NC Graduation Project at Athens Drive

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NC Graduation Project atAthens Drive
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What Is theGraduation Project?

• authentic learning
• personal and student-centered
• performance-based
• practical and career-enhancing
• based on NC Standard Course
• of Study and 21st Learning Skills
• cumulative and rigorous
• required for graduation in NC

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Though the project culminates in the graduation
year, seniors should be prepared with specific
skill activities beginning in their ninth
grade year, or earlier. NC Exit Standards
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A Brief History

• In the US
• --Carleen Osher of Medford, Oregon
• --began about 20 years ago
• In North Carolina
• --UNCG Senior Project concept
• --DPI and SBOE discuss for over 10 years
• --SBOE passes GP in May 2005
• --part of the High School Exit Standards package
• --Class of 2010
• In Wake County
• --only one WCPSS high school until now
• --two others with service learning requirement

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Key Components The Four Ps
Portfolio
Paper
Product
Presentation
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The Portfolio

• Collection of all four years work
• Forms, documents, letters
• Research process
• Reflections and self-evaluations
• State rubric adapted by
• Athens Drive
• Organization skills

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Portfolio Challenges

• Content
• Storage
• Individuality

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The Product

• A learning stretch
• Tangible
• Extension of the research
• At least 15 hours documented
• Monitored by community mentor
• State rubric adapted by Athens Drive
• Time management and self-direction skills

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Product Challenges

• Learning Stretch
• Differentiation
• Community Mentors
• Paper-Product
• Connections

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The Paper

• Topic of the students choosing
• A researched argument an analytical
  point-of-view paper
• Traditional research procedures including MLA
  documentation
• State rubric adapted by
• Athens Drive
• Critical and analytical thinking skills

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Paper Challenges

• Appropriateness
• Effective research
• Differentiation

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The Presentation

• Oral presentation of research and product
• Panel of judges (school and community)
• Specific time limit followed by Q A
• Visual aids to support information
• State rubric adapted by Athens Drive
• Student growth and development

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Presentation Challenges

• Synthesis
• Poise
• Panel
• composition

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Why Bother?

• Language skillsReading
• Language skillsWriting
• Communication skills
• Technology skills
• Information-retrieval skills
• Employability skills

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Information
PLEASE!

• ADHS Website
• www.athensdrivehs.wcpss.net

• JAGS
• Homerooms

• Blackboard
• www.blackboard.wcpss.net

• Mrs. Overby
• Grad Project Coordinator
• soverby_at_wcpss.net

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Graduation Project Committee

• Sara Overby, Chair
• Jeremy Parrish, Administration
• Steve Miller, Administration
• Anne Bromby, Special Programs
• Chelsea Brown,
• Fine/ Performing Arts
• Andrew Ellington, English
• Ashley Flanagan,
• Second Languages

• Brian Harrington, Social Studies
• Dan Hrehor, Social Studies
• Jane Johnson, Special Programs
• Chris Meyer, Media Services
• Penn Pace, Freshman Academy
• Chris Remaley, Math
• Amy Schroeder,
• Career Development Coordinator
• Debbie Wagner, CTE

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True OR False?
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Athens Drive is the only school requiring a
Graduation Project.

• FALSE

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The GP has 4 components a paper, a portfolio, a
product, and a presentation.

• TRUE

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The Graduation Project is done only during a
students senior year.

• FALSE

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Students get to choose their own topics for the
focus of their papers and products.

• TRUE

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Students will need to find a member of the
community to be their mentor for the product.

• TRUE

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The mentor must have expertise in the students
area of study.

• TRUE

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Parents can be the mentor for their own
childrens product.

• FALSE

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If students fail one of the four parts of the GP,
they can still graduate.

• FALSE

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Students will work closely with an ADHS faculty
member as their GP Advisor during their 11th and
12th grade years.

• TRUE

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Parents and other family members cannot help
students with their Graduation Projects.

• FALSE

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What Should Our Attitude Be?

• A spirit of collaborationall staff members will
  play vital roles
• A commitment to inquiry-based learning
• A desire to be consummate professionals when our
  students need us
• A relief that we have no existing paradigm to
  shift because were starting new from the ground
  up!
• A sense of opportunity that we can have a model
  GP program that has real meaning for our students
  and their futures

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Closing Activity

• Please answer honestly and anonymously the survey
  regarding the set of skills specifically related
  to the GP initiative.
• Its a place to start building another tradition
  of excellence at HSHS!
• Thanks so much!

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Purposes of Todays Session

• To continue defining the GP and its various
  components
• To clarify the GP in the context of our school,
  in particular our staff
• To identify key skills and our current level of
  focus on those skills
• To identify, if possible, our next
  action/step/strategy