I am saddened by the news that the Normandy School District has been stripped of its state accreditation. My heart goes out to the children and parents of the district in this time of uncertainty.
While the Normandy School District has a proud history of providing quality education since 1894, the district has recently languished in its annual evaluations. In fact, the district has met only four or five out of the 14 standards on which school districts are judged. While I’m aware that the department of education is still working with the district’s staff to reevaluate certain accreditation data, and that further accreditation decisions regarding the district may be determined at a future board of education meeting, the bottom line is that four, five or even six accreditation points out of 14 represents a failing grade for the children, parents and taxpayers of the district.
While this reclassification of the Normandy School District as “Unaccredited” marks an unfortunate day for the Normandy community, I cannot help but remain hopeful. I am optimistic that this reclassification will serve as a wake-up call to the community that business as usual is simply unacceptable. Our children are our most valuable natural resource.
It’s time for the parents, teachers, administrators, elected officials, and citizens of the Normandy School District to step up as a community and help facilitate Normandy’s path to re-accreditation. I look forward to working toward a long-term, sustainable solution for the children and parents of Normandy.
State Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal
University City