The New CAS

1
The New CAS

• Henrico High School
• October 10, 2008
• Priscilla Biddle

2
Why the Change

• 1 reason internationally why students do not get
  the diploma
• American students seem to spend more time
  counting hours that growing
• Something had to give!

3
What CAS is NOT

• Hour Counting
• Do-Gooding
• Hoop Jumping
• Being so busy you cant look out the window!

4
What the New CAS is

• Aims CAS will develop students who are
• Reflective thinkers they understand their own
  strengths and limitations, identify goals and
  devise strategies for personal growth
• Willing to accept new challenges and new roles
• Aware of themselves as members of communities
  with responsibilities towards each other and the
  environment
• Active participants in sustained, collaborative
  projects
• Balanced they enjoy and find significance in a
  range of activities involving intellectual,
  physical, creative and emotional experiences

5
Why?

• To build happy, self-actualized adults who can
  play, work, and build lives of well-being
• To nurture leaders in the community who have the
  initiative and experience to think globally and
  act locally
• To change the world

6
From Hours to Outcomes

• Increasing awareness of their own strengths and
  areas in need of growth
• Accepting challenges
• Planning and initiating activities
• Working collaboratively with others
• Showing perseverance and commitment
• Engaging with global issues
• Thinking about ethical implications of their
  actions
• Developing new skills

7
Creativity, Action, Service

• Creativity arts or other experiences that
  involve creative thinking or making something
  that was not there before
• Action physical exertion contributing to a
  healthy lifestyle
• Service an unpaid, voluntary exchange that has
  a learning benefit for the student in which the
  rights, dignity and autonomy of all those
  involved are respected

8
Growth

• For this to occur, CAS should involve
• Real, purposeful activities with significant
  outcomes
• Personal challenge which extends the student but
  which is achievable in scope
• Thoughtful consideration, planning, review,
  monitoring, and reporting
• Reflection on process, outcomes and learning

9
Our Program

• 4 goals each year in junior and senior years that
  meet at least 4 outcomes so that all 8 are met
• Fill out the goal planning sheets and turn in for
  review each year
• Keep a Process Journal to reflect on the
  processes, actions, setbacks and in which to keep
  artifacts and evidence
• Fill out quarterly progress forms and turn in
• Work collaboratively on a 2-year project

10
What is a good goal?

• Personal
• Lose weight
• Increase strength and stamina
• Learn something
• Need based
• Home, neighborhood, community
• Contest/Challenge based
• Interest based

11
How you can help

• Help your child identify 4 goals
• Monitor so that they dont go overboard
• Network with other parents for mutual help and
  support
• Join our CAS Advisory Board when it gets started