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.

AHS Hosts TEA Scholars

• April 3, 2026

Advika Singh || STAFF WRITER

Through the University of Massachusetts Lowell’s Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) Scholar program, international teachers visited Andover High School throughout 11 days to observe classes and exchange educational practices across different cultures. 

The TEA scholars consist of experienced educators from countries including Ukraine, Egypt and many other regions of the world, who were selected through a rigorous application process. As part of the program, scholars are based at UMass Lowell where they learn about the U.S. education system with a focus on curriculum, classroom structure, and teaching styles. During their time at AHS, the visiting teachers observed classes, discussed differences in education systems and made presentations about their home countries.

Zakria Ahmed, a chemistry teacher from Egypt, was surprised at the contrast between student-teacher relationships here compared to in Egypt. “In my country, students stay inside their classroom and teachers move between classes,” Ahmed said. “Here students move between classes and there is time between each period.” She explained that in Egypt, students typically sit in the same classroom from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., which can make the day feel longer. 

In addition to different classroom etiquettes, the learning tools also differ. “I learned many methods here, but one of the tools I liked most were AI apps and other simulations,” Ahmed said. “Also, during chemistry lessons, experiments are done in the lab with students, which helps them see reactions happen in real time.”

The shift from traditional lectures to an interactive environment also changes how students interact with their instructors. “They follow their teachers, they are farther in discussions and respectfully speak to their teachers,” she said, noting that students here experience a more interactive environment, whereas in Egypt, classes are taught mainly through lectures.

The teachers also presented to students, sharing cultural practices from their home countries, which allowed students to learn about a variety of cultures. On the 26th of February during E block, a teacher named Iveta Kalidzeja presented to one of Jennifer Percival’s freshman english classes. It featured a slideshow introducing students to the Latvian alphabet along with examples of customs and notable landmarks throughout the country. The images and explanations displayed allowed students to learn about aspects of daily life in Latvia. Freshman Kyra Prengel noted, “The presentation about Latvia displayed many customs and traditions, and was very informative.”

Teacher Seema Gupta also reflected on the larger impact of the exchange program and the opportunities it provides for educators. “In my opinion, cultural understanding at both ends, learning new teaching strategies, and professional networking created through collaborative projects can be seen as a most valuable outcome of this program. Becoming a more culturally responsive teacher and fostering our students to be global citizens by bringing in real world global examples is another positive aspect of participation in this program.” Her perspective highlights how programs like this extend beyond classrooms, and help teachers and students gain an understanding of the world beyond them.

Apart from academic purposes, the exchange allowed for a cultural introduction to the U.S. All participating teachers were visiting the country for the first time and some even experienced their first snow day. “There are many things I would like to take back to my students,” Ahmed said. “Educational methods, technology, and also my students have some misconceptions about the U.S., so this experience will help correct that.”