UTICA ACADEMY FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES CAS TRAINING May 2014

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)

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

IB Framework

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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!

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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)

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.”

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PSR Completion Time

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

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

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

CAS Reflections Workshop

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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