Oley Valley School District

HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS

Purpose of the High School Project The purpose of the high school project is to assure that the student is able to apply, analyze, synthesize and evaluate information and communicate significant knowledge and understanding. Steps for Students The following is a summary of the steps leading to completion of a project. Additional information is included in the remaining sections of these guidelines.
1. Read these guidelines and review the attached list of departmental projects. 2. Ask individual teachers in whose classes you are enrolled if they have developed their own class projects that could be used to satisfy this requirement. 3. Select a project (or propose your own on the form mentioned in Step 4 below). Berks Career and Technology Center requires students who attend East or West Campus to complete a BCTC Student Project in their program of study. Details are provided below under Additional Information. 4. Complete the High School Project Proposal Form. Additional forms and copies of these guidelines are available in the Guidance Office. 5. When the approved form is returned to you, begin the project. Consult regularly with your supervising teacher to get feedback on your progress. 6. Ask your teacher when your oral presentation will be scheduled. 7. Review the scoring tools (rubrics) that will be used to evaluate your written project and oral presentation, so you will know how your project is going to be assessed. 8. At the completion of the project submit the original and one copy to your supervising teacher and schedule your oral presentation. 9. Congratulations! You have completed your project. When it is graded, you will submit the copy, the High School Project Completion Form, and the completed rubrics to the high school guidance office. The copy will be maintained on file for three years. You may take home the original to share with your parents/guardian.

Additional Information 1. The student is encouraged to complete the High School Project by the end of the junior year. 2. A student may choose projects from a list of departmental project ideas attached to these guidelines (Examples of High School Project Choices Available to Students). Faculty members will explain their individual projects to students. A faculty member (hereafter referred to as supervising teacher) must approve project ideas not included on the list. An OVSD or BCTC teacher or administrator must supervise the project. 3. Using the High School Project Proposal Form the student must secure permission from the faculty member under whom he or she wishes to complete the project. A BCTC student must get approval from the BCTC instructor and the Oley Valley secondary school principal or assistant principal. 4. A student who attends Berks Career and Technology Center may use a BCTC Student Project that has achieved a passing grade to satisfy the Oley Valley High School Project graduation requirement. At the completion of the BCTC project, photocopy and submit page 7 (Berks Career and Technology Center Student Project Contract) and page 22 (Performance Checklist) from the BCTC student project packet to the OVHS guidance office.

Components and Requirements 1. The project will have a written component done by word processor and consisting of a minimum of five double-spaced pages, exclusive of title page, outline, and bibliography (if these are required). 2. The project will have an oral presentation consisting of a minimum of five minutes. The presentation may be simply a summary of the steps taken to design and develop the project. The supervising teacher and student will determine the time and date for the presentation. 3. Use of library resources and educational technology will be required in the project as appropriate. Other requirements (e.g. charts, visuals, etc.) will be left to the discretion of the department and supervising teacher. 4. Projects may be done individually or in groups of no more than three students at the discretion of the supervising teacher. Group projects will be structured to ensure an equitable distribution of work among collaborating students, and this structure will be specified in the written project description.

Project Assessment 1. The supervising teacher will assess the project using the appropriate rubric. Upon completion of the assessment, the teacher will total the score and sign the rubrics and the High School Project Completion Form. A copy of the written part of the project, rubrics and completion form will then be forwarded to the Guidance Office. The student will take the original project, completion form and rubric home. 2. Projects that are part of an existing course in which the student is enrolled need to be completed within the time frame of the course. Any extension of time requires permission from the supervising teacher. 3. Supervising teachers will consult with students to provide direction and feedback for projects. Students will meet with supervising teachers a minimum of two sessions either during school hours or after dismissal from 2:30 - 3:10 p.m. Some faculty members may want to meet more often. 4. Projects will be assessed according to three performance ratings as follows: Advanced: The project meets all or most requirements in an exemplary (93-100 points) manner. The project meets all or most requirements in a satisfactory (70-92 points) manner. The project fails to meet requirements in a satisfactory (0-69 points) manner.

Proficient

Fail: (Basic or Below Basic)

5. The extent to which a student will be given more than one opportunity to present a project until a Proficient or Advanced rating is achieved will be left to the discretion of the departmental faculty and supervising teachers.
Revised 11/02