Students

School Without Walls
SENIOR HANDBOOK
2003-2004 School Year

THE SENIOR PROJECT COMMITTEE

WHAT DOES IT DO?
The primary responsibility of the Committee is to evaluate your Senior Project. It will examine evidence of your growth and skill development and how well you met your goals.

You may provide the Committee with the following additional evidence of your growth:

1. your course summaries and evaluations

2. your portfolio (an organized selection of products you feel are representative of your work and which demonstrate growth: research papers, photographs of science projects, tape recordings of recitals, notebooks, art work, etc., could be placed in portfolio)

WHO IS ON IT?
You select a graduation committee:

1. Two students in good academic standing whom you feel can judge you fairly. If you cannot identify two students, they will be selected by lottery.

2. Two community people who have been or are willing to become involved in your learning (they should be knowledgeable in the area of your senior project). If your senior project advisor is a community person, s/he fills one of these slots. (No family member can serve in this capacity) All community members must have been out of high school for at least three years. These people must be provided with the Senior Project Committee information letter by you at the time of their selection. (On file in the Office) You must provide the community members with a copy of the Handbook for Community Resource People.

3. Two full-time School Without Walls staff members - one must be your extended class advisor. If your senior project advisor is a staff member, s/he fills the second slot.
   
   NOTE: No extended class teacher, without her or his agreement, will advise more than four potential graduates. In the event more potential graduates than an extended class teacher is willing to advise request that advisor, a lottery will be conducted by the Principal.

4. In the event a member of a Senior Project Committee is forced to resign, the prospective graduate, will consult with her or his Extended Class Advisor and will select an appropriate replacement.

WHO COMES TO THE MEETINGS?
In addition to your committee, your meeting will also be open to four non-voting entry level or institute level student observers. You may invite any other persons you wish to observe.

WHEN DOES IT MEET?
The Senior Project Committee will meet at least twice, once prior to first Friday in December and the final meeting will be by the end of May.
It is your responsibility to set a date for your Senior Project Committee meeting, to check with each person on the committee to confirm the date, and to record this information with the School Secretary and School Counselor in the office by the end of April.

WHERE DOES IT MEET?
The Senior Project Committee may meet anywhere you decide. It is your responsibility to identify the place, obtain permission to use it, and clean up afterwards. You should reserve the space for at least two hours.

HOW DO I PREPARE FOR THE FINAL COMMITTEE MEETING?

1. 1. Follow steps outlined in the "Senior Deadlines" section.

2. 2. Prepare yourself to answer the following questions at the committee meeting.
   

   1. Time Management--Has the student consistently demonstrated time management through keeping appointments, meeting deadlines and organizing worktime? Has the student balanced the work of the Senior Project with other school responsibilities? Does the project reflect eight months of effort?
      
   2. Problem Solving--Is the project well thought out? Has the student demonstrated skills and growth in gathering information, using multiple sources, distinguishing fact from opinion, analyzing data, synthesizing information and drawing reasonable conclusions?
      
   3. Coping With Frustration--Does the student demonstrate ability and growth in handling difficulty and learning from mistakes?
      
   4. Movement Towards Independence--Does the student demonstrate the ability to use resources beyond the advisor? Can he or she solve problems, make decisions, and work in a self-disciplined manner?
      
   5. Communication--Has the student demonstrated ability to speak and write clearly and concisely about the project and what was learned?
      
   6. Reflection--Has the student demonstrated awareness and understanding of possible effects of the project process on self and others?
      
   7. Responsibility--Was the student able to successfully engage in the process described on the Senior Project Proposal?

VOTING PROCEDURES

The committee will hold a private discussion in closed session before voting. After discussion, all members will cast their votes on their individual rating sheets. The rating sheets will be collected by the senior's extended class advisor. The advisor will reveal the votes to the committee as a whole only after all the votes are in.

THE DECISION OF THE COMMITTEE

The Committee may decide that:

1. Your project passes as presented.
   
2. Your project can not pass unless you revise your final product and presentation. The committee will tell you what needs to be revised, by when, and to whom you must present the revised work. You will not graduate until August.
   
3. Your project does not pass. FIVE "YES" votes from the Committee are required to pass.
   

If the committee is satisfied that your presentation and materials show evidence of sufficient growth and skill development, it will recommend that you pass.

Upon completion of any additional requirements you will be graduated.

If you do not pass, the committee will tell you why and give you advice on what to do next.

APPEAL

If you are not satisfied with the Committee's decision, you may appeal.

To appeal, you must choose a second Committee and re-present your project, including the same work as submitted in final form to your first committee. Your SWW Advisor and Senior Project Advisor must be on the committee. The decision of the second committee will be final.

A Committee (original or appeal) must vote for your project to pass before Senior Project Night in order for you to graduate in June.

Definition of a 2003-2004 Senior
Senior Project Deadlines
The Senior Contract
The Senior Project
Senior Project Proposal
Senior Project Advisor
The Senior Project Committee
Senior Project Exhibit
Senior Meetings

Senior Contract Form
Senior Project Proposal Form
(These forms are in PDF format
Adobe Acrobat Reader required)