Catholic High Middle States Accreditation

Validating the Vision

The Catholic High School of Baltimore is approved by the Maryland State Department of Education and is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Basically, schools seek accreditation from appropriate professional organizations as a "stamp of approval" for their scholastic program. Accreditation provides reassurance to parents, students, and the wider community that their school is following sound educational practices in the implementation of its educational mission.

The Middle States Visitation Committee summarized their evaluation of Catholic High by saying:

“The members of the Validation Team congratulate The Catholic High School of Baltimore for its enthusiastic and articulate students who value the loving, caring, and supportive environment that results from a fine educational program provided by a faculty, staff, and administration united in dedication to the traditions of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi.”

The planning process that we followed was called, Validating the Vision. It was developed by the National Catholic Educational Association and has been approved by The Middle States Association as an acceptable protocol for use by Catholic schools when preparing for re-accreditation.

The Catholic High School of Baltimore began this process in the winter of 2001 with the formation of a Steering Committee comprised of members of the various components of our school community. This included parents, students, faculty, administration, alumnae, members of the Board of Trustees and the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, and community representatives.

This process led to the development of a strategic plan that guides our planning, efforts, and growth over the next five years. In October of 2002, a team of educators representing the Middle States Association visited The Catholic High School of Baltimore. They performed a study of our school and our planning efforts, and reviewed the strategic plan that we developed.

Posted below are the school’s Foundation Documents. These documents indicate the principles and beliefs that guide our strategic and operational decision-making. If you have any comments or questions about these documents or our Middle States Accreditation, please contact us at 410.732.6200 or at chsb@tchs.loyola.edu.

MISSION STATEMENT

Empowered by Gospel values and rooted in the spirit and tradition of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi, The Catholic High School of Baltimore, a sponsored institution of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, is dedicated to the education of young women in an environment that fosters Christian attitudes of dignity and respect for the human person and all of creation.

In our mission, we recognize that through education the empowerment of women can effect the transformation of our society; therefore, we challenge our school community to academic excellence, to responsible leadership, and to Christian community service.

BELIEF STATEMENTS

We, at The Catholic High School of Baltimore, value:

Our Catholic Heritage- which is expressed in an environment of faith and in joyful lives devoted to the Gospel. We take Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi as our exemplars, seeing in their respect for life and their love of Jesus a way to be light for the world and salt for the earth.

God’s Creation- which requires a spirit of acceptance and love toward the people we are called to be with and to serve, and an acknowledgement of our role as stewards of the earth in all our activities.

Justice- which calls forth a response from us as Christian people to be good citizens, to address social ills, to serve our community, and to act as peacemakers.

The Giftedness of All- which includes believing that all are endowed by God with a wealth of talents. We accept the responsibility to encourage the growth and expansion of these talents within our community of learners.

Education- which is aimed at developing the whole person. We are committed to providing a holistic program that promotes the mind, body, soul and spirit of every young woman we serve.