Senior Project
Handbook

2006-2007

Francis W. Parker
Charter Essential School

Table of Contents

Tenets of the Senior Project page 2

Timeline page 3

Proposals page 4

Proposal Feedback sheet page 5

Mentors page 6

Internships page 6-7

Release Time page 7-8

Process Assessment page 9-12

Progress Conferences page 9

Conference Rubric page 10

Reflection Papers page 11

Process Documentation and Guidelines page 12

Process Rubric page 13

Benefit page 14

Flag Days page 14

Research page 15-16

Research Rubric page 17

Final Product page 18

Product Rubric page 19

Exhibition page 20-21

Exhibition Rubric page 22

Final Assessment page 23

Appendices

Flag Letter page 24

Senior Seminar Guidelines page 25

Journal as Product Guidelines page 26-27

Youth Ventures Information and Application page 28-29

What is the Senior Project?

The Senior Project is designed to be the culmination of each student’s academic experience at the Parker School, highlighting the skills that they have learned and their ability to learn for themselves. It is a genuine opportunity for Seniors to merge their various interests, passions, and curiosities with their academic lives at school. Similarly, the project is a vehicle for seniors to demonstrate the fullest extent of the autonomy, complexity, and awareness they have learned throughout their time at Parker.

The Six Tenets of the Senior Project:

· The Essential Question: Because a successful and meaningful Senior Project necessarily involves genuine inquiry around a topic of the student’s choosing, each senior will focus their work around a complex, interesting, and sustainable essential question.

· Benefit to the Larger Community: Because we are all members of a broader community, each Senior Project must incorporate some aspect of “giving back” to others. In this regard, each senior’s work, time, and energy should result in a contribution that has an impact on individuals or an entity that goes beyond the student or the project itself.

· Multi-Faceted Approach: Because of the complex nature of each Senior Project, seniors must incorporate a variety of modes of thinking in the planning, implementation, and exhibiting of their projects.

· A Research Component: No Senior Project will be successful without a substantial element of new learning. This learning can take place in many ways, one of which must be research. Research must be both experiential (interviews, internships, surveys, etc.) and text-based (library, internet, etc.), although the degree to which each form is emphasized will vary from student to student.

· Collaboration: One of the most important skills in life is the ability to work with and learn from other people. Each Senior Project must incorporate some element of collaboration with individuals outside the immediate Parker community. In many cases, these “outsiders” will serve as secondary mentors for the Senior Project.

· Academic Rigor: Each Senior Project must be conceived in a way that challenges the student to think deeply and critically beyond what he/she already knows and is able to do. The topic must be big enough for the student to consider multiple perspectives but not so big that it will lead only to superficial understanding.

There are four assessed components of the project:

Each of these components is described in detail in the pages that follow. Each component is assessed individually. Upon completion of the project, those assessments are combined for an overall course assessment of meets minimum requirements, satisfactory or exceptional.

Timeline: 2006-2007

9/11 Senior Project Handbooks distributed

9/11-9/22 Topic Search and Preliminary Research

9/22 Project proposal draft Due to senior seminar teacher

9/25-9/29 Proposal conferences and writing

10/2 Project proposal Due; 2^nd Quarter Release Time Proposals Due

10/3-10/20 Proposal reviews, feedback from panel to students

Week of 10/23 Conference #1 (preliminary sources, see p. 9)

Ø Reflection paper #1 Due

11/8 Community Feedback Night

11/13 Flag Day #1

Week of 11/20 Conference #2 (calendar, research questions, mentor, see p. 9)

Ø Reflection paper #2 Due

11/23-11/24 Thanksgiving Recess

12/15 Research (Part 1) Due

12/18 FLAG DAY #2; 3^rd Quarter Release Time Proposals Due

12/26-1/3 Holiday Recess

Week of 1/8 Conference #3 (research check, off-campus, benefit, see p. 9)

Ø Reflection paper #3 Due

2/5 Final Research Due

Week of 2/12 Conference #4 (research check, product progress. See p. 9)

Ø Reflection paper #4 Due

2/19-2/23Winter Recess

3/1 FLAG DAY #3

3/12 Products (draft #1) Due

3/29 FLAG DAY #4

Ø Reflection paper #5 Due (Conferences informal)

4/4 Senior Project Exhibition Night

4/9 Final Products Due

4/16-4/20 Spring Recess

4/30-5/4 Senior Project Exhibitions

5/18 Process Binder Due w/ final reflection #6

ALL Senior Project revisions Due

5/24 Graduation portfolios Due

6/6 GRADUATION!!

