Asia, and other parts of the world; currently serving approximately 5,200 schools.
ACS WASC’s philosophy centers upon three beliefs: a school’s goal is successful student learning; each school has a clear purpose and schoolwide student goals; and a school engages in external and internal evaluations as part of ongoing school improvement to support high-quality student learning.
ACS WASC accreditation is a process schools use to monitor student learning and set school improvement goals. ACS WASC accreditation is an ongoing cycle of quality. Schools assess their program and the impact on student learning concerning the ACS WASC criteria and other accreditation factors.
Every six years, accredited schools conduct a self-study and host a self-study visit. The self-study process culminates in the refinement of a schoolwide action plan. Throughout the accreditation cycle, schools are expected to address the schoolwide action plan and demonstrate evidence of acceptable student achievement and school improvement. Appropriate reports and reviews throughout the six-year cycle of accreditation support this process.
The last time a visiting committee visited DIS was in March 2017. After six years of full accreditation status, another cycle of accreditation was experienced by DIS. Accreditation is integral to a school’s perpetual cycle of assessment, planning, implementation, and monitoring.
The ACS WASC accreditation process fosters excellence in elementary, secondary, and adult education by encouraging school improvement. ACS WASC accreditation recognizes schools that meet an acceptable level of quality, by established, research-based ACS WASC criteria. The visiting committee did a four-and-1/2-day full self-study review. The visiting team members reviewed the ACS WASC criteria and studied the reports from the DIS in preparation for the visit. During the visit, the team observed DIS in operation and other evidence; reviewed student performance data; observed students engaged in learning; and dialogued individually and collectively with administrators, teachers, students, and other stakeholders. The visiting team then prepared a report outlining the team’s findings for the DIS and ACS WASC Commission.
On the last day of the visit, a final presentation was held. Dr. Mercia de Souza, chairperson of the steering committee introduced the members of the visiting committee to the stakeholders who were present during the program. Each of the members took turns in presenting to the DIS stakeholders the areas to celebrate and focus on.
The visiting committee presented to the stakeholders the “Areas to celebrate”, these areas are considered the strengths of DIS. DIS’s schoolwide learning outcomes, job-embedded professional development model, Danielson framework for teachers, non-traditional classrooms, variety of assessments, comprehensive international curriculum, and culturally safe environment for student voice and feedback are some of the strengths of DIS. The strengths are where DIS naturally excels. Knowing its strengths allows DIS to succeed where things come easy. Every school has different strengths, and it’s important to focus on them and not compare what DIS is good at to what other schools can do.
Knowing your “areas for focus” will show what areas have room for improvement. It’s good to have both areas (“to celebrate” and “for focus”). If a school only has strengths, there is no better school to work towards becoming. They made mention some areas for focus. There is always something we want to be better at that we can work towards achieving. No school is perfect, every school has its limitations. Schools need to improve “areas for focus” and develop them into a strength.
The Directress/Principal Sr. Ma. Zenaida T. Ancheta, OP gave an appreciation speech. She thanked all the stakeholders. There is cooperation and coordination among the stakeholders. Everyone worked hard and tirelessly to achieve this endeavor.
The Volunteer Involved Parents (VIP) led by its chair Ms. Ellen Chu gave a personalized gift to the members of the visiting committee. She said this serves as an appreciation for visiting DIS and will make them remember the beauty of Taiwan, its people, and its culture.