Senior Project Action Project: Cohort Groups, Spring Schedule and Expectations
Hello parents of seniors!
The end of the year is rapidly approaching, and the senior team wanted to communicate with you some important upcoming events and information.  The senior schedule is going to undergo some changes after Spring Break, as we send seniors out to complete their capstone senior projects.  Here is the outline for the rest of the year:
Feb 27-March 8: TED Talk Prep
Just having completed and turned in their thesis papers, seniors will be attending classes as normal.  During Humanities, Ashley and Lori will guide seniors through TED Talk preparation and provide ample work and peer critique time.
March 9-March 17: TED Talks
Seniors Humanities classes will be transformed into TED Talk stages and seniors have been scheduled for a 30 minute time slot to deliver their TED Talks sometime during this week and a half.  In addition to delivering a TED Talk on their research topic, they will need to serve as panelists for 6 of their peers.  All other classes will continue as normal and seniors are expected to attend their other core and elective classes.
This is the  TED Talk Schedule for your reference. Parents and family members are encouraged to attend TED Talks.
April 4-May 12: Senior Project Take Action Cohort Groupings
Once we get back from spring break, seniors will be assigned one of three cohort groups with a corresponding senior teacher directing the group.  We have divided seniors based on their topic and senior teacher expertise (in general, all“buildy”/art projects with Kurt, all writing/music/community event planning, etc…projects with Ashley and all math/business/political projects with Kyle).  
Goals of Cohort

    1. Regular individual check-ins with cohort leader
    2. Group/cohort critiques of senior projects in process
    3. Provide structure and support during the project process
    4. Accountability!
    5. Problem-solving groups
    6. Time for documentation of project process/reflection space
    7. Exhibition planning crews

Weekly Schedule for Cohorts
Cohorts will meet for two class periods a day during seniors’ former Humanities block, with some exceptions due to cohort grouping demands.
Mondays- Schedule and goals, check in, set goals for next week, reflective piece for week before, figure out who is getting critiqued on Tuesday.

  1. 1 hour of organization/goals/logistics
  2. Work time

Tuesdays- Project tunes/critiques in cohort subgroups (groups of 5)

  1. 2 hours of project tunes/critiques
  2. Work time when not critiquing
  3. Everyone needs to be critiqued at least twice
  4. Project Tune Protocol

Wednesdays- Free work days. As seniors do not have electives on Wednesdays, they may choose to work off campus to get project work done that requires meeting with community partners, gathering resources for events, etc…They are also welcome to work at school and/or seek guidance from senior teaching team as needed during this time.
Thursdays/Fridays- Individual check-ins with cohort advisor (Kyle, Kurt or Ashley). Half of seniors will meet on Thursday to check-in with their advisor, the other half will meet on Friday.  On the day that seniors are not scheduled for their check-in, they are expected to work on their senior project either at school or remotely AND are expected to attend electives as scheduled.

WHAT ABOUT ELECTIVES?
If you are in an elective with ONLY juniors and seniors (2nd period electives) then you are done at the end of April when LINK starts.  Otherwise you need to attend your elective through Friday, May 19th.


May 22-May 26: Exit Interviews and Exhibition Prep

There will be no classes this week as we’ll be conducting Exit Interviews with all seniors.  These interviews will focus on reflecting on their Senior Project, and will be our final determination of whether or not their project passes or fails.  Ideally, we won’t have to have any difficult conversations during this time!  If a student does not pass their Senior Project, we will develop a remediation plan for them that will have to be completed over the summer.
During this time, seniors are expected to:

  • Show up to their scheduled exit interview
  • Attend any elective class that is still meeting with seniors (they will need to check with their elective teacher) and
  • Finish their senior project and creating a display for the Senior Project Exhibition, scheduled for Thursday, May 18th. No matter what seniors are doing for their take action project, all are required to display work at this exhibition.

Important Senior Project Deadlines

    • March 9-17: TED Talks
    • April 6:  Project plan due by Thursday, April 6th in your cohort class.
    • Weekly check-ins with your cohort advisor (scheduled on either Thursday or Friday in your cohort class)
    • April 27th: Project Tune Reflection #1 Due: Each student will need to have their project work tuned 2x in our cohort subgroups. You will need to submit a project tune reflection upon completion of both project tunes as evidence.
    • Week of April 24th: DANGER ZONE CHECK-IN: On Monday, 4/24 You’ll need to reflect  with your cohort subgroups to make sure you have made significant progress toward your end goals. Are you on track? Are you in the danger zone?
    • End of April:  Meetings scheduled for any students that the senior teaching team has concerns regarding lack of progress
    • May 11th: Project Tune Reflection #2 Due: Each student will need to have their project work tuned 2x in our cohort subgroups. You will need to submit a project tune reflection upon completion of both project tunes as evidence.
    • May 18th: Senior Project Exhibition
    • May 22nd: Deadline for any other student exhibitions
    • Week of May 22nd: Exit interviews with senior teaching team to determine if you have passed your project

 

  • May 26:  GRADUATION!

May 26:  GRADUATION!!!  WOOOOOOOO!
Thank you all for supporting us and your student through this busy and inspiring last year of high school—they are doing some amazing work, and we can’t wait to see what they produce for their Senior Project.
As always, please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks
Ashley Carruth and the Senior Team