Senior Project Proposal and Description

Draft Due: Friday, Sept. 22

Proposal Due: Monday, October 2

Approved Project Description: Date determined with teacher

Updated Project Description: Due at each conference

The first formal element of the Senior Project is your proposal. After spending some time brainstorming ideas in Senior Seminar, you will create a 1-2 page project proposal that explains how you intend to address each required element of the project. After this proposal is approved, it will become your formal project description, which you will be responsible for keeping current throughout the year. It is expected that elements of your project will shift and be revised as you gain knowledge through the year; however, these revisions must be documented in your project description so that it accurately reflects the work you are doing on your project.

Your Senior Project Proposal/Description should be organized by the headings listed below, in whatever order makes sense for your project. You should explain your intentions for each element in no more than one paragraph.

Project Overview and Statement of Interest (should go first)

Essential Question

Product

Research (text and experiential)

Academic Rigor

Multi-faceted Approach

Benefit to Larger Community

Collaboration

Mentor Plan

The timeline for your proposal is as follows:

Draft: Friday, September 22

Draft is submitted to Senior Seminar teacher, who gives feedback that should be incorporated or addressed for the final proposal.

Formal Proposal: Monday, October 2

Proposal will be reviewed by committee and returned with approval and/or areas for revision (using rubric on next page).

Approved Project Description: Due date determined with senior seminar teacher

Once the formal proposal has been reviewed by the committee and feedback given, you will revise where necessary until you have a full project description that satisfactorily addresses each of the project components. This will be the document that you and your advisor use to discuss the status of your project during formal and informal conferences.

Project Status updates: Ongoing, due at each conference

For each formal conference with your teacher, you will update your project description with a dated addendum to each section stating if and how it has changed since the last update.

Senior Project Proposal Feedback Sheet

Essential Question	q Meets q Approaches q Just Beginning	Suggestions:
Product	q Meets q Approaches q Just Beginning	Suggestions:
Benefit to a Larger Community	q Meets q Approaches q Just Beginning	Suggestions:
Academic Rigor	q Meets q Approaches q Just Beginning	Suggestions:
Preliminary Research	q Meets q Approaches q Just Beginning	Suggestions:
Multi-Faceted Approach	q Meets q Approaches q Just Beginning	Suggestions:
Collaboration	q Meets q Approaches q Just Beginning	Suggestions:
Mentor Plan	q Meets q Approaches q Just Beginning	Suggestions:
Timeline	q Meets q Approaches q Just Beginning	Suggestions:

Secondary Mentors

While your advisor serves as your primary mentor, you will also have a Secondary Mentor. This is an internal (Parker faculty) or external (parent, community member, internship contact, etc.) adult who serves as a support (and potentially content expert) for your senior project. You will receive an informational packet at the outset of your topic search to share with potential secondary mentors. The packet will spell out the details of their responsibilities to you and to the school.

What are the secondary mentors’ responsibilities?

Secondary mentors will receive an information packet prior to the start of a student’s internship and/or Senior Project. The packet will contain the following items:

• Information about Parker and the Senior Project/internship guidelines

• Expectations of students and mentors

• Letter of commitment to be signed by mentors

• Notification about the student’s Senior Project Exhibition

• Guidelines for the assessment of the final product

Mentors should be willing to support the goals of the Senior Project as a unique learning experience for students and a chance to be engaged in self-invested and relevant work.

What is Parker’s responsibility to secondary mentors?

Parker must supply secondary mentors with appropriate background information about the Senior Project and the objectives of off-site internships and the Senior Project. The Senior Seminar teacher will work to ensure that students contribute positively to the work of their mentors.

Internships

Internships are an optional element of your senior project, intended for students who wish to immerse themselves in a formal experience outside of the Parker community. Any time away from Parker must be approved through the release time policy.

How do I get started on an internship?

While your senior seminar teacher will assist and support you in finding an internship, you are ultimately responsible for making the arrangements for and following through on your internship. We have access to resources which you might find helpful in your search for an internship. In order for an internship/release time request to be approved, it must be clear that your internship directly connects to the essential question you pose in your Senior Project. In addition, your ideas for an internship must be incorporated into your Senior Project proposal.

