The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) is back at PV.

Every six years a board of advisors go to the schools in California to perform an evaluation.

“WASC is a way to support schools as they support self studies,” said Assistant Principal John Shepherd.

The purpose of WASC is to insure schools continue to work efficiently and to improve the school.

“WASC is a necessary evil. Good comes out of it but it’s a lot of extra work,” said English teacher Terry Lauten.

Before the WASC team arrives at PV the staff receives a thick binder of paperwork that they must fill out and return.

“Our staff does a terrific job of spreading that work load,” said Shephard.

WASC uses this binder to check off school’s requirements.

They also check requirements based on the observations made while at PV.

WASC visits several classrooms making sure the lessons are correct and on track with the curriculum. WASC also picks a variety of students and asks their opinion of the teaching style and the school.

The WASC team stays about a week and holds numerous meetings with the staff and has nightly meetings with their team to share information, all leading up to a final report.

A WASC report states the school’s strengths and problems that are required to change.

The severity of the problems determines weather WASC will return in the normal six years or if they will return in one to three years.

If the recommendations of the WASC team are not followed within their next visit there may be consequences.