1. UTICA ACADEMY FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES CAS TRAINING May 2014

2. CAS in Five Parts Part I: Defining Creativity, Action, Service
Part II: Requirements for Completion
Part III: CAS Roles, Interviews, Policies
Part IV: Online Training: CAS Website and Managebac
Part V: Reflection Training (PT)

3. Part I: Defining CAS General overview of CAS Qualities of CAS students
Defining creativity, action, service: what counts and doesn’t
The CAS Extended Project
Exploration of CAS activities

4. IB Framework

5. Why CAS? The world has little use for socially awkward book worms.
CAS is experiential life-learning that cannot duplicated in the classroom setting.
Your GPA and ACT/SAT alone will no longer get you into your dream school or earn you that scholarship.

6. Why CAS? 70,000+ students a year have perfect SAT scores
70,000+ have 4.0 GPA’s or higher
60,000+ valedictorians annually
120,000+ team presidents each year
The nation’s most selective colleges accept 1,000 to 4,000 students per year
In 2011 alone, 70% of students with perfect SATs & 4.0s were rejected from Princeton.

7. How is CAS different from community service?
CAS Community Service
At least 150 hours Less than 50 hours
Goal-oriented Hour-oriented
Ongoing evaluation by interviews Evaluation by completion
Issues of global importance Typically local issues only
Requires extended project Requires none
Requires deep reflection Requires no reflection
Activities challenging Activities sometimes menial
Creativity and action required Only service required

8. All CAS activities must involve:
real, purposeful activities, with significant outcomes
personal challenge—tasks must extend you and be achievable in scope, not “more of the same”
thoughtful consideration, such as planning, reviewing progress, reporting
reflection on learning outcomes and personal learning
Professional, not personal, relationships

9. All proposed CAS activities need to meet these four criteria in order for your activities and projects to be approved in your interviews with your advisor.

10. What is Creativity?
Creativity involves the arts and other experiences that involve creative thinking or production in some measureable sense

11. Examples of Creativity
Drama/Theatre Photography Webpage design Dance Choreography Learning a new language Talent shows Visual Arts Making Crafts Debate/Forensics Pottery Lesson planning Scrapbooks/Posters Making a video Cooking classes Planning a School Event/Project Emceeing/Deejaying Writing newspaper articles Creative writing Music ensembles

12. Not Creativity
An irrelevant blog or other online creation Your personal journal or diary Facebook, Twitter or other online communication Doodling Unfocused writing without goals Thinking without implementation Sitting through club meetings or classes

13. What is Action?
Action can be defined as physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle, complementing academic work elsewhere in the Diploma Programme. Think sweat!

14. Option 1: UCS-Sponsored Sports
Option 1 for Earning CAS Action Hours:
Request a UCS coach to be your supervisor.
Decide on a goal or two that you both agree on during your season.
Work toward that goal. At the end of the season, your coach completes the supervisor completion form and comments on your progress.
Examples: Football, Soccer, Baseball, Basketball, Volleyball, Softball, Etc.

15. Option 2: Team Sports Outside UCS
Option 2 for Earning CAS Action Hours:
Request a certified instructor, trainer, teacher or coach to be your supervisor for the activity.
Decide on a goal or two that you both agree on during your season.
Work toward that goal. At the end of the season, your supervisor signs off on your hours and comments on your progress.
Examples: Gymnastics, Yoga, Tai chi, Martial Arts, Dance, Fencing, Hockey, Travel Sports Teams, Etc.

16. Option 3: Personal Fitness Program
Option 3 for Earning CAS Action Hours:
Perform a self-organized pre-test of your abilities
Propose a reasonable goal using the Presidential Fitness Test guidelines
Discuss how you will demonstrate completion (logs, videos, pictures)
Maintain a schedule, reflect, and produce documentation

17. Option 4: Elective gym class
Sign up for an elective gym class
Discuss goals briefly with your teacher and return supervisor agreement form to your advisor
Work on your goal throughout the year, reflect, and discuss the outcomes at the end of the class

18. Option 5: As Part of Another Project
A. Attain a small number of hours in some activities that are primarily creativity or service or other activities of a non-sport nature because of the physically-taxing nature of the activity. Simply split the total hours reasonably.
Examples: planting during a beautification project, powderpuff fundraiser, hiking or backpacking, running in a fundraiser for cancer, etc.

