The Choice is Yours!

It’s the time of year when our office sends out billing statements and receives annual payments from schools. Every year, at this time, we receive notes from schools complaining about paying their fee and stating that they do not receive “value” from their annual payment.  Recently I have shared the parable below that lends itself to a defense of why we have accreditation. Feel free to share it with those who complain about the cost or benefits of accreditation.

I once knew a person who was aging and overweight. He was prone to malaise, body aches, sleepless nights and anxiety. He was racked with the pain of arthritis. These symptoms caused the individual to be crabby and irritable and actually resulted in the inability to see the good in many situations. Feeling bad resulted in how others perceived him. The person felt it best to ignore the symptoms, put up with them, and perhaps they would simply go away. Besides, who has time for a doctor’s visit? And the cost, oh my, who would ever want to pay that required co-pay. In fact, the visit might result in recommendations for a dramatic change of lifestyle and accountability.  This individual despised change and it was simply not an option. In fact, this person would rather die than face diagnosis and resulting required changes.

What symptoms are displayed in your Lutheran school?  Are you healthy? Do you need a diagnostic checkup? Is it time to undertake some changes that will lead to enhanced ministry opportunities or improved student learning at your school? Can you effectively deal with change and ongoing accountability?

Just like people….some schools can be accountable and enact necessary changes. Others cannot.  Some see changes enacted through an active accreditation process as helpful and productive. Others see it as a bother.

When you involve your school in an active and ongoing accreditation process, it provides necessary diagnostic information that can assist you in making changes that are essential for the quality of your school beyond today. The actions prescribed by an accreditation team, made up of highly qualified educators, can put your school in the pathway to improved health and vitality. You just need to take your medicine and change your lifestyle.

If you see accreditation as simply jumping through hoops, crossing t’s and dotting i’s then perhaps you are not correctly assessing the intent of NLSA. In that case, it is better to stop complaining and remove yourself from being involved in any way with NLSA.  Simply live with your symptoms and see what happens.

If you wish to become a School of Choice in your community , then diagnostics, planning and accountability will put you on that pathway. Accreditation is not for everyone. If you are happy with the status quo it is not the best option for your school. The choice is yours!