Every five years, Lincoln School undertakes an important journey: our Cognia re-accreditation process. For those who might not be familiar, Cognia is a global accreditation organization that sets high standards for schools around the world. It’s not just about meeting expectations—it’s about pushing ourselves to reflect, improve, and grow as a learning community. Successfully completing this process means that we’re not only meeting international standards of excellence but are also committed to continuous growth for our students, teachers, and school as a whole.
This year, our journey toward re-accreditation was nothing short of inspiring. It brought our community (teachers, students, parents, and administrators) together to reflect on what we do well and where we can improve. More importantly, it gave us the chance to set a vision for the next five years, one rooted in evidence, collaboration, and the collective spirit of Lincoln School.
Building Teams for Self-Review
To begin the re-accreditation process, we formed dedicated teams of teachers to address the Cognia standards self-review. To do this, teachers were gathered together and reintroduced to Cognia and the accreditation process. They were introduced to the four Key Components of the Cognia standards and asked to select the component that most resonated with them. This self-sorting process led to the development of four teacher teams. From there, teachers were asked to self-identify if they would like to take a leadership role in our self-review process, and luckily one teacher from each group volunteered to facilitate for their group.
Each team was then tasked with gathering evidence, “cleaning” it to ensure clarity and relevance, and then assessing our adherence to Cognia’s 30 standards. The teams also wrote narratives explaining their ratings and the evidence they gathered to support their scores. Finally, each team developed two “theories of action” (one focused on an area of strength, another on an area of growth) that would guide our school’s development over the next five years.
This work required a deep commitment and a collaborative spirit, as teams met weekly throughout the semester to accomplish their tasks. I checked in each week with treats and support as needed, but the work of the teams was truly their own. Their dedication and attention to detail were instrumental in ensuring a thorough and accurate self-assessment.
Engaging the Entire School Community
In addition to the teacher-led teams, we also assembled groups of coaches, coordinators, administrators, students, and parents to complete other critical aspects of the Cognia self-review. These diverse teams allowed us to gain a holistic perspective, integrating insights from every corner of our community. They examined our professional development programs, curriculum, instructional and assessment practices, guidance systems, and really every other academic and non-academic offering here at Lincoln School.
The On-Site Review
In March, our hard work culminated in a three-day visit from a team of three Cognia representatives. During their time on campus, they meticulously reviewed the evidence we had gathered, observed classes, and spoke with a wide range of over 100 stakeholders. This comprehensive approach enabled them to understand our school culture and practices from multiple perspectives. They also visited our classrooms, completing 30 classroom observations in two days.
Celebrating Our Success
When the visit concluded, we were thrilled to learn that our efforts had been recognized. We received a final score that was 80 points above the international average on Cognia’s 400-point scale, a clear testament to the dedication, hard work, and collaboration of our entire community.
We are proud of the way our faculty, staff, students, parents, and administrators came together to showcase the strengths of Lincoln School. This achievement not only validates our commitment to excellence but also sets a strong foundation for continued growth over the next five years.
Looking Ahead
As we move forward, the theories of action developed during the self-review process will serve as our roadmap for sustained improvement. We are committed to building on our successes and addressing areas of growth with the same dedication and collective effort that marked our re-accreditation journey.
Thank you to everyone who played a role in this accomplishment. Your hard work and commitment have made a lasting impact, and together, we will continue to strive for excellence.
Please Come to the Principal’s Office 