CharlotteMecklenburg Schools Graduation Project

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Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Graduation
Project
Parent University Overview
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Presentation Overview

• State action and district implications
• CMS implementation
• Project overview
• New mentor requirements
• Scoring of the project
• Student resources
• Parent resources
• Contact information

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Graduation Project Overview

• Four components
• Research paper
• Student-generated product
• Portfolio of documents
• Oral presentation before a review board

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Research Paper Guidelines

• 6 - 8 pages in length
• Correlates to English III standard course of
  study
• Currently, students complete an argumentative
  paper
• Some teachers may allow students to write papers
  in other genres including, but not limited to
• Cause and effect
• Comparison and contrast
• Literary criticism
• Must include a student-generated graphic
• Graph
• Chart
• Table
• Should use MLA guidelines for parenthetical
  documentation and contain a works cited page.

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Product Guidelines

• Must be student-generated
• Must show tangible evidence of effort and time
  invested to meet the criteria established in the
  product rubric
• The quality of the product should reflect student
  time and effort of 10 15 hours or work such as
  (community-related service, internship or
  apprenticeship)
• Products that are intangible must be documented
  with photographs, logs, letters, reflective
  journal entries or other forms of documentation
  to reflect the student work or effort
• Should address a desire or need

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Portfolio Guidelines

• Appearance should be neat and orderly
• Portfolio must contain and be organized using
  table of contents
• Required forms and documentation must be present
  in the portfolio (students are provided with a
  guide of requirements)
• Portfolio must include a reflection
• Technology must be used in the construction of
  the portfolio

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Oral Presentation Guidelines

• Presentation should last 5 7 minutes with
  additional minutes for questions by the review
  board
• Students will write a letter of introduction to
  include in the portfolio and panel members will
  read this letter prior to the presentation
• Students should be able to answer extemporaneous
  questions
• If a mentor is utilized, students can discuss how
  their mentor enhanced the project

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Mentor Guidelines

• Mentors are OPTIONAL
• Mentors must be 21 years of age
• Mentors should have an expertise, background or
  interest in the students chosen topic
• Mentors support the student by acting as the
  primary source of the research, supporting
  development of the product and motivating and
  coaching students through the NC Graduation
  Project
• Mentors are not responsible for evaluating
  student projects

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Mentor Guidelines Continued

• Mentors who are not CMS employees must register
  as a CMS volunteer (www.cmsvolunteers.com)
• Mentors should complete the Mentor Confirmation
  form and submit to the school-based coordinator
  or English teacher
• Mentors can attend optional training
• A mentor manual is available to guide mentors
  through the requirements/responsibilities
• Students will receive an incentive for utilizing
  a mentor and adhering to mentor guidelines

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Scoring of the NC Graduation Project

• Each component is scored using a rubric
• The paper is scored by school faculty who have
  been trained and scorers are paired and must come
  to consensus or a third person scores the paper
  if a consensus cannot be reached
• The product, portfolio, and presentation are
  scored by review committee members

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Evaluation of the NC Graduation Project

• All reviewers/scorers are trained
• Reviewers include
• Community members
• Central office staff
• School faculty/staff
• Students can receive either
• Effective (4)
• Adequate (3)
• Insufficient (2)
• Unsatisfactory (1)

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Rubric Evaluation
Resubmission recommended
Complete
Must resubmit
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Student Materials/Support

• CMS Graduation Project Website
• http//www.cms.k12.nc.us/cmsdepartments/ci/grad-p
  roject/Pages/default.aspx
• Student Manual
• Optional Mentor
• English Teacher or Academic Advisor
• School-based Graduation Project Coordinator

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Parent Support

• District coordinator (cmsgradproject_at_cms.k12.nc.us
  )
• Website http//www.cms.k12.nc.us/cmsdepartments/c
  i/grad-project/Pages/default.aspx

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Questions ?