19. Not Action Hours
Learning to drive A skiing or hiking holiday with your family Recreational swimming Walking to school (or anywhere else, for that matter) Playing pool or bowling on a Saturday night Painting a wall or playing an instrument Dancing socially

20. What is Service?
Service is an unpaid, voluntary exchange that has learning benefit for the student but for which the rights, dignity, and the autonomy of all those involved are respected

21. Service Hours Food/Clothing drives Habitat for Humanity Relay for Life
Setting up/Helping in School-Related Programs/Orientations
Volunteering at hospitals, nursing homes, other schools
Organizing and running a fundraiser in or out of school
Volunteering in a district event (Career Expo, College Night)
Running a school club Taking a CPR class
Attending a soup kitchen Working with an international charity
Running or organizing any volunteer event
All NHS and Key Club sponsored hours

22. Not Service Hours
Any service or community activity already a part of your IB program
Any activity for which you are paid
Service to (extended) family or friends
Babysitting for free
Doing simple, menial, repetitive tasks
Work not providing a service to those in need
Unwanted solicitation
Informally helping a friend with homework
Asking for donations without doing something

23. Not CAS Under Any Circumstances…
Any work or class required to earn your IB diploma Non-challenging activities (letter-stuffing) Anything paid Family trips, volunteer positions, or family business jobs Activities that violate respect for individual views in politics and religion Any part of your routine religious commitments Works that primarily benefits a teacher (no aides)

24. IBO Mission Statement
“The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect…These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.”

25. Politics, Religion, and CAS
“…the general rule is that religious devotion, and any activity that can be interpreted as proselytizing, does not count as CAS. However, there are exceptions, notably when a religious organization provides a service irrespective of whether the people benefiting from their service are members of that religion or not…Work done by a religious group in the wider community, provided that the objectives are clearly secular, may qualify as CAS…Furthermore, if a student is able to show that they are meeting one or more learning outcomes and the activity is not proselytizing, then it can be a CAS activity” Source: Creativity, action, service: Additional Guidance (2012)

26. Politics, Religion, and CAS
To proselytize is to:
convert—or attempt to convert—someone from one religion, belief, or opinion to another
recruit, especially to a new faith, institution, or sociological or political cause

27. Politics, Religion, and CAS
Political work should never serve a personal cause but instead promote the democratic process
Religious promotion or expression is personal devotion, not CAS
Service from the house of worship outward to the community can count as CAS
Mission trips do not count if anyone providing service follows the service with proselytizing
Teaching catechism or leading a choir for Sunday church, by definition, is not proselytizing but fails to serve outward to the community

28. CAS Website Exploration
Let’s spend some time exploring the CAS website for ideas, projects, activities, and other specifics

29. Part II: CAS Requirements
Basic requirements for CAS completion
Range and diversity of activities
Minimum requirements
The CAS extended project

30. Range and Diversity
Students should experience CAS in at least two contexts (school, house of worship, community)
Students should challenge their comfort zones
Benefits are essential to college application process
Learning experience and personal reward are greater

31. Minimum Guidelines for Completion
Minimum 150 hours of CAS
Reasonable balance among C, A, S
Program lasts 18 months between beginning Sept. junior year and March senior year
Completion of CAS extended project
5 meetings with CAS advisor
Evidence of 8 learning outcomes
Sufficient reflections and documentation

32. The CAS Extended Project
A requirement for CAS completion, this project challenges students to work on an extended activity they initiate themselves that may become a central focus of college application essays, teacher recommendations, or even scholarships
Can be completed at any time during the 18 months, but must be proposed by December of junior year at 2nd meeting
Counts toward the required 150 hours
Over 50 examples can be found at: uaiscas.com under “CAS Extended Project”
We’ll take a look at these later when we use the computers

33. Part III: Roles, Interviews, Policies
Roles of Individuals in CAS
Coordinator
Advisor
Supervisors (and Supervisor Forms)
Diploma Candidates
CAS Interviews
Dates and Rubrics
Preparation and Expectations
Intervention Levels & Academic Misconduct
Fundraising Protocol & School/District Policy

34. Defining Roles in CAS
There are four types of individuals involved in the CAS programme, which include:
CAS Coordinator
CAS Advisors
Diploma Candidates (Students)
CAS Supervisors

35. What does the CAS coordinator do?
Develop and maintain all UAIS policy statements
Provide training to all staff and students
Provide access to CAS opportunities to students
Problem-solve with students for CAS ideas
Train activity supervisors, whenever possible
Supervise CAS advisors
Publicize achievements
Assist with fundraising via the district, if necessary
Resolve all disputes and provide guidance whenever necessary
Report achievement to IBO

36. What do CAS advisors do? Your CAS advisor is your AMES advisor, who:
Conducts interviews with students
Monitors range of activities and reflections
Helps students develop and alter goals
Reads and respond to reflections in meetings
Verifies involvement of CAS supervisors
Discusses major concerns with coordinator
Helps troubleshoot potential issues
Makes final recommendations to coordinator

37. Student Responsibilities
Self-review prior to beginning activities
Set personal goals
Initiate, complete, and reflect on CAS for at least 18 months
Meet/Communicate with advisor (likely more than 5 times)
Take part in range of diverse activities and experiences
Keep records on managebac.com
Show evidence of eight learning outcomes
Provide necessary documentation for approval and completion of activities

