St. Augustine Cathedral School Announces Re-Accreditation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

St. Augustine Cathedral School Announces Re-Accreditation and begins Strategic Planning for Continued Growth and Excellence

Kalamazoo, Michigan – February 11, 2026 – St. Augustine Cathedral School proudly announces its successful re-accreditation by the Michigan Non-Public Schools Accrediting Association (MNSAA), following a comprehensive self-study and site visit in November 2025. The MANS Leadership Council granted approval in January 2026, affirming the school's strong performance across the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools (NSBECS).

In this 2025-2026 school year, St. Augustine Cathedral School serves 249 students in preschool through eighth grade, guided by the mission to nurture hearts and minds in a Catholic environment where students grow in faith, knowledge, and stewardship. The school employs 15 highly qualified classroom teachers, 12 support staff members, a principal, two administrative assistants, and partners with Portage Public Schools for five shared-time Encore subject teachers. The curriculum aligns with the Diocese of Kalamazoo Office of Schools guidelines, supported by diocesan textbook recommendations.

The accreditation process is data-driven and based on NSBECS. The school was evaluated for evidence of best practices across 13 standards and 77 benchmarks, and over the past five years. The site team rated the school on a 4-point scale, resulting in exceptional overall performance. Only Four of the 77 benchmarks were identified by the school improvement team as ‘partially meeting’ the criteria. This was supported by the site team. Remarkably, the site team only changed 10 of the school’s scores, raising these to ‘exceeds the benchmark’. As the Director of the Michigan Non-Public School Accrediting Association Angelia Salas remarked in her letter to the school, “This indicates that the school was thoughtful, honest and humble in its self-study. All but four of 77 benchmarks meet or exceed the benchmark. This is an extraordinary achievement and should be celebrated.”

The site team offered heartfelt commendations in their summary letter, praising:

● The school's culture of joy, purpose and sense of belonging;

● Mission-driven leadership at all levels, including the Local Advisory Council, which is a long-standing model of collaboration and engagement;

● Stewardship projects that embody service and discipleship, as well as the yearly tradition of celebrating Mission Week;

● A strong sense of collaboration among staff, a high level of communication throughout the school, and a vibrant partnership with families.

The Director of MNSAA added:

● The school provided a well-written report and strong documentation;

● The school places importance on ongoing professional development and fully certified staff;

● The narrative statements focus on continued growth.

These strengths highlight the vibrant Catholic identity that defines St. Augustine Cathedral School, where "Christ is the reason for our school." Building on this momentum, the school is developing a 5-year strategic plan for growth and continuous improvement.

"The St. Augustine Cathedral School family takes immense pride in our accomplishments and the positive trajectory we have achieved," said school leadership. "We are deeply grateful to our entire community — students, families, faculty, staff, catechists, and supporters — for making this success possible."

The school thanks the community for its ongoing support and requests continued prayers as it embarks on this next chapter of growth in faith, knowledge, and stewardship.

About St. Augustine Cathedral School Located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, St. Augustine Cathedral School is a preschool through eighth-grade Catholic school dedicated to forming young people in faith, knowledge, and stewardship. Part of the Catholic Schools of Greater Kalamazoo, it provides a nurturing environment rooted in Catholic tradition and academic excellence.

Media Contact: Andra Zommers, St. Augustine Cathedral School 600 W. Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Phone: (269) 349-1945 Website: stakzoo.org