Last modified: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 12:13 AM EST Superintendent Pia Durkin (Staff photo by Keith Nordstrom) A giant leap for AHS BY RICK FOSTER SUN CHRONICLE STAFF ATTLEBORO - Attleboro High School took an important step forward toward ending warnings on its regional accreditation status, implementing dozens of changes called for by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the school committee was told Monday. The regional education group removed the school from warning status relating to curriculum, although warnings remained in effect on a standard covering libraries, guidance and special education as well as on a standard relating to the condition of the high school building. But the school has completed corrective action in 41 of 63 specific items cited in a 2005 evaluation. Corrective action is in the process on eight others. In addition, the NEASC's Commission on Public Secondary Schools commended the school in several areas. Superintendent Pia Durkin cited teamwork by the school's administration and staff for making progress in several areas and said meeting the standard for curriculum was the most complex task of the three areas cited as concerns by the regional accreditation body. "The administration and staff of Attleboro High School with the central office leadership team remain committed to continue the progress that we have made and will not rest until the warning status for every standard for AHS is removed," she said. Attleboro High School has retained its accreditation despite the 2005 evaluation which pointed out problems in a number of areas. The NEASC lifted one of the three warnings after accepting a two-year progress report submitted by the school describing efforts that had been made to comply with recommendations. Staff members recently completed a course designed to coordinate curricula standards and build leadership, Durkin said, and instructional leadership teams have been formed to assure teacher input. In addition, the school added an assistant principal for support services, adopted a common curriculum template and invested $50,000 in updating the media center's print and software materials. Several of the outstanding recommendations relate to building-related issues such as roof and heating system repairs. School officials are scheduled to submit a follow-up report next year and complete all recommendations no later than March 2010. NEASC officials also requested that the school department submit a summary of a planned feasibility study for renovations to the high school. City schools have submitted a request to the Massachusetts School Building Authority to be considered for state assistance to renovate or rebuild the current high school which dates to the early 1960s. School officials are expecting to be invited to meet with the MSBA to discuss the status of their request in the spring. RICK FOSTER can be reached at 508-236-0360 or at rfoster@thesunchronicle.com.