NEASC Visit Highlights AHS Goals

• April 3, 2026

Anushka Dole || ONLINE EDITOR

Andover High School hosted a re-accreditation visit from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) from March 16-18, as part of a decennial review process designed to evaluate how well AHS supports student learning and identify areas of improvement. 

According to Assistant Principal Alicia Linsey, the process started during the 2023-2024 school year with a visit from the Collaborative Conference team, a group of visiting educators from across the New England area. In preparation for the visit, a team of AHS faculty members and administrators was formed.

“We picked out priority areas and presented those to this visiting NEASC committee … and they agreed with [our priority areas],” said biology teacher Lindsey L’Ecuyer, the AHS committee’s science department representative. 

There were five priority areas that AHS pledged to work on starting in the 2023-2024 school year: developing the Vision of a Graduate, implementing consistent curricula throughout all departments, vertical/horizontal alignment across departments and throughout grades, promotion of school pride, and building infrastructure. 

The Vision of a Graduate outlines the skills and values that the school hopes to instill in every student by the time they graduate. 

Vertical alignment refers to improving coordination between teachers across grade levels to ensure student skills build progressively, while horizontal alignment emphasizes greater collaboration between teachers across departments. 

“[The committee is] working on … finding time in the school day for teachers to collaborate more,” L’Ecuyer said, adding that AHS has begun standardizing curricula to support this effort.  

“There are committees in the school that have been working on documenting curriculum in a consistent format for our core classes … freshman English, for example, [and] biology,” L’Ecuyer said. 

Linsey mentioned that students and parents also play a role in the accreditation process. A team of visiting evaluators—distinct from the Collaborative Conference team—conduct interviews to gather student perspectives on the school climate and learning experiences. 

Although the committee leads the reflection process, administrators are then responsible for implementing action plans based on their findings. In accordance with these plans, faculty members must provide evidence of integration of the district goals.

L’Ecuyer emphasized that NEASC accreditation is more about reflecting on and improving school processes than it is about recognition.

“It’s less of a badge as it is opening yourself up to reflecting on and documenting what you do well and what it’s like setting goals for your school,” L’Ecuyer said.

Beyond internal reflection and planning, the “badge” that the reaccreditation process provides does carry additional, tangible benefits for students. It reassures families and colleges that AHS maintains a rigorous academic program, and that it’s constantly working towards improving learning.

“My understanding is that colleges know Andover High School—they know what our programs are like,” L’Ecuyer said. “[Because] of [accreditation] … they know the kinds of students that graduate from here, and what skills that [they] have.”

Accreditation also plays a role in the school’s ability to receive funding.

“NEASC accreditation is required for eligibility to receive some private, state, and federal grants, loans, and other federal funds,” Linsey noted in an email.

MEFA Pathway, New College and Career Program for Andover students

• April 3, 2026

Kendall Murphy || STAFF WRITER

Andover High School’s guidance team has recently introduced MEFA Pathway, a new online portal on Classlink designed to aid students in grades 6-12 find a career path, research colleges, and build their resumes through interactive tools. 

“MEFA Pathway features tools and activities designed to help students research and keep track of a personalized plan for their future goals.” said guidance counselor Anne-Marie Fortier.

MEFA Pathway was created by the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA). It is used as part of MYCAP (My Career and Academic Plan). 

Guidance counselor Mary Testa explained that “For the past few years Andover has SCOIR as our tool for managing college applications and supporting our guidance curriculum. With the updates of MEFA Pathway and its connection to MyCAP, many high schools in Massachusetts are utilizing this resource.”

MEFA Pathway has five key tabs on its dashboard: About Me, Self-Discovery, Discover Careers, Explore Colleges, and Financial Planning. 

About Me gives students the ability to create a resume, profile and digital portfolio. Additionally, it includes a journal in which students can capture their thoughts. 

In Self-Discovery there are various assessments that assist students in finding the learning style that is the best fit for them and mapping their interests and skills. It also allows students to set academic, career and personal goals.

Students can investigate their future in Discover Careers. A career search page shows the degree distribution, programs of study, and wages of different occupations. There is also a feature to search for work-based learning opportunities such as internships, capstone projects, job shadowing, and many other programs for students to build a résumé.

In Explore Colleges, students can compare colleges, keep track of applications, and match themselves with colleges that might be well-suited for them through an interactive test. A college search page shows statistics including acceptance rate and difficulty, tuition, and location of different universities all over the country. This can help students in finding colleges that fit their preferences. Students can catalog the colleges they may consider, as well as their interest in applying. 

Financial Planning can assist students in setting realistic budgets, calculating loan payments, and searching for scholarships. 

Initiated in 2011, MEFA was originally a program simply to help students plan for college. Over time it has expanded to support career and resume building. “It has just continued to evolve and to get more in depth and to encapsulate more,” Jonathan Hughes, Associate Director of College Planning and Content Creation at MEFA, said in an interview with Michael B. Horn, host of The Future of Education podcast.

Freshman Garrett Berube said, “I like that [MEFA] allows you to store and track your own data for future careers and college opportunities. I also think it is helpful to organize your skills and experiences,” 

Multiple underclassmen students express the sentiment that they aren’t entirely sure how they plan to use the tool, hoping for more clarification during future guidance sessions. As the program is new to both guidance counselors and students, guidance counselors are also still learning how this program will be used.

“We want our students to be in a good position to succeed,” explained Hughes when asked about his biggest motivation in bettering the platform.