Reaccreditation Team Lauds Progress at Principia School
As part of a periodic reaccreditation process, Principia School hosted an 11-member visiting team of expert educators for four days in mid-April. Representing ISACS (the Independent Schools Association of the Central States), the team included teachers, counselors, and heads of school, as well as staff members in business, alumni, and technology fields at schools in St. Louis as well as Illinois, Ohio, and Tennessee.
The brief exit report was very complimentary about Principia School’s current academic and co-curricular programs, commending the commitment of the administration and faculty in bringing “to life” far-reaching changes in recent years. Team leader Andy Abbott, who is head of school at nearby John Burroughs, remarked, “It is clear to us that everyone takes great pride in being part of the Principia community.” And the report noted that Principia’s distinctive sense of community is evident in “a palpable sense of respect and care—for education and for one another.”
The team held dozens of meetings with individuals and groups representing School faculty, administrators, staff, Board members, students, parents, and alumni. The visitors attended Chapel, learned about the House and Crew system, sat in on classes, and explored every corner of campus. The School expects to receive the full ISACS report before the end of summer.
“It’s a wonderful feeling to share all we have with visiting professionals and see them recognize the truly exceptional environment that we all know and love,” said Head of School Travis Brantingham (US’94, C’98). Brantingham expressed gratitude for all who “engaged in many months of report-writing and self-examination in preparation for authentically sharing perspectives with the visiting team.”
Other areas that the ISACS team commended were Principia’s commitment to educating the “whole child”—through opportunities in the arts, athletics, experiential travel, and character growth—and facilities that support and “embody” a student-centered educational ethos. Areas for attention included future enrollment, clarification of governance and administrative structures, and further development of vertical alignment in the program across the Lower, Middle, and Upper School levels.
As Principia Chief Executive Marshall Ingwerson (C’79) said to staff, the ISACS team “clearly saw how well the School works on every level—from academic to social to spiritual. It’s gratifying to see our campus through fresh and expert eyes and . . . to get this affirmation that the Principia idea is in good hands.”