1. Senior Capstone Introduction 2013-2014

2. W hat is Senior Capstone?  It is an inquiry based, independent research project in which students learn about topics of interest and create a final project to share with the community.

3. Why Complete Senior Capstone?  The focus of the Bolton High School Senior Capstone is to engage each student in a personalized learning experience. The project allows students the opportunity to apply and to demonstrate interdisciplinary skills and knowledge while investigating a specialized area of interest that is supported by an adult mentor. Each student will have the assistance of an adult mentor who has specific knowledge of the area the student has chosen to explore. Members of the BHS Senior Capstone Committee will serve as student evaluators.

4. What should I do for my Capstone Project?  Consider your passions and career interests  Think about what you’d like to learn  Think about what you can create

5. How do I get my Senior Capstone Project Approved?  Approval is primarily (but not solely) contingent upon the quality of your essential question. A quality essential question …  Summarizes what you would like to learn about your chosen topic  Is broad enough to encourage exploration and research  Is focused enough to guide your actions throughout the capstone project  Example: “ What are the necessary steps and skills involved in becoming a successful physician’s assistant?”

6. Resources – pp. 2-3  1. Faculty Advisor  Your faculty advisor has been assigned to you and is your advisory period teacher. Your faculty advisor will direct discussion and activities related to this project, collect work to be submitted for the project during advisory period, and communicate to the Senior Capstone Committee regarding your progress.  2. Adult Mentor  Unlike your faculty advisor, your adult mentor is not assigned to you. Your adult mentor is an adult that you designate (with his or her approval, of course!) to help you create a successful project. Your adult mentor can be a member of the BHS staff, a member of a group to which you belong (Scout leader, religious leader, coach, etc.) but cannot be a family member.  A minimum of six meetings with your adult mentor is required

7. The Capstone Committee Members & Evaluators  Mark Mishriky, Senior Capstone Coordinator  Wendy Scott, Senior Capstone Coordinator  Jennifer Carvalho  Claire Fazzina  Lindsey Holland  David Laporte  Abbey Sacco  Paul T. Smith  Pete Turgeon

8. Who is my evaluator? Advisory Teacher  Maniscalco  Pyrch  DiMauro  Prior  Walter  Humiston  Johnson  Giblin  Goldsnider Evaluator Carvalho Holland Smith Sacco Laporte Scott Fazzina Mishriky Turgeon

9. The Capstone Evaluator – p.3  Evaluator  One member of the Senior Capstone Committee will be responsible for following your project from start to finish, reading and evaluating your journal entries and research paper. You will be introduced to your evaluator in the fall. Your evaluator will give you feedback about the project’s written components at your request. It is your responsibility to see your evaluator for feedback on each component of the project.  See rubrics on p.24-26 for grading rubrics

10. Senior Capstone Workshops – p.22

11. Component I: The Proposal – p. 5  In this phase, you will create the concept for your Senior Capstone Project. You should consider a project that meets the following criteria:  It involves a topic that is personally interesting to you.  It concerns a real-world issue or challenge, or represents a problem to be solved. Projects whose focus is collecting items, money for charity, or tournaments are not acceptable.  It contains sufficient complexity to sustain your interest, investigation, and involvement throughout your senior year.  It is independent. Group projects are not acceptable.  It has a clear connection with the knowledge you have acquired through school experiences in content areas, coursework, and/or other school- related activities.  It is original, either in concept or development.

12. Component II: Reflective Journal Entries – p. 8  The Reflective Journal is a key component to the Senior Capstone learning process. It is not simply written documentation of the process and progress of your project. A thoughtful, accurate, detailed journal is also:  A resource that you should use during meetings with your adult mentor.  A resource when writing your research papers.  A running record of new knowledge acquired throughout the research process.  A process by which you deepen the meaning and your learning during the entire Senior Capstone experience.  Carefully review the guiding questions for each Reflective Journal on pages 9-12 in the Senior Capstone Manual

13. Component III: Research  You will begin the process of researching your topic and brainstorming how you will address the essential question you have identified in your proposal. Reading articles and books, interviewing individuals knowledgeable about your topic, taking a class, doing an internship, volunteering, and field work are all examples of appropriate research for this project. The research component is intended to enrich and further the development of your project.  You will also have to write a research paper on a topic related to your project that supports your understanding of your essential question. You will write a rough draft to be submitted for feedback before writing a final draft. Please see the deadlines checklist in the appendix for these two due dates.  BE SURE TO ATTEND THE RESEARCH WORKSHOP IN THE LMC AFTER SCHOOL ON OCTOBER 3RD

14. Component IV: Senior Capstone Evening  Your project becomes reality as you begin to decide how you will present what you have done, from start to finish, in your public presentation. With the aid of a tri- fold board, you will present your findings to peers, parents, BHS faculty and staff, and community members.

15. Is it really a graduation requirement?  Yes.  To graduate with distinction…  You must “Exceed Standard” on each component discussed above (see rubrics on pages 24-26 in the Capstone Manual for details).  All components of your Capstone project must be turned in no later than the advisory period of the assigned due date.  Your mentor adult mentor must provide favorable feedback regarding your performance.  You will give a 20 minute presentation on Senior Capstone evening.

16. Important Dates – p. 21

17. Reflective Journals p. 21

18. Where do I go from here?  Your first Reflective Journal is due on September 24th. You will hand it in to your advisory teacher (see p. 9 in Senior Capstone Manual for details)  The following items must be submitted to your advisory teacher on October 8 th in order to have your Senior Capstone Project Approved:  Senior Capstone Proposal Form – See pp. 17-18 in your Senior Capstone Manual  Signed Statement of Understanding – See p. 19 in your Senior Capstone Manual  Adult Mentor Agreement and Information Form – See p. 20 in your Senior Capstone Manual  ATTEND THE FIRST RESEARCH WORKSHOP ON OCTOBER 3 rd IN THE LMC AFTER SCHOOL

19. Join the edmodo page  Go to edmodo.com  Sign up  Enter the following password  j23gg9