School Age program receives state’s first accreditation

  • Published
  • By Sarah Olaciregui
  • 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Hanscom Air Force Base's School Age program recently received accreditation by the Council on Accreditation. They are the first after school program in Massachusetts to receive this recognition.

The COA is a new accrediting organization for Hanscom. The School Age program was first accredited by the National School Age Care Association in 1997 as an Air Force pilot program. In 2009, NSACA, which changed to the National Afterschool Association in 2006, decided to no longer accredit programs. Since all Air Force programs are required to maintain accreditation, COA was selected as the accrediting organization.

"The Council on Accreditation is an entirely new organization for us so the process was a huge undertaking," said Robyn MacLeod, School Age coordinator. "The staff worked diligently to achieve this award."

The accreditation process started in July with intensive training offered by the Air Force to learn more about the new organization and its requirements.

A team consisting of Ms. MacLeod, Roxane Dietrich, Airmen and Family Services chief; Scott Craver, Youth Programs director; Laurel Wironen, Training and Curriculum specialist; and Courtney Cann, Family Child Care coordinator, met each week to gather documentation and get ready. The team also gathered input from the parents, children and staff about the direction of the program.

The accreditation visit occurred March 29 and 30. Two endorsers from COA came to visit the program, where they reviewed documentation, observed and met with children, parents and staff. The accreditation process involved a detailed review and analysis of both a program's administrative operations and its service delivery practices. All were measured against national standards of best practice.

Because of the recommendation of the endorsers, Hanscom's School Age program received word of accreditation in two weeks rather than the typical 30 to 45 days as outlined by the council.

"Working toward accreditation was entirely a team process and I couldn't have done it without them: the staff, children and parents," Ms. MacLeod said.

COA identifies providers that have set high performance standards and have made a commitment to their constituents to deliver quality services.

"COA congratulates Hanscom AFB School Age program for their hard work and wonderful achievement and is proud to have it as part of COA's Community of Excellence," the council wrote in a press release.

Hanscom is the second base in AFMC to go through and receive accreditation, with Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., being the first. Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., was the first base in the Air Force to receive this recognition. For further information about the Council on Accreditation, visit www.coaafterschool.org.