TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Sequoyah Schools recently received notification that it has once again maintained the high standards to achieve national accreditation. The school has been named an AdvancEd accredited school by the North Central Accreditation Association Commission on Schools Accreditation and School Improvement.

“Getting ready for the AdvancED accreditation visit has been a long, stressful process, but I feel that our school is better for it,” said Toni Conrad, Sequoyah Schools’ accreditation chairperson. “Everything that we do at Sequoyah is to help students. This accreditation process helps us look at our strengths and weaknesses. When we find a weakness we can make changes that help make our school better for our students.”

The accreditation review process is quite lengthy and can take several years for a school to prepare for. Schools are evaluated on seven standards that include vision and purpose, governance and leadership, teaching and learning, documenting and using results, resources and support systems, stakeholder communications and relationships, and commitment to continuous improvement.

“Achieving this accreditation took quite a commitment from our staff,” said Rita Bunch, Sequoyah Schools superintendent. “There was a lot of documenting and reporting. This accreditation is a direct reflection on their commitment to our school and to our students.”

According to the AdvancEd Web site, the benefits of accreditation are the external mark of quality, high standards, and school improvement process and support. Students benefit from accreditation because, through the process, their school or district has committed to raising student performance and will be held accountable for improving student learning on a continual basis. Students may also transfer credits easier between accredited schools and are often more likely to receive financial aid and scholarships for college.

“Anything that can help our students in this way, is well worth our time,” Bunch said. “We are dedicated to them and their futures and improving our school will only benefit our students in the long run.”

The accreditation certification is valid for five years. This is the second consecutive national accreditation that Sequoyah Schools has achieved. The school will be recognized for this achievement at the national AdvancEd conference in Atlanta, Ga., in April.

About Sequoyah Schools
Sequoyah Schools, a boarding school for Native American students, originated in 1871 as an orphan asylum to care for children who were orphaned by the Civil War. Now known as Sequoyah Schools, it is named for Sequoyah, the scholar who developed the Cherokee syllabary. The school is regionally and state accredited for grades 7-12 and has become the school of choice for more than 400 Native American students every year. Sequoyah Schools is located five miles southwest of Tahlequah, Okla. For more information call (918) 453-5400 or visit the Sequoyah Schools’ Web site.

About Cherokee Nation
The Cherokee Nation is the sovereign operating government of the Cherokee people. It is a federally recognized tribe of more than 285,000 Cherokee citizens, with its capital located in Tahlequah, Okla. Employing more than 6,500 people, Cherokee Nation’s annual economic impact in Oklahoma and surrounding areas is more than $1 billion.