Email
Print
School board considers fate of grad projects
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: July 5, 2009
The Cabarrus County Board of Education wants to know how many other school systems are requiring students to complete graduation projects before voting on its continuation this month.
Most board members have supported continuing the project in the past, but there have been some questions and concerns about it recently.
The project is a requirement for graduation where students research a topic, write a paper, spend time with a mentor, produce a portfolio and present their work to a panel of judges.
In the past, all of the work has been completed in a student's senior year of high school.
Now, the class of 2011 will write their paper during their upcoming junior year and complete the time with a mentor and the presentation their senior year. Rising seniors in the class of 2010 will complete the entire project during the next school year.
But these requirements will only be in place if the school board decides to continue the project. Because the graduation project is not a state requirement, the decision to implement it is made by local school boards.
Cabarrus County Schools had anticipated the state would mandate the graduation projects for all students, but the decision to do so has been delayed for a year.
Kannapolis City Schools, as well as districts in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Mooresville, Rowan County and Stanly County will continue or begin requiring the graduation project for the 2009-10 year, said Chris Lowder, director of high school curriculum for Cabarrus County Schools.
Union County, Iredell County, Gaston County and Lincoln County schools do not require the project.
Holly Blackwelder, the school board's chair, said she expects members will decide at the next meeting to keep the graduation project as a requirement, but it could be delayed.
"Several board members feel like there are a lot of benefits students receive from doing (the project)," Blackwelder said.
There are several skills, such as being interviewed and writing a research paper, that the project allows students to use in a way that no other part of the curriculum does, Blackwelder said.
Board member Cindy Fertenbaugh agreed.
"I think it's the best preparation we are doing for workforce development, and I don't want to see it go away," Fertenbaugh said.
At last month's school board meeting, Fertenbaugh said she was concerned that having the project over two academic years might require more staff positions and put stress on students for a longer period of time.
Lowder said the change would not require additional faculty, and the paper during the junior year will be five pages now, instead of seven.
Board member Tim Furr said he has heard more negative than positive comments from students and parents about the graduation project. He added that many of them had not completed the project yet, but he was favorable to delaying the project as a requirement.
Most board members said they felt there were more positive features of the project, and students and parents were more favorable of it after completion.
"I always do my own survey, and almost every student said they entered (working on the project) with trepidation, but at the end, they said it was one of the more worthwhile things they do," said Wayne Williams, vice chair for the board.
Many students made these observations in the journal section of their graduation project portfolio, Lowder said. He also said he would return to the next board meeting with more information and answers.
The school board will meet for its business meeting at 6:30 p.m. on July 13 at the education center.
Email
Print
ADVERTISEMENT
Click a region for news specific to that area.
 |
||
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
Advertisement
