The AdZU Grade School (AdZU-GS) unit will once again be put under scrutiny of the quality assurance evaluation process of the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) on September 12-13, 2019.
Five years ago, in 2014, the GS unit received its Level III accreditation. Soon after, the unit begun implementing the recommendations from PAASCU in the different areas including facilities, curricular program and instruction, student services, and more.
[After receiving Level III accreditation] “…The Grade School community was inspired and became more committed and passionate in its mission of providing quality elementary education in Zamboanga City.”
-Liza Garrido, Grade School Principal
Major preparations started early in 2015 during the annual in-service training for the faculty and staff. During the training, the best features and recommendations of the PAASCU team were presented, in order to unify the goals of the community for the PAASCU visit, and consolidate all the efforts in the accreditation process.
In the succeeding years, the implementation of the improvements suggested by the PAASCU team in the different areas were closely monitored by the various area chairs. One major activity held was the conduct of mock class observations.
Among the historic changes in the five years since its last accreditation is the transfer of the Grade School unit from the Salvador Campus to the Kreutz Campus in Tumaga in June 2015. This gave the unit bigger space, in response to the needs of the students, and to provide a comfortable, safe, and secure physical environment that is conducive for learning.
Other programs established include an intensified Mentoring Program for new teachers through the Professional Learning Communities (PLC), aimed at assisting teachers in improving student learning outcomes; and a structured in-service training for teachers.
Assisting Principal Garrido in the PAASCU preparations are the different area chairs: Nimfa Mabalot for Administration and School Staff, Mercibel Fegarido for Curricular Programs and Instructions, Sheryl Caguioa for Faculty and Non-Teaching, Geraldine Grajo for Student Services, Rubilyn Aguidan for Instructional Media Center, and Nympha Tubilla for Facilities.
PAASCU is a private nonprofit organization that upholds quality education through their accreditation standards and peer review process. It reviews the school’s mission, vision, objectives against self-evaluations on how these are achieved in the various aspects of the school’s operations.
