Lake Center Christian Schools Receive NCA CASI Accreditation

It was announced October 31, 2006 by Superintendent Matthew McMullen that Lake Center Christian School earned accreditation for the 2005-06 school year from the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI).

Lake Center Christian School (LCCS) was again fully accredited by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) on June 23, 2009, following a rigorous preparatory and evaluative process. In addition, the school received continuing accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA).

Led by Superintendent Matt McMullen, LCCS enrolls over 600 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The school was opened in 1947 and served grades K-8 for most of those years. Beginning in the 2002-2003 academic year, the high school grades were added, one grade each year, graduating the fourth class of seniors in the May of 2010.

Located in Hartville, LCCS enrolls students from the greater Akron/Canton area and beyond. The students come from 31 public school districts in a five county area.

ACSI accreditation provides a national benchmark for Christian schools, measuring standards, performance, integrity and quality. Schools engage in a voluntary process of self-evaluation against nationally accepted best practices and standards. This evaluative process scrutinizes the following areas: philosophy and foundations, board governance, administration, personnel, instructional program, physical environment, health and safety, guidance services, family, community and student support. The accreditation process assists schools in achieving a standard of excellence and encourages a continuous process of assessment and ongoing institutional development.

ACSI’s accrediting standards are formally recognized and approved by the National Council for Private School Accreditation (NCPSA), which is a member and participant with regional accrediting associations as a part of the Commission on Lake Center Christian School joins 9,000 schools across a 19-state region that were honored for earning accreditation.

In order to earn accreditation, schools must:

The accreditation process is voluntary and requires annual review.

"NCA accreditation demonstrates to our students, parents, and community we are focused on raising student achievement, providing a safe and enriching learning environment, and maintaining an efficient and effective operation staffed by highly qualified educators," stated Superintendent McMullen. "NCA CASI accreditation is recognized across state lines, which not only eases the transfer process as students move from accredited school to accredited school but also assures parents the school is meeting regionally and nationally accepted standards for quality and successful professional practice."

Accreditation provides an external mark of quality and a focus on continuous school improvement. McMullen, who leads the school accreditation team, stated, "The real value of NCA CASI accreditation is the focus on improvement. The accreditation process focuses the school staff on analyzing student performance data, identifying areas of weakness, and developing clear goals and plans for improvement. We regularly assess and measure our progress in all goal areas, and NCA CASI holds us accountable for demonstrating growth. The process keeps everyone in the building focused on raising student achievement."

Parents and interested community members can learn more about NCA CASI accreditation at http://www.ncacasi.org.

The North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement is a non-governmental, voluntary association of public and private elementary and secondary schools in 19 states, the Navajo Nation, and the Department of Defense Dependents’ Schools overseas. NCA CASI accredits 9,000 schools, challenging them to prepare all students for success as they move from home to school to higher education and/or careers.

For more information, please contact Matthew McMullen, (330)877-2049, x511, or email lccsmmcmullen@yahoo.com.