By Cristina Cruz - Christopher Columbus HS
Photographer: COURTESY
Christopher Columbus High School has been named a 2024 Cognia School of Distinction. On October 16, 2024, Cognia representatives recognize the achievement. Pictured here (left to right) are Columbus High President Thomas Kruczek, Cognia's Senior Director Dianna Weinbaum, Columbus Principal David Pugh, and Cognia's Senior Director of the U.S. Southeast Andy Martinez.
MIAMI| Christopher Columbus High School was named a 2024 Cognia School of Distinction. On October 16, 2024, Dianna Weinbaum and Andy Martinez, Cognia’s Senior Director and Director of the U.S. Southeast region visited Columbus to celebrate the accomplishment. They presented Columbus President Thomas Kruczek and Principal David Pugh with framed certificates that proudly display the distinction. The entire Columbus administration, members of the accreditation committee, and faculty and staff members were present.
“We extend our sincere thanks to Pedro Garcia-Casals, our Dean of Curriculum and Professional Development, and Andres Fernandez, our Director of Continuous Improvement, and their hardworking committee for leading the successful reaccreditation effort,” said Kruczek.
“We congratulate them and all of our talented and dedicated Marist educators on this incredible accomplishment,” he added.
Columbus is among a small and select group of institutions to receive this honor. Out of over 1,350 institutions reviewed in the 2023-2024 school year, only 49 schools and 11 systems were awarded this recognition.
Cognia is a global nonprofit school improvement organization. Their review process, grounded in research-based performance standards, involves a thorough examination by education experts, including third-party reviews, interviews, and classroom observations.
Columbus earned their Cognia School of Distinction based on achieving outstanding results in a rigorous accreditation engagement review. Cognia evaluates institutions by seeking evidence of growth in learning, a healthy learning culture, high-quality instructional environments, and effective leadership—characteristics the accrediting organization expects to see in quality schools that demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement.
Dr. Mark A. Elgart, President and CEO of Cognia, praised Columbus' achievement.
“Christopher Columbus High School is to be commended for earning the designation as a School of Distinction. Cognia Accreditation is already a mark of school quality recognized around the world. Being named a School or System of Distinction further acknowledges the demonstrated commitment to education quality and a mindset of continuous improvement Christopher Columbus High School has for its learners,” he said.
Photographer: COURTESY
On October 16, 2024, Cognia representatives recognize Christopher Columbus High as a Cognia School of Distinction. Pictured (left to right) are Columbus High President Thomas Kruczek, Cognia's Senior Director Dianna Weinbaum, Cognia's Senior Director of the U.S. Southeast Andy Martinez, and members of Columbus' administrative and accreditation leadership team.
