A five-member committee representing an organization that evaluates schools will visit Sunny Hills today through Wednesday, March 12, school officials said.

The evaluation process — commonly referred to as accreditation — requires the visiting team from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges [WASC] to read the school’s 64-page report that addresses various aspects of the campus such as its academic environment, students’ mental and emotional health resources and co-curricular and extracurricular options, said WASC coordinator Sergio Dorrego, a special education teacher and the head coach for the boys and girls swim team.

It also has scheduled certain times throughout today and the next two days to interact with students, teachers and staff — as well as some parents — to inquire more about the information written in the document, Dorrego said. That could take the form of classroom visits and meetings with a select number of students and the various groups that helped produce the report. 

“Accreditation is the recognition from WASC that Sunny Hills High School maintains a certain level of educational standards,” he said. “Colleges look to make sure the high school that the student attended was accredited by WASC.

The only way our accreditation would affect the validity of diplomas is if we had our accreditation status withheld.” 

That has yet to happen to Sunny Hills. The last time the school went through a formal WASC visit was six years ago in 2019, and after that team’s visit, the campus was issued a six-year accreditation status with a midterm review.

So three years later in 2022, someone from the WASC committee returned to Sunny Hills to evaluate whether school officials had followed up on the panel’s findings.

For this visit, the same finding could be issued, or this year’s visiting team can also choose from three other options, according to a sample WASC report:

• six-year accreditation no visitation required
• probationary with a two-day visit 
• accreditation status withheld 

English teacher Suzanne Boxdorfer, who coordinated the last WASC visit, said she doubts Sunny Hills will get the worst option. 

“There is not a risk of not being accredited,” Boxdorfer said. “We will probably get a six-[year with mid-term] review [because] it is the most common given.” 

This week’s WASC team comprises educators from three Southern California counties — Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego, according to an email from Dorrego. They are:

• San Diego’s Montgomery High School assistant principal Valerie Caronan Separa Ruiz, who will head the committee 
• Irvine High School’s principal Jeffrey Hernandes  
• Montebello’s Schurr High School principal Larry Lawrence McKiernan
• Lakewood High School’s English teacher Amanda Gerritsen 
• Los Angeles Unified School District’s William Howard Taft Charter High School’s Jamie Sempre, who coordinates three different subject areas for her campus

MISSION STATEMENT POSTER

Another part of accreditation requires schools to create their own Schoolwide Learner Outcomes; six years ago, school officials came up with a Mission Statement poster that reads: “Sunny Hills High School strives to help students reach their potential as individuals who pursue knowledge, create and innovate and build community. Our programs and practices promote relevant, world-class educational and growth experiences individualized to students’ post-high school goals.”

And teachers were expected to put it up somewhere in the classroom. But to prepare for this week’s visit, a smaller banner was created, and a fourth item was added, Boxdorfer said.

“Mr. Weinreich brought the old mission statement, and we took it to the English teachers to see what we wanted to add or change,” she said. “We added, ‘act responsibly.’’’

STUDENT EXPECTATIONS FOR WASC VISIT

Dorrego compiled the 64-page report based on the work of five committees, also known as focus groups.

Last semester in August and September, students and parents who were previously involved with other Sunny Hills events were contacted via email or phone call or summoned from class to ask if they would like to participate in the school’s effort to get re-accredited, assistant principal Sarah Murrietta said.

Junior Elly Sweeney was among those who volunteered to join one of the groups.

“Our school will do well considering the preparation and careful work that went into this,” said Sweeney, who worked with others to address Sunny Hills’ culture and students’ well-being.

Sophomore Cameron Kim, who was placed in a group on standardized tests for students, said he’s optimistic for the best result possible when the visiting team produces its findings.

“Our school has a lot of great new programs that benefit students,” Kim said. “I feel supported in this school so I believe we will receive the six-year accreditation status with no visitation required.”