Richmond Friends School, which serves students in preschool through eighth grade, has been named a 2024 Cognia School of Distinction for excellence in education.
Cognia is a global nonprofit school improvement organization, and its education experts evaluate schools with research-based performance standards. They review written information, conduct interviews and observe classrooms.
After Cognia’s accreditation engagement review in the 2023-24 school year, RFS was one of 60 schools or school systems in the United States, Puerto Rico and five other countries named a 2024 Cognia School or System of Distinction.
Cognia’s assessments are not new to Wayne County. Cognia staff visited Centerville-Abington Community Schools in Spring 2023. CACS was one of 25 schools and eight districts in the world receiving accreditation with distinction in 2023.
Cognia reviewers look for evidence of growth in learning, a healthy culture, engaging and high-quality instructional environments, and effective leadership.
“Richmond Friends School is committed to doing what is best for each student,” said Becky Dimick Eastman, RFS’ head of school, in a news release. “We have phenomenal teachers who recognize the importance of educating the whole child and a curriculum that results in students who love to learn.”
Dimick Eastman said she was thrilled that Cognia has recognized RFS’ excellent work, and being in the top 60 of 1,952 eligible schools/systems “is a huge honor.”
The independent Quaker school at 607 W. Main St. was founded in 1971. It offers multi-aged classrooms and low student/teacher ratios allowing for customized instruction, expectations and assessments tailored to each child’s academic and social needs, a news release said.
School leaders say RFS students are challenged to solve problems critically and collaboratively in a rich and nurturing community, and that its graduates are lifelong learners who are academically advanced and committed to making the world a better place.
Mark A. Elgart, Cognia’s president and CEO, said RFS is to be commended for being named a School of Distinction.
“Cognia Accreditation is already a mark of school quality recognized around the world,” Elgart said in the release. “Being named a School or System of Distinction further acknowledges the demonstrated commitment to education quality and a mindset of continuous improvement Richmond Friends School has for its learners.”
Cognia serves 40,000 public and private institutions from early learning through high school in more than 90 countries.
A version of this article appeared in the October 16 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.