PFHS Accredited by New England Assoc. of Schools and Colleges
SPRINGFIELD — Pope Francis High School, a faith-based, college-preparatory school serving grades 9-12, announced its accreditation by the New England Assoc. of Schools and Colleges Inc. (NEASC). The school was formed by the recent merger of Cathedral High School and Holyoke Catholic High School.
“This accreditation provides assurance to our prospective families that Pope Francis High School meets and upholds the standards that are outlined by the NEASC, and we will continue to work to meet those standards in the future,” said interim Head of School Dr. Thomas McDowell. “Accreditation by the NEASC is voluntary; it shows our willingness to abide by their standards and open ourselves regularly to examination by outside evaluators familiar with higher education.”
According to a letter dated July 19 from Jay Stroud, NEASC interim director of the commission, Cathedral and Holyoke Catholic have been members of the association since 1993 and were last evaluated in 2013. By commission policy, their accreditation is extended to cover Pope Francis High School, which will be reevaluated for continued accreditation in 2023.
“The effective date of accreditation for Pope Francis High School is Nov. 5, 2013, and the expiration date is Dec. 31, 2023,” Stroud wrote, adding that “Pope Francis High School is in good standing with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.”
NEASC was founded in 1885 and works to establish and maintain high standards for all levels of education, from pre-kindergarten to the doctoral level.
