Dr. Paul A. Tisdale announced today that Biloxi Public Schools will be recommended for district accreditation from the AdvancED Accreditation Commission, the national commission that confers the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement accreditation seal.

The accreditation process involves three ongoing components: 1) meeting high quality standards; 2) implementing a continuous process of improvement; and 3) engaging in quality assurance through internal and external review. The district’s accreditation is for a five-year term with regular monitoring of progress and reporting occurring during the term.

"District accreditation as conferred by the AdvancED Accreditation Commission provides Biloxi Public Schools a nationally-recognized mark of quality for our district and the schools within our district," stated Tisdale. "It demonstrates our commitment to excellence, our openness to external review and feedback, and our desire to provide a quality education for our students."

Dr. Mark Elgart, President/CEO of AdvancED, stated, "District accreditation is a rigorous process that focuses the entire school system on the primary goal of creating lifelong learners. Biloxi Public Schools is to be commended for engaging in this process and demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement."

Parents and interested community members can learn more about the accreditation process at www.advanc-ed.org.

Good sports: To see this month's Biloxi athletics schedule, click here.

A real kick: Biloxi alum Harrison Russell, a member of the Presbyterian College men's soccer team, was selected to the Big South All-Freshman Team, the Charlotte, N.C., team announced this week. Russell had a standout freshman season which included a goal against regular-season league champion High Point. His hard work earned him a consistent stating spot with five starts for the season.