SANFORD — Forty-five years ago, a new parochial elementary school was formed in Sanford.

Now, St. Thomas School, with 192 students from pre-Kindergarten through grade eight, is not only marking that milestone anniversary, it is celebrating its reaccreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

The school received word of the reaccreditation in February.

“This accolade affirms what the community already knows about St. Thomas,” said Ericka Sanborn, a parent of a St. Thomas student, member of its development council, and an alumnus of the school. “St. Thomas has a rich tradition of academic excellence and it is progressive. St. Thomas is preparing kids to be 21st century learners.”

St. Thomas School was first accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges in 2007, reaching a goal set by then-principal Norman Provost. Donna Jacques, who succeeded Provost as principal and who has been a part of St.Thomas School for 39 years, recalled that preparation for that initial accreditation took 2 1/2 years. Getting ready this time was a year-long internal examination of the school covering an array of standards — and multiple aspects of each of them.

There was an examination of the curriculum from Kindergarten through grade eight, the school’s facilities, enrollment, technology, a separate examination of the pre-Kindergarten program, a look at the school’s adherence to its mission, and a lot more.

The internal examination looked at the curriculum itself, how it is delivered in class, whether teachers are up-to-date on best practices, how student progress and achievement is measured and other details, said Jacques.

“It is quite an undertaking,” she said.

The mission?

“St. Thomas serves the parishes of St. Therese of Lisieux, Holy Spirit and St. Matthew,” Jacques and Sanborn recited. “In partnership with the family, we are dedicated to nurturing the personal development of the child. Our mission is to instill Catholic values, foster self discipline, and promote academic excellence in the spirit of caring and affirming community.”

According to the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, accreditation is a system of accountability that is ongoing, voluntary, and comprehensive in scope.

“It is based on standards which are developed and regularly reviewed by the members and which define the characteristics of good schools and colleges,” NESAC’s website explains.

Once the self-examination was complete, a visiting committee, made up of volunteers from other schools, paid a visit to St. Thomas School, and interviewed students, parents, members of the parent-teacher organization, school board members, the development council and others, Jacques explained.

The committee then compiled a report, and then NESAC took their vote.

And it was a positive one.

With the reaccreditation, came some recommendations like looking at long range plans, efforts to retain enrollment, and other details — a process which has already begun.

“It’s an affirmation, someone else taking a look at us from the outside,” said Jacques of the process.

Now, she will be part of a visiting panel herself, heading out to visit a Massachusetts school going through the accreditation process. It is a task she has done before, as have other St. Thomas faculty. It helps other schools — and can help the one she leads, as well, Jacques noted.

“You see other schools, and take away good ideas,” she said.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.