Kingsley Reaccredited by AISNE

In spring 2024, Kingsley was formally reaccredited by the Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE). AISNE is a voluntary association and the accrediting body for independent schools like Kingsley throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

Every ten years, Kingsley undergoes an AISNE reaccreditation process, which includes a self-study based on fourteen AISNE standards. This eighteen-month endeavor examined all parts of the school, from teaching to business operations to the work of the Board of Trustees. The self-study involved all members of the community as respondents, contributors, writers, and editors. Additionally, Kingsley prepared Curriculum Maps detailing our thematic units, lessons, and educational outcomes at each grade level.

In October 2023, a visiting team of seven educational professionals from peer schools reviewed Kingsley’s self-study document and Curriculum Maps, and spent four days on campus observing classes and interviewing community members. The team assessed Kingsley’s success across the fourteen AISNE standards and documented their findings, commendations, and recommendations.

We are proud to share that Kingsley has been reaccredited by AISNE for the next ten years. Thank you to the administrators, faculty, staff, and board members who offered their time, efforts, and thoughtful insights throughout the reaccreditation process.

Major Commendations from the AISNE Visiting Team:

1. The Visiting Team commends the School’s thoughtful integration of Montessori and progressive pedagogical approaches, which
powerfully reflect and honor its stated mission and philosophy.

2. The Visiting Team commends Kingsley’s instructional staffing, and in particular notes Kingsley’s robust team-teaching model and its exceptional and dedicated faculty.

3. The Visiting Team commends Kingsley’s purposeful attention to the learning environments in which students and teachers learn joyfully together.

4. The Visiting Team commends Kingsley’s ability to forge bonds with families in the 3-year classroom model that are authentic and allow a degree of understanding and partnership that are exceptional.

5. The Visiting Team commends the School’s administration for having identified clear and shared strategic priorities related to mission-aligned programmatic evolution and understanding of the levers that will most impact long-term financial and enrollment planning.

6. The Visiting Team commends the School for how student well-being is integrated through several key program areas including athletics, social emotional learning, health education, and core curriculum and classroom experiences. 

7. The Visiting Team commends Kingsley’s comprehensive Next School Counseling program, led by its Director of Strategic Initiatives and
Next School Counseling. All constituencies consistently pointed to the support and insight this program offers as a defining strength of the school.

8. The Visiting Team commends the School for building a mission-aligned and highly effective institutional advancement operation highlighted by an exceptionally strong annual fund program.

9. The Visiting Team commends the collaboration between Admissions, Marketing and Communications, and external marketing companies which helps the School recruit prospective students and families, monitor market trends, and project enrollment forecasts.

10. The Visiting Team commends the Board for its support and development of the Head of School, both through their annual review process and through the active work of the Head of School support committee.

11. The Visiting Team commends the Board for its demonstrated commitment to ongoing training, growth, and development as a governing body.

AISNE SELF-STUDY COORDINATORS
Brittany King
David Liebmann
Sadie Perrin

AISNE VISIT COORDINATORS
Tara Hofherr
Cassidy Rhodes