In 2003 WELS Commission on Parish Schools established the WELS School Accreditation (WELSSA) process. Since then, 60 schools have been accredited, and 31 are working on school self-studies in order to receive accreditation.
According to Jeff Inniger, interim administrator of WELS Parish Schools, the self-study process is crucial to the accreditation process: “Going through the self-study portion of the process assists the school in taking a very close look at itself. The school identifies strengths that it can build on and areas that need improvement. A team of educators visits the school when the self-study portion of the process is completed. This team carefully examines the school self-study to validate its findings. The team then leaves the school with a series of commendations and recommendations.”
Forward in Christ talked to Scott Schmudlach, a WELS principal who has completed the process and now serves on the WELS School Accreditation Task Force, to learn more about WELS School Accreditation.

Question – What is your current call?
Answer – I am principal and seventh- and eighth-grade teacher at Good Shepherd in Downers Grove, Ill.

Question – How are you involved with WELS School Accreditation?
Answer – Our school started the WELSSA process in 2005 and received accreditation in May 2006. My current involvement includes serving on the WELSSA Task Force.

Question – Why did Good Shepherd decide to begin the accreditation process?
Answer – The community our school serves has a high regard for quality education. Though our own school and church families know that we operate a quality school, the community is not familiar with the WELS school system. Accreditation demonstrates that our school strives to meet excellence.

Question – What impact did the process have on Good Shepherd?
Answer –