How will my internship be assessed?

Your internship will be assessed as part of your Senior Project. While conducting your internship, you must document all work and progress in a log that your supervisor/mentor should approve and which will be reviewed by your advisor. As appropriate, your mentor/supervisor will comment upon your work and this feedback will be incorporated into your final assessments.

Are students eligible for financial compensation?

You may not personally profit from your internship. If you are paid for your work, you must donate that money to the school or another appropriate organization or use it to directly offset expenses related to the internship.

Release Time Policy

Only Seniors who already have evidence of proficiency in the majority of the 9 Parker skill areas are eligible to petition for sustained Senior Project-related release time ( leave of absence, one day a week away or an hour a day options). Other students may petition for single days away (day away option), subject to their being in good academic standing (having no late or missing work and not being in danger of not completing a course) and the approval of their advisor. Seniors petitioning for second quarter release time must demonstrate proficiency in 5 of the skill areas, whereas those petitioning for release time in the third quarter must demonstrate 7. For the purposes of release-time, “proficiency” is defined as at least one piece of work that meets the Division Three/Graduation expectations. There are four different release time options:

“Leave of Absence” option:

This option is defined by an extended period of time away from Parker, up to but not to exceed two quarters. This option is ideal for seniors who wish to immerse themselves in a full-time experience away from the Parker School. Seniors can petition for extended leaves of absence during the second and/or third quarters. Arrangements for accountability to all academic courses (in the form of an exit and re-entry contract) must be made before the student gets final approval to leave campus. Seniors who are still in Division Two Spanish are not eligible for this option. In rare circumstances, 4^th quarter leaves may be approved. (See Alternate Course of Study Guidelines.)

§ “One Day a Week” option:

This option is defined by taking one “Senior Project Day” per week away from Parker. This option is designed for seniors who wish to work on internships and other project-related commitments on a substantial and regular basis without too much disruption to their academic lives. Seniors can petition for the “One Day a Week” option during the second and/or third quarters of the school year. Arrangements for accountability to academic courses (including Senior Seminar) and Service (in the form of an exit and re-entry contract) must be made beforehand and included as part of the release time proposal. [Note: Wednesday is the recommended day for this option to minimize academic disruptions.]

“Hour a Day” option:

This option exists in two forms: a) Seniors who wish to be exempted from one of their four academic courses, or b) Seniors who wish to be away from Parker during the same hour each day (either first hour in the morning or last hour in the afternoon). In both cases, this option works for seniors who wish to work on internships and other project-related endeavors on a substantial and regular basis without too much disruption to their academic lives. Seniors can petition for the “Hour a Day” option during the second and/or third quarters of the school year. Arrangements for accountability to academic courses (including Senior Seminar) and Service (in the form of an exit and re-entry contract) must be made beforehand and included as part of the release time proposal.

“Day Away” option:

This option is for seniors who need one day or part of a day away from school to complete work related to their project beyond the normal workload. Students might use this option to attend workshops or lectures, to gain access to art studios or darkrooms, to travel to meet with a mentor who lives farther away, etc. This type of release time is granted on a day-by-day basis. Seniors may request more than one single day away throughout the course of their projects, but each day must be approved by the student’s advisor separately and based on the criteria explained above.

Release Time Proposal Guidelines:

In order to qualify for any or all of the sustained release time options, seniors must submit a completed ‘Graduation Portfolio Status Chart’ along with a proposal that addresses the questions below. The proposals will be reviewed by a committee (comprised of the Senior Seminar teachers and the principal) and approved, denied, or sent back to the student for revision.

· For which option are you applying (“Leave of Absence,” “One Day a Week,” or “Hour Away”)? Why does this option specifically meet your needs?

· How do your release time plans relate directly to your Senior Project and your essential question?

· How exactly will you be spending your release time? What responsibilities will you have? With whom will you be working? Please give a detailed plan of how you will spend your time away from school.

· How can you justify your release time plans as a “substantially different and essential experience” which is central to the completion of your Senior Project?

