Chesterton Academy receives accreditation
Chesterton students and faculty celebrating the Month of Mary on May 12, 2023 (Courtesy Photo)
As of May 8, the Chesterton Academy of Notre Dame received its accreditation from the National Association of Private Catholic and Independent Schools (NAPCIS). This has been a three-year process for the school as they, under the Dean of Academics and current Headmaster Dr. David Russell Mosley, collected policies, procedures, syllabi, and more to show to an independent third party that not only is the Chesterton Academy of Notre Dame fulfilling its duty as a high school, but also to show that they are a Catholic school seeking to live out the faith both in and outside of the classroom.
The final steps of the process began when a visiting team, trained by NAPCIS but collected from local educators, came to visit the school on April 25th. These visitors were all representatives from the Spokane Diocese: Fr. Seidel, president of DeSales Catholic School in Walla Walla; Mrs. Heather Schlaich, principal of St. Charles Catholic School; and Fr. Oiland, Pastor of St. John Vianney’s Catholic School. The visitors spent the day observing classes, interviewing the Board and Headmaster, and interviewing parents, students, and faculty. In a statement released by the school, Fr. Seidel had this to say about his time at the Chesterton Academy, “I would like to note in my time there, I encountered dedicated teachers and leaders working hard to foster a joyfully Catholic school community.” Principal Heather Schlaich shared similar sentiments, “The highlight of visiting schools for me is always talking with students, and to interact with your children was a true joy - they love their school, have deep connections with their teachers, and most importantly were able to articulate that the sense of belonging and faith community greatly improves their academics.”
The Chesterton Academy of Notre Dame is now fully accredited and will be up for formal review in three years. Current Headmaster, Dr. David Russell Mosley, had this to say on completing the accreditation process, “It is important to me that our school be seen for what it is, a joy-filled Catholic high school that seeks to train its students intellectually, spiritually, and morally. That is what this accreditation has done for us, it shows people that we really are who we say we are.”
The Chesterton Academy of Notre Dame first opened its doors in the fall of 2020. Next year they will open again with Dr. Mosley returning to full-time teaching and Mr. Shane O’Doherty stepping in as Headmaster. To learn more about the Chesterton Academy of Notre Dame, go to https://chestertonacademyofnotredame.org or reach out with any questions about the Chesterton Academy of Notre by email, office@chestertonacademyofnotredame.org, or by phone, 509.242.3750.
