Meadowridge Earns Council of International Schools Accreditation

Meadowridge School has just received news that the Council of International Schools (CIS) has granted a full accreditation to our school. The CIS is regarded as the gold standard in accrediting organizations globally, just as the International Baccalaureate (IB) is considered the best international curriculum.

There are about 450 schools in the world with CIS accreditation. We are now one of the 99 schools in the world, and one of two in Canada, who have achieved CIS accreditation paired with authorization to offer the IB Continuum of Programmes. Meadowridge is one of the first schools in the world to combine the IBO authorizations into a Continuum Report, examining how the school as a whole combines the three programmes effectively.

Our CIS accreditation follows several years of work in preparing for the accreditation. We conducted a thorough survey which involved our entire school community: parents, students, staff, and Board members all shared their views to help us describe and analyze our school in the report submitted to the accreditation committee. This committee, comprised of 14 educators from around the world, visited us in the fall. The team examined every aspect of our school in a week-long visit; the group was detailed and thorough, evaluating our school against rigorous international standards, and provided us with a report to help our ongoing development as a school.

Meadowridge is one of the first schools in the world to combine the IBO authorizations into a Continuum Report, examining how the school as a whole combines the three programmes effectively.

Following their visit, the team granted us with the CIS accreditation and ongoing authorization of all three of our IB programmes. In addition, we continue to be accredited members of the Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS) organization, as well as embrace our recent, very positive inspection report by the Inspector of Independent Schools of British Columbia.

From the CIS Website:

Characteristics of a CIS Accredited School

The final award of Accredited Status from CIS demonstrates that a school is aligned with the demanding CIS School Evaluation Standards. It shows that the school has achieved high standards of professional performance in international education and has a commitment to continuous improvement. In particular, the award of accreditation shows that:

• The school is devoted to its Mission and Vision for students, as expressed in its Guiding Statements. The school also adheres consistently to the CIS Code of Ethics.
   
• The school cares enough to seek validation from a recognised accreditation authority for the work it does for its students.
   
• The schools focuses on the quality of teaching and the progress students make, their standards of achievement (in the broadest sense) as well as the students' safeguarding and well-being.
   
• The school is committed to the development of the students' global citizenship.
   
• The school knows itself. It has thought deeply about the services it offers to students, family and community.
   
• The school is student-orientated. Its philosophy of education is suitable for the students on roll and encompasses the development of the whole individual.
   
• The school keeps its promises. It promises only what it can deliver.
   
• The school accepts objective assessment. It is prepared to open its doors periodically to regular evaluation by its own school community and by outside experienced practitioners.
   
• The school is constantly seeking to improve its performance in all areas in order to ensure it attains the desired learning outcomes for its students.
   
• The school plans strategically for the future. As part of the on-going nature of the evaluation process, accredited schools are continually planning future developments.