38. Who are CAS supervisors?
An adult who is a non-family member to any UAIS student
Provide oversight, training, support for an individual activity
Responsible for your safety and monitoring
Provide objective feedback on evaluation form at the end of an activity to your advisor
A variety of people: teachers, community leaders, business owners, volunteer coordinators

39. CAS Supervisors
Required for all activities/projects (one per activity)
Provide guidance/training and suggestions for an activity
Monitor student’s attendance, if necessary
Alert advisor/coordinator to any student issues
Report on student’s performance at end of activity by completion of an online supervisor evaluation form for the student
Can be teachers or other adults in the community, but not family members, family friends, extended family, parents of other UAIS students

40. Parents as Supervisors?
Creates a conflict of interest
Counter to spirit of CAS
Student should inform advisor of familiar relationships and explain the reasoning behind the choice, with the following as exceptions to the rule:
Another parent who is established supervisor for long period of time
Parent chaperoning an event when no one else is available
A club or organization a parent already runs if there is no alternative adult associated with the club/organization
In any of these cases, the student must demonstrate that no alternative option is available

41. Supervisor Agreement Form
Informs an adult of their role as a supervisor
Instructs them to monitor and train you appropriately
Allows your advisor to be aware that an adult is responsible for you during this time
Provides the school’s contact information in the case of an issue or problem
Informs the supervisor they must complete an online form to award you credit for your CAS hours
A copy should be retained by your advisor
This form is required in order for ANY activity or project to be approved and must match your inputted info on managebac

42. UAIS vs. Outside Supervisors
All activities require a supervisor, including teachers in the school
Supervisors must be informed by supervisor agreement form, turned in to your advisor
Students may NEVER place themselves as a supervisor, not even temporarily (use Mr. Spear as default)
At least one significant project or activity where you collaborate with others should occur outside the walls of UAIS

43. Solitary Activities—Supervision?
Some creativity hours (painting, drawing, sketching, writing)
Some action hours (going to the gym, running on a treadmill)
Propose activity and list advisor as supervisor
Documentation is key: video, picture, log, product brought to advisor meeting for judgment of effort placed into activity

44. CAS Interviews
Student-initiated and student-led meetings used to approve, complete, discuss, problem-solve and reflect on CAS experiences
At least five meetings over the 18 months of CAS
Online rubrics detail how students should prepare
Treat these interviews as a sales pitch for your ideas

45. CAS Interviews: Student Responsibilities
Review the rubric
Prepare proposals
Acquire supervisor forms
Complete reflections (if closing out)
Sign up with CAS advisor
Prepare
Lead the interview

46. CAS Interview Dates & Rubrics
Five meetings:
September of Junior Year
December of Junior Year (Ext. Project proposal due)
May of Junior Year
October of Senior Year
March of Senior Year (Culmination)
Rubrics are individualized by date
Expectations shift

47. Initial CAS Proposals
A collection of separate proposed activities that you build this summer and present in the fall to your CAS advisor
Should be 3 activities to start
Each activity must have a supervisor approval form signed prior to interview
Must be approved by advisor prior to beginning of the activity
Proposals due by first day of school

48. Intervention Procedures
Designed to align expectations across all students, all teachers, and the coordinators of the program
Covers CAS, EE, and all IAs in DP classes
Generates a paper trail and documentation
Provides clear deadlines for reconciliation
Informs parents and coordinators of students in danger of losing IB diploma eligibility
Minimizes delay-tactics and procrastination by students
Carries implications for college applications
Carries implications for letters of recommendation

49. Academic Misconduct and CAS
Academic misconduct includes “…any behaviour that gains an unfair advantage for a candidate or that affects the results of another candidate (for example taking unauthorized material into an examination room, misconduct during an examination, falsifying a CAS record” – ”Academic Dishonesty” (2007)
Accurate records by the student are pivotal. Inconsistencies will be treated as malpractice.
This may result in the forfeiture of the IB diploma. See the student guide for details.

50. Fundraising Protocol
Verify the authenticity of the fundraiser you participate in
Reflect on and present start-up costs
Decide if you wish to be reimbursed
Purchases must show receipts and be cash or check
Maintain the rule of pairs
For in-school fundraisers, students must:
approve their fundraiser with Student Senate
complete the student fundraising proposal form
Teachers are responsible for UCS policies on handling money

51. Fundraising Protocol
Minimize time in handling money; report to teacher
Teacher makes daily deposit
Do NOT store money in lockers
At end, always state clearly where proceeds go
A third-party account is required for a fundraiser to participate in CAS. Students who fundraise by keeping money in a family bank account will forfeit all hours for that CAS project or activity.
For outside supervisors, set up a pay-pal account or direct deposits to the organization itself via your supervisor

52. Proposal of In-School Activities/Projects
Plan well in advance
Apply for a fundraiser, club, idea through Student Senate
Forms must be filled out (Mr. Layson)
First come, first serve

53. Monday’s Workshop: Online Exploration
Bring a flash-drive Monday
Bring today’s materials
Make sure you have logged in to managebac and changed your password!
Exploration of the CAS website
Managebac CAS tutorial

54. Revisiting Questions from Friday
What questions do you have?
What concerns are occupying you at this point?
What clarifications do you need?

