NEASC Accreditation

Accreditation update Jan. 11 (2).pdf

NEASC Awards Gloucester High School Continued Accreditation

The New England Association of School and Colleges, Inc. has awarded Gloucester High School continued accreditations status - a significant achievement that warrants recognition across the community.


The NEASC report recognizes how well Gloucester High School’s teachers work together, the quality and depth of the school’s curriculum, how our staff care for and support students’ social emotional well-being, and the school’s leadership.


The multi-year review moved well beyond the simplicity of test scores and included extensive document reviews, site visits, class observations, and interviews with teachers, family members, and school and district leaders.


NEASC Lauds GHS with Dozens of Commendations

NEASC applauded Gloucester High School for meeting five of the six foundational elements in the Standards for Accreditation. NEASC was impressed with the progress Gloucester High School made on priority areas for growth, specifically commending the school for:

    • The commitment of the school and district to do what is best for students;

    • How well our teachers work together to learn and improve instruction and curriculum;

    • The remarkable effort to sustain school growth and professional learning during the pandemic years;

    • The schoolwide focus on the social and emotional well-being of all students and teachers, including the intentional use of social emotional wellness strategies by teachers;

    • The trusting relationships between the students and their homeroom teachers that positively impact the transition into ninth grade;

    • The schoolwide commitment to improving equity and inclusion including professional learning, day-to-day implementation of strategies, and eliminating barriers to learning;

    • How well the principal serves as the primary educational leader in the school; and

    • How students have multiple options to demonstrate their learning through a wide variety of classes, assignments and assessments.


To read the complete list of commendations, please see the full NEASC Accreditation Report.


Superintendent Ben Lummis and Gloucester High School Principal James Cook acknowledge and thank the entire Gloucester High School staff whose efforts contributed to the high school's continued accreditation.


  • Click here to read NEASC’s accreditation letter


Read below for more details on the Accreditation Process

3. GHS Final NEASC Report 12-14-22.pdf
1. Gloucester High School Decennial Accreditation Letter 12-14-22.pdf

GHS Accreditation and Review Process

In October 2021, a visiting team assigned by NEASC’s Commission on Public Schools met with stakeholders to determine how Gloucester High School aligns with widely accepted Standards for Accreditation. Team members also reviewed the self assessment Gloucester High School submitted, and dropped in on classes to evaluate what progress GHS has made on priority areas for growth identified in the school’s improvement plan.


This visiting team’s findings were forwarded to the Commission on Public Schools, which voted to award Gloucester High School continued accreditation. According to NEASC, accreditation is a respected methodology for school improvement and growth. The accreditation process is intended to serve as a framework for schools to meet their own unique goals for student learning while maintaining alignment with research-based standards for accreditation that define the characteristics of high quality, effective learning communities.


Superintendent Ben Lummis and Gloucester High School Principal James Cook acknowledge and thank the entire Gloucester High School staff whose efforts contributed to the high school's continued accreditation.


Next Steps

The accreditation report provides support for GHS to continue the ongoing work of staff and school leaders on strengthening curriculum, instruction, and the quality of programs and services offered to students.


NEASC offered recommended next steps that are aligned with the Gloucester High’s current priorities including:

  • Continue to work on the differentiation of lessons, activities, and materials in all classes to meet the needs of all students

  • Continue to develop more student-centered instructional strategies so that students are doing the majority of the thinking and doing during classes

  • Ensure that all classes at all levels use higher-order thinking activities on a daily basis

  • Continue to develop strategies for the implementation and application of the conceptual understandings the faculty have gained


As part of NEASC’s ongoing process, Gloucester High School will submit one-year, three-year and six-year follow-up reports to NEASC to document its progress and momentum on the school’s plan for progress.


More Information on GHS Accreditation

  • Click here to view the NEASC visiting team’s full report for Gloucester High School

  • Click here to read NEASC’s accreditation letter