Rock Creek High School
Introduction of Exit Committee
 Committee comprised of Senior Advisors
 Pat Booth, Room 117

boothp@rockcreekschools.org
 Sara Miller, Room 118

millers@rockcreekschools.org
 Desiree Renner, Room 114

rennerd@rockcreekschools.org
 Cherrie Savoie, Room 111

savoiec@rockcreekschools.org
 Contact us at 494-8591 or by e-mail
The Purpose
 Mastery Learning
 Application of Workplace Skills
 time management, responsibility, perseverance
 Character Traits
 honesty, integrity, reliability, dependability, respect,
courage, diligence, courage, assertiveness, etc.
 Writing skills
 Communication skills
 Giving an oral presentation
 Defending/justifying project
 Meeting and working with new people
 Career Exploration
The Process-Project Proposal
 Project Types
 Academic: project involves formal instruction from a mentor
 Community Service: project provides viable service to the
community
 Career: project involves potential future employment
 Personal Growth: project represents a unique personal challenge
 15 hours required


Hours will be increased if proposal deadline not met
Half of the hours (7.5) can be training
 Taking classes, working with mentor, etc.
 Community mentor w/minimum 2 years experience in field, 21
years of age
 Relate to research paper
The Process-Research
 Research Paper
 Completed in Junior English


Thesis-based
Career-based
 English department sets guidelines and rubric for paper
 8-10 weeks of class time provided
 broken down into several assignments and drafts
 plagiarism policy strictly enforced
 Final copy in senior portfolio
 Student is responsible for maintaining file on server
 Student should have backup copies of files (home/flash drive)
 Junior English teacher grades all papers (continuity)
 See Research Paper Rubric in manual or on Web page
The Process-Portfolio
 Organized notebook
 Research Paper
 Project Log
 Student Reflection Paper
 Documentation of project work




Photos
Video
 separate from the portfolio
Technical drawings, blueprints, lesson plans, etc.
Costs and/or materials list
The Process-Oral Presentation
 The Presentation
 10-20 minute oral presentation before panel of judges


Mentor, Advisor, Faculty Member
Other audience members are presenter’s choice
 Visual Aids (highly recommended)
 Portfolio

presented to panel 2 weeks prior to presentation
 Professional dress and behavior
 Timing Proctor
 Videotaped
The Evaluation
 Rubrics are provided to students in advance and are
posted on website and school network
 See Project Rubric in manual or on Web page
 See Oral Presentation Rubric in manual or on Web page
Student Responsibilities
 Decide project topic
 Write proposal and submit to Exit Committee for approval
 Due beginning of 2nd semester of junior year

all changes must be approved and proposal form revised
 Find community mentor
 Must not be an employee of the Rock Creek School District
 Must have expertise in field (minimum 2 years); 21 years old
 Decide paper topic that relates to project topic
 Write research paper in Junior English
 Complete project
 Cannot use Rock Creek facilities to do project
 Projects involving school improvements can be done w/special
permission from the Board of Education
 Meet all required deadlines and criteria
 Keep all files in an Exit Project folder (Virtual Portfolio)
Paperwork
 Proposal Form (located on website and school network)
 Get mentor and parental signatures of approval
 Submit to Exit Committee for approval
 Make recommended revisions (typed)
 Mentor contact forms
 3 needed in addition to the proposal meeting
 Project Log
 Fill out as you go
 Record time spent on project
 Record personal reactions
 Deadline dates provided by Exit Committee
Exit Committee Responsibilities
 Committee sets all standards
 Ownership
 Quality of project
 Learning stretch
 Submission of paperwork
 Meeting of deadlines
 Committee reviews all proposals
 Viable



Qualifications of mentor
Costs of project
Dangerous to students
Senior Advisor Curriculum
 Advisor Period
 Letter & Envelope Formatting

Thank-you letter to the mentor done in April/May of junior year
 Paper Revision

Lab time provided to make corrections to exit paper (due end of
September)
 Reflective Writing

Instruction provided on reflective and analytical writing
 Oral Presentation Skills

Speech organization skills, technology usage
 Portfolio Preparation

Instruction provided on how to properly put portfolio together
Communication
Provide open lines of communication about the process to
our:
 Students
 Parents
 Faculty
 Community
Proposal Idea Considerations
Fields of Study for Research Paper
 Medical, Psychological, Veterinarian, Author, etc.
 Most of the time, this requires expertise with years of training,
education, and licensing
 Students under the age of 18 have too many liability issues which
is too costly to mentors
 Most mentors are not going to allow you to do anything with
clients because of the liability and privacy issues
 Writing a book requires submission to publishers
Proposal Idea Considerations
Ownership of Project
 Organizing an event, running a marathon, learning a new skill
 Student must do ALL aspects of the organizing not just “show up
to help” (involves setting up time frames, advertising, contacting
persons to work, etc.)
 Projects of personal growth usually involve giving something
to the community so fundraising is involved and you have to
designate a recipient (charity) for the funds
 Being responsible to do all that is required (you affect your
mentor’s place of business and other people)
 Finding out that you “can’t” do the proposed project due to
fear, illness, or injury
Proposal Idea Considerations
Cost of Project
 Construction of buildings, decks, rooms, creating a dress,
catering an event, etc.
 Construction is a major cost undertaking and will usually
involve fundraising and permission
Public Presentations
 Teaching to a group of people, giving presentations over a
subject
 cannot be USD 323 w/o special permission from committee and
school board
Any Questions???