55. Part 4: Online Exploration
UAIS CAS website (uaiscas.com)
Source for all additional handouts, trainings, explanations
Provides numerous examples of activities and projects
Managebac (uais.managebac.com)
Tour of features
Sample Proposals
Questions and Answers
PSR Time

56. Tour of the uaiscas.com website
Provides all handouts/documentation
Answers many student questions
Access to rubrics for advisor meetings
Provides up-to-date lists of activities and extended projects
Take a few minutes to browse the list of extended projects

57. Managebac Online hub for all that is IBO
Documents are permanently stored
Easy communication between teachers and students
Can upload pictures, videos, files, homework, IB assessments, and register for IB examinations

58. Managebac Exploration
Teach pdf formatting from doc/docx
Create a sample CAS activity
Completing questions and reflections tabs
Requesting a supervisor completion form and completing an activity

59. Personal Self-Review (PSR)
A two-year summary of the pre-CAS student
Student brainstorm for Initial CAS Proposal
Shows strengths and areas for growth
Primary goal to provide a strong characterization of yourself to your CAS advisor for the interview and generate some evaluative questions for you
Due August 15th, 2014 on uais.managebac.com

60. PSR Completion Time

61. CAS Successes: For a rewarding CAS experience, be sure to…
Start with a positive attitude and be proactive
Plan your activities around what you love, want to do with your life, and what you personally recognize you need to improve yourself
Work with others whom you judge professionally as worthy of your time
Reach to leadership experiences in clubs/activities you participate in
Accept constructive criticism
Recognize that CAS has no direct correlation to your GPA or other academic achievements
Be a risk-taker: do something you’ve never done before

62. CAS Pitfalls: For a stressful CAS experience, be sure to…
Start with a negative attitude and approach CAS reactively
Work on a project with a friend—or anyone, no questions asked
Plan a romantic CAS project with your awesome boyfriend/girlfriend
Forge, falsify or lie on any CAS document or reflection
Hide all issues of others’ dedication and commitment from adults
Be rigid, inflexible, or bossy while working with others
Take high-profile leadership positions and sink your reputation
Work in a group of four or more on anything
Treat all supervisors as a form-filler only

63. Considering Ethical Implications
The most difficult learning outcome to consider
Take one of the following ethical situations provided and explain how you would resolve, handle, or consider it

64. CAS Reflections Workshop

65. Ordered Sharing
Consider the following questions and statements. Choose one you are comfortable with, and proceed to answer in your group…

66. In which ways have you increased an awareness of your strengths and weaknesses and areas for growth? Be specific.
Name a new challenge you have undertaken in the past year. What did this feel like?
Name one meaningful activity you have initiated and planned in the past six months. Why did you choose to spend time on this?
Describe one activity in which you worked collaboratively in the past month. Was this a positive or negative experience? Why?
Describe an instance when you have shown perseverance and commitment in a time of difficulty. What drove you to persevere?
Name an issue of global importance that you have been involved with in the past year. Why were you drawn to this issue?
Describe a time when you were confronted with an ethical dilemma. What did you do?
What new skill have you learned in the past year. Describe the experience.

67. Learning Outcomes
increased your awareness of your own strengths and areas for growth
undertaken new challenges
planned and initiated activities
worked collaboratively with others
shown perseverance and commitment in their activities
engaged with issues of global importance
considered the ethical implications of their actions
developed new skills

68. CAS develops in IB candidates:
reflective thinkers—you understand your own strengths and limitations, identify goals and devise strategies for personal growth
the willingness to accept new challenges and new roles (avoiding “more of the same”)
awareness of yourself as a members of communities with responsibilities towards each other and the environment
being an active participant in sustained, collaborative activities and projects
balance—you enjoy and find significance in a range of activities involving intellectual, physical, creative and emotional experiences.

70. CAS Reflection Guidelines
Provides suggestions on how and when to reflect
Reflections are NOT summary, but analysis of your own experiences
Should be frequent and relevant to your experiences
Supervisors, advisors, and the coordinator can see reflections
Should demonstrate the 8 learning outcomes

71. CAS Reflection Examples
As a group, read and T4 the example in front of you.
Read and present your example to the class.
Identify the learning outcomes present using examples and explanations to indicate the quality of the reflection.

72. CAS Reflection Practice
Log-in to managebac. Let’s have you enter a reflection for your earlier activity.