Cindy Bradford, Ph.D., Author

Cindy Bradford's Author Blog

school accreditation

Okinawa Here I Come

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Okinawa JapanI’m off to Okinawa, Japan to review a school. Although I have been to several cities and areas in mainland Japan, including Tokyo, I have not been to Okinawa, which is so full of history and beauty.

After a very long flight I will have a day and a half to rest and sightsee and then meet with the Commander at the Air Force base where the school is located. The next three days will be filled with work at the school. I always enjoy this process so much, and learn from the educators there probably more than they learn from me. The Department of Defense schools are outstanding educational settings, and if I were a parent in the military, I would be pleased to have my child attend one of these schools.

Nights are free so I plan to visit with friends I met a couple of years ago in other schools I visited who are now in the Okinawa area. This is one of the great things about going to these schools. After the quality assurance review is completed, I will have a little more sightseeing time, and then I am flying to Hong Kong for five days for more adventure. I will write about all this when I return so check in a week or so to learn more about my travels. Until then, sayonara!

Parent Meetings are Never Dull

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I was at a Christian school recently evaluating it for initial school accreditation. During those visits, one requirement is that the team interviews a group of parents to gather their insights and opinions about the school. Of course, this time is always enlightening because one never knows what topic they will come up with or what comment will flow from the mouth of a parent stakeholder. [Read more…] about Parent Meetings are Never Dull

Having a Great Time in the UAE

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Cindy Bradford in the UAE
Dune Buggy Riding in the UAE

What a great time I am having in the UAE! The weather has been unbelievably pleasant for the desert and the opportunities for me even more unbelievable. The 14 ½ hour flight was uneventful except for having to sit next to a hillbilly in overalls who told me about the many times his kid had the colic. Now that’s a topic you want to discuss over processed chicken in cellophane!!!!!!!! [Read more…] about Having a Great Time in the UAE

Next Adventure–The Netherlands

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Cindy Bradford in The Netherlands
Hope To See a Few Windmills

Today I leave for Europe, first to serve as chair of a quality assurance review (accreditation visit) for a Department of Defense international school in Brunssum, The Netherlands, and then to play a few days in Amsterdam and the surrounding area. The school serves children of the Joint Command NATO forces which include a representative group from the United States, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

I fly into Dusseldorf, Germany, and will be picked up by a colleague who will be serving as my vice chair. We will then drive about an hour and a half to Brunssum which is located in the southern part of what used to be called Holland. From what I have read, it promises to be a pretty drive, and we will have time to stop along the way if we choose.

On Monday, we will meet with the commander and other officials, and then late in the day, meet members of the school team who join us from different Department of Defense schools throughout Europe. I always enjoy meeting these educators who have led extremely interesting lives, often living in many different parts of the world.

The next three days, I’ll be quite busy in the school, evaluating its programs and processes, talking to administrators, teachers, students, and parents and reviewing all matter of paperwork, etc. I’ll also spend time in classrooms.

Then, I’m off to play. I’ll either leave for Amsterdam Thursday afternoon or early Friday morning. Although I have been there before, it has been eight years. The last time I was there I had an incredible opportunity to see the Floriada, which is a gigantic international floral festival held only once every ten years.

For acres and acres, there are flowers growing representing different nations, all beautifully landscaping the hills and valleys that surround lakes and ponds. I will miss the tulips this trip, but there will be plenty of other things to see; hopefully a few windmills. I loved the canal last trip so I know I will take another boat ride.

One day I plan to visit The Hague on the North Sea, home of the International Criminal Court and the de facto judicial capital of the United Nations.

After a short visit, I’ll probably catch the train to Delft, known for its blue porcelain that is synonymous with The Netherlands. At this point, “play plans” are not carved in stone, because I always get good suggestions when I meet people in the schools. These recommendations often cause me to change my mind anyway, so who knows? I only know I will fly out of Amsterdam to come back home, but the in between is still in limbo, therefore, watch for blogs and I’ll keep you posted.