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The Developing Virtue Secondary School’s courses have been
approved by the University of California system for many years. In 2003,
the University of California announced that it wanted all private high
schools in California whose courses they have already approved to also
obtain accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
(WASC), and they would give each private high school four years to at
least attain “candidacy” for accreditation.
On May 21, 2004, a team of two persons from the Accrediting
Commission for Schools of WASC visited Developing Virtue Secondary School
(DVS) at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas.
The school spent one and a half years preparing for this
visit. In that time, the school worked hard to improve its administration,
teaching practices, curriculum, and facilities. The administration, with
the help of faculty, students, and parents, reformulated the school’s
Mission Statement and drafted student outcomes. The schools were
brightened and improved with new floor tiles, freshly painted classrooms,
and various renovations. Our CTTB maintenance crew worked to ensure that
the school buildings meet all county and state safety regulations.
Members of Dharma Realm Buddhist Youth brought fresh views
and important help this year by assisting the school with the
accreditation process. They produced two introductory videos on the school
and helped plan and implement the Open House event held earlier this year.
New committees were established: the Character Education Council, a School
Improvement Team (under the Parent Teacher Organization), and a Culture
Committee. Ongoing school improvement activities are planned through a
cooperative effort of the schools, parents, students, and community.
The WASC visiting team, Dr. David Brown (Executive Director
of WASC) and Mr. Joel Mellinger, were visibly impressed during their tour
of the schools. They visited nearly every classroom in both the boys and
girls schools, spent twenty minutes enjoying the tranquility in the
meditation class, chatted with students, parents, teachers and
administrators, and examined numerous binders of administrative and
financial documents, syllabi, lesson plans, and student work. As they
left, Dr. Brown said, “Let’s keep our A+ schools A+.” Dr. Brown told us
this was the first Buddhist high school they have ever visited. They
appreciated the peaceful and beautiful setting and said, “Congratulations
on your impressive work. Enjoy your paradise,” as they left.
In July, the school received notice that it is now a
Candidate for Accreditation. After a two to three year period of training
and self-study, the school will apply for accreditation.
The following are excerpts from the Visiting Committee’s
report1 :
The school’s purpose is clearly focused on developing
students to discover their own potential to not only become good
citizens,…“ but also to devote their lives to making the world a better
place.”
In addition to personal virtue and values, it is also
anticipated that graduates of DVS will become enthusiastic about their
learning and will be well prepared for a college experience. In
demonstration of effective preparation for further education, the school
consistently places graduates in prestigious colleges and universities.
The school’s curriculum is thorough and course work has been
approved by the University of California for purposes of admission.
In these single gender environments, students are provided
nurturing relationships in small class sizes with knowledgeable and caring
instructors… A sense of family is clearly in evidence and supports
individual growth in directions expected in Buddhist philosophy.
The Committee also recommends that the school explore ways
to improve the science lab facilities, to find ways to utilize technology
better, to develop a more effective plan for English Language Learners, to
upgrade the English and Chinese libraries, and to enhance the facilities
used for physical education and extracurricular activities. Based on these
recommendations, the school will seek to make improvements in its programs
and physical infrastructure in order to better serve its students.
1 Western Association of
Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Schools, 533 Airport
Blvd., Suite 200, Burlingame, CA 94010. Phone: (650) 696-1060. |
