SENIOR Graduation PROJECT

1
SENIOR Graduation PROJECT

• Hatboro-Horsham Senior High School

2
WHAT A STUDENT MUST DO.

• Graduation in the state of Pennsylvania
• PSSA proficiency (writing, reading math)
• Passing grades on local assessments completion
  of graduation requirements
• Completion of a culminating project

3
Purpose

• Chapter 4 of the State Board of Education of
  Pennsylvania Regulations graduation
  requirements shall include course completion,
  grades, PSSA proficiency, local assessments and
  completion of a culminating project
• The purpose of the culminating project is to
  assure that students are able to apply, analyze,
  synthesize and evaluate information and
  communicate significant knowledge and
  understanding

4
HISTORY OF OUR RESEARCH

• Approval from the school board in the spring of
  2005-2006
• National research and exposure to the Senior
  Slide and Reinventing the Senior Year and the
  college focus on the whole student versus just
  class rank/grade point average
• Project aligns with increase in graduation
  requirements and the need to create a relevant
  culminating experience
• 16 month investigation process
• Investigation of school districts
  locally/regionally with a culminating project for
  seniors
• Approx. 60 schools in the three county area 40
  have a culminating project that is similar
• Site visits and meetings with high school
  counterparts
• Took the best aspects and eliminated the problem
  areas

5
The Course

• The Graduation Project/Seminar will be a .5
  credit course required for graduation from HHHS
  beginning with the graduating class of 2010
  (current juniors).
• communicated since students were in 9th grade
• The every other day (Red or Black Day) course
  will be
• broken into thirds.
• Graduation project seminar
• Outdoor education of 21st century skills
• Personal social responsibility lab

6
The Course

• Embedded in the course will be a seminar that
  will provide guidance, ongoing assessment and
  analysis of the project.

7
COMPONENTS OF THE COURSE

• Contract (student, parent, counselor admin.
  contract)
• Submission of a paper
• Research Paper or Annotated Bibliography student
  choice
• Mentor Meeting Record
• Time Log
• Ongoing Journals
• Reflection papers at various times throughout the
  course
• Organization of the final presentation

8
The Course

• In addition, an Outdoor Education of 21st Century
  Skills a Personal Responsibility Lab are
  included.

9
College/university orientation
Business /corporation professional development
10
Outdoor Education of 21st Century Skills

• LEADERSHIP ACCOUNTABILITY
• COLLABORATION CREATIVITY
• INNOVATION SELF EMPOWERMENT
• PROBLEM SOLVING CRITICAL THINKING
• RESPONSIBILITY SOCIAL SKILLS
• FLEXIBILITY ADAPTABILITY
• COMMUNICATION TEAMWORK
• RISK TAKING AWARENESS

11
The Course

• In addition, an Outdoor Education of 21st Century
  Skills a Personal Responsibility Lab are
  included.

12
PERSONAL SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY LAB

• Accept responsibility for your life. Know that
  it is you who will get you where you want to go,
  no one else.
• -Les Brown
• Civic engagement
• Environmental responsibilities
• Character
• Morals and ethics
• Global awareness

13
WHAT IS ACCOMPLISHED?

• Provides for individual learning styles to be
  showcased
• Provides students with an opportunity to express
  ideas talents
• The development of language communication skills
• Accountability and responsibility
• Provides a challenging, meaningful, and authentic
  experience
• Integration of skills, concepts, and data from
  the major disciplines in the students
  educational history
• Student ownership for demonstrating knowledge and
  understanding
• maintain relevance yet be mindful of
  convenience

14
TOPIC CHOICES EXAMPLES

• Career Exploration 30 practicum hours
• Opportunity to conduct in-depth investigation of
  a career path
• Bridges Program
• Student internship (above school required time)
• ECAT (Co-op above and beyond school time)
• Community Service/Service Learning 30 practicum
  hours
• Opportunity to explore ways to help community
  life civic engagement
• Community Service/Service Learning (i.e. OxFam,
  Relay for Life, various fundraising and awareness
  efforts)
• Partnership Program (beyond time spent w/ HHHS)
• Numerous community outreach groups
  organizations _at_ our school
• Personal/Creative/Performing Arts 30 practicum
  hours
• Opportunity to create original works or
  demonstrate talent
• Choreographed routines, play direction,
  documentary, public performances, portfolios,
  exhibits, etc.
• Research 30 practicum hours
• Opportunity for investigation or experimentation
  of a problem/question
• Scientific, sociological, etc.

15
F.A.Q.

• Can my son/daughter begin their project earlier
  than their senior year?
• Yes, students can begin as early as the summer
  between
• their junior senior year.
• Can a student have their SGP experience without
  having had the class yet?
• Yes, students can complete their experience
  before having
• the class and during the class but they cannot
  complete the
• experience after the class.
• Does the mentor have to be a teacher?
• Absolutely not! It can be someone in the scope
  and area of
• interest however, it cannot be a parent.

16
F.A.Q.

• Can a student just start their project on their
  own?
• No, SGP must be approved prior to start date.
  This eliminates
• confusion over what is acceptable.
• When can a student begin?
• Students can submit proposals as early as May
  18th for approval.
• Students can begin obtaining hours as early as
  the day after the
• last day of school (June 15).
• How will culminating projects be presented?
• In an expo style format at the end of each
  semester
• opportunities will exist for make-ups to achieve
  proficiency.
• Can my son/daughter have early release to gain
  their practicum hours?
• Practicum hours are obtained outside of the
  normal school day

17
F.A.Q.

• How many hours can a student gain at one time?
• Students can obtain as many hours as they like
  however
• they can only submit a maximum of five (5) hours
  per week
• towards their required 30 hours of practicum.
  This
• addresses procrastination yet allows for
  flexibility.
• How will this course be graded?
• Students will receive a traditional numerical
  letter grade
• for this course. Each component must receive a
  passing grade
• to successfully complete the course.
• If a student fails the SGP will they graduate?
• No, it is no different than the requirements in
  place now. They
• will not have met the state guidelines and
  therefore will not
• receive a diploma.

18
F.A.Q.

• What if my child has a disability, injury or fear
  of heights, etc. how will the outdoor component
  be graded?
• This is a challenge by choice curriculum every
  student plays
• an active and significant role whether they are
  in the air or on
• the ground. The outdoor education aspect also
  includes
• activities that are not related to the ropes
  course.

19

• GRADUATION PROJECT WEBSITE
• Or just go to the High School Web page
• -gtDepartments
• -gtGraduation Project

20
QUESTIONS