October 2, 2006: Second Quarter Release Time Proposals Due

(Second Quarter begins Monday, November 6, 2006)

(Second Quarter ends Friday, January 26, 2007)

December 18, 2006: Third Quarter Release Time Proposals Due

(Third Quarter begins Tuesday, January 30, 2007)

(Third Quarter ends Friday, March 30, 2007)

Other Requirements:

• Students must satisfactorily complete all courses from the prior semester to be eligible for release time.

• Students must complete an exit/re-entry contact and remain up-to-date with all current course work agreed upon in this contract in order to continue with release time. Release time will be revoked for all students who fail to adhere to this requirement.

• Students must thoroughly document all release time-related work on the Senior Project (in logs or journals).

Your process will be assessed by your advisor, in consultation with your secondary mentor, as appropriate. Your advisor will use the assessments from your conferences, reflection papers and the materials that you have compiled in your process binder to assess your work. While you cannot revise your process, you can get progressively better over the course of the project. In order to receive an Exceptional on the Senior Project as a whole, you must “meet” the process expectations.

You will have periodic conferences with your advisor to assess the progress and depth of your project. These conferences inform your final process assessment and the purpose of them is for you to show your senior seminar teacher the progress you are making and what you are learning. You are responsible for bringing the appropriate materials and leading the conference in order to present a clear picture of the state of your project.

For each conference, you are expected to bring and/or discuss the following:

Additionally, for each conference, there are some specific benchmarks that you are expected to address at that point in the project, as listed below.

Reflection Paper Guidelines

Part of the process assessment for your senior project is based on your reflection on your work. Periodically, you will complete a 1-2 page, typed reflection consisting reflecting on your work, growth and learning about your project and yourself.

This reflection is generally due after your conference, where you have already had the chance to talk about the nuts and bolts of your progress and learning with your advisor. In the reflection, you should synthesize, reflect upon, and discuss your work and learning. You can use the prompts below to guide your reflection, but please feel free to address other topics relevant to your project as well.

· How and when are you working effectively on this project? If you had last month to do over again, what would you do differently? Why?

· What kinds of decisions have you found yourself making recently? Have they been good decisions? What are you learning about how you make decisions and what kind of effect these decisions have on your learning?

· What new questions do you have now (about yourself, the project, your topic)?

· What did you learn about your topic/subjects that you didn’t know before? What connections among the various things you have studied and researched do you see? Have you had any “aha” moments? What were they and how did they affect you?

Process Documentation and Assessment

Documentation of your senior project work over the course of the year must be organized in a binder or accordion file. This organizational system is assessed at each conference and turned in at the end of the project for final assessment. The following items/categories are expected to be represented, although there may be additional materials in your process binder as appropriate to your project.

You come to your conference prepared, with materials needed to demonstrate progress.		Need-------------------------------------Strength
You direct your own conference.		Need-------------------------------------Strength
Your project description reflects the current status of your project.		Need-------------------------------------Strength
Your process binder is organized and contains the relevant documentation for your project thus far.		Need-------------------------------------Strength
You have updated monthly documentation (logs, calendar, research evidence, etc.) that shows your recent progress and upcoming plans, including: · Who have you talked to? What have you done? · What have you read (observed, studied, meditated on, etc.)? · What progress have you made? · What have you done to document your work and learning? What’s next for your project?		Need-------------------------------------Strength
You can demonstrate or discuss significant new learning about your project.		Need-------------------------------------Strength
You meet the benchmarks for this conference:
Conference #1 Preliminary list of sources Conference #2 Year-long calendar Research questions Mentor letter	Conference #3 Research check Off-campus plans Benefit progress Conference #4 Research check Product progress	Need-------------------------------------Strength
You accept and incorporate feedback from appropriate sources.		Need-------------------------------------Strength
You use your Senior Seminar time appropriately.		Need-------------------------------------Strength

Project Requirements:
You generate an essential question that drives your project.	Need----------------Strength
You explore your question with formal academic research.	Need----------------Strength
You benefit from collaboration.	Need----------------Strength
You use your findings or project to benefit a larger community.	Need----------------Strength
You apply skills and knowledge from several disciplines.	Need----------------Strength
Your project is academically rigorous & requires you to think in new ways.	Need----------------Strength
You are using your mentor appropriately.	Need----------------Strength

Criteria	JB	A	M	E
Autonomy · You are self-directed throughout the course of your project. You use your secondary mentor as a resource to inform your project. You accept and incorporate feedback from appropriate sources.

Project Management