After hosting the site visit from the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) last month, we were delighted to receive a letter just over a week ago from ACSI stating:

“I want to congratulate you and Oakdale Christian Academy for successfully meeting the standards for ACSI Accreditation. The Regional Accreditation Commission voted unanimously to approve the recommendation of the Visiting Team for a full five-year term with no interim visit required. Please share this good news with all the stakeholders that worked so hard to achieve this status. Your new term of accreditation will begin immediately and go through June 30, 2021.”

In order to receive accreditation with ACSI, an institution is required to demonstrate the degree to which it is in compliance with 90 standard indicators.  The process of demonstrating our compliance has taken well over a year, but truly is a process that has been years in the making.  A quality educational and boarding program is developed over years, and so we share this success with the staff past and present.

It is a success that we share with you!  Each visiting team report includes a lists of commendations, with several marked as “major commendations.”  Here are the major commendations of the team, most of which are a direct result of your involvement!

• The school has implemented its mission, vision and philosophy through its commitment to serve students regardless of the family’s ability to pay.

One of the primary factors that make it possible for us to serve students regardless of family income is the financial support of the friends of Oakdale.  Every financial gift, whether it be for scholarships, general ministry expenses, or building projects, helps keep prices low so that families can afford Oakdale.

• The board and head of school both recognize their roles with the school and allow each other to function effectively.

We have an outstanding board of trustees that provides great leadership to the Oakdale ministry. A few years ago, while attending a board workshop with then-Board Chair Jay Dargan, the attendees were asked a series of questions about the activities and involvement of institutions’ boards, and we were caught in an “embarrassment of riches” moment when we found ourselves responding in the affirmative to questions about desirable board characteristics that the other participants had to respond in the negative.

• The school is very proficient and phenomenal in fundraising efforts.

They got this partly right:  We are only “proficient” because you are phenomenal!  Oakdale exists because of the Lord’s blessing and the faithful support of its partners in ministry.

• A technology plan is implemented that ensures access of technology resources to students and staff for instruction, research and support of school systems.

We have an amazing technology instruction program!  We have laptops in classes and dorms; interactive white boards, courses in music technology, robotics, web development, and AP computer. A campus-wide network, together with our student laptops, allowed us recently to have all students online at the same time completing a student survey.

• The school completed a major capital project with the construction of a new girls’ dormitory.

The Inn is a transformation addition to Oakdale’s campus in that it completely changed the student housing experience of the girls who enroll at Oakdale.  Never again will we lose a prospective student because the housing is seen as substandard.  Oakdale supporters and volunteers made that happen!

• The school has a well-structured mentoring and discipleship program which focuses on spiritual and character development.

Many of the discipleship meetings take place during lunch hour, and it is a blessing to see a staff member sitting at a picnic table or walking with a student as they discuss, pray, and read the Bible and other resources together.  It is one of the many hallmarks of our ministry that make attending Oakdale an experience that impacts lives!

So, we share the achievement of full accreditation with you! 

As part of the reaccreditation process, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (Through AdvancED) votes in June to consider our application for reaccreditation with that regional accrediting body.  I look forward to sharing news with you about SACS accreditation, also.