Applied and Level Three Working Group Policies

Final Document February 20, 2004

Members of the Applied and Level Three Working Group

Monique Caissie Allan Davis Paul Dunnett

John Frank Paula Galbraith Trevor Gallant

Mark Reid Peter Smith

Objective:

Level Three and Applied students at Kennebecasis Valley High School are a varied group of people who come to our classrooms with a range of educational gaps and learning challenges, some of which are reflected in Special Education Plans. Recognizing that many of these students have not been successful in the traditional classroom, teachers shall implement experiential education practices that will complement other forms of instruction to facilitate a learning environment that meets these students where they are and will assist them in reaching their full potential.

Rationale:

“Who are the students? They are Level 3 and Applied students attending KVHS. Many of these students are on Special Education Plans (S.E.P.’s), and nearly all of them have gaps in their academic background. These are students for whom traditional instruction does not work.

What are their needs? They have varied needs as outlined in their Special Education Plans (S.E.P.’s). They need life skills (including appropriate behaviors, coping skills, organizational skills, etc.). More than most students, Level 3 and Applied students, benefit from hands on activities and experiential learning. They often have a shorter attention span and, so have a greater need to move. They need more thorough explanation. The gaps in their backgrounds are a barrier to learning, and must be filled as if “filling the potholes in their road of knowledge.” These students require clarification of directions as they have comprehension challenges.

Student engagement. To help them understand, these students need more student-centered education. Experiential education is very important to these students.

Organization for Learning

Policy 1: A set of specific resources for each course, including web sites, library resources, and those available at the Department of Education, will be developed. Each Department will meet and develop this resource for each Applied and Level 3 course they offer. The resource list will be posted at www.kvhigh.com.

Rationale: If we are to offer project-based courses, we need a variety of resources as opposed to a single textbook. It is important that students have access to a hard copy resource to take home, which may be, depending upon the course, a textbook. Perhaps there could be a resource list created for each unit or topic. This list could include a list of web sites. The list needs to include a collection of books/resources that are available to both students and parents. The school should buy several copies of each resource to be available to all students rather than a class set of a single textbook.

Policy 2: Creation of a Course Syllabus.

The Syllabus must have:

1) An outline of the units of study

2) An overview of the types of evaluation that will be used in the course and a projected approximate value of how much will be assigned to each type of evaluation (e.g., participation, projects, tests, alternate assessments etc.)

3) A projected timeline of when topics will be covered. These may have specific dates attached, or may just appear in order.

Rationale: The syllabus shall give a general outline of the course as well as a list of the units of study and their order. There shall be a general outline of evaluations (this would give the percentage that will be assigned to projects, tests, participation, etc.). It is important that very specific guidelines regarding what is included in a project (e.g., which curriculum outcomes are being met, a rubric for evaluation) be provided. The purposes for doing each activity must be clear to all stakeholders.

Policy 3: Teachers must provide rubrics, which are short sets of directions for evaluation, for students.

1. Teachers must decide what the value of an assignment/assessment is before they assign it.

2. Teachers must give this information to the students.

3. Teachers must provide students with a breakdown of how the mark is tabulated.

4. Teachers should provide clear examples of their expectations (e.g., examples from previous years, a detailed checklist of criteria, etc.).

Evaluation Policies

Policy 4: All exams should be worth no more than 40% of the course mark. This exam format will mirror policy 6 of this document and not more than 30% of the exam content may be dedicated to memory-based testing. Many Level 3 and Applied students may not be writing the exam due to the exemption policy.

Policy 5: Exam exemption policy for Applied and Level Three students.

1. Each student will start with zero points (like demerit points) and an exemption in each Level 3 course.

2. If a student accumulates more than 15 points over the course of the semester, the exemption in that course is lost.

3. In order to maintain an exemption, each student will be assessed in the areas of behavior, attendance, and academic performance. Points can be accumulated to a maximum of 15 in total.

4. Points will be accumulated as follows:

a. Attendance - one point for each day absent and one point for every two tardies.

b. Behavior - at teachers’ discretion demerits can be handed out for misbehavior. If a student is sent to an administrator, the administrator will use his/her discretion to assign demerit points.

c. Academic

i. 90-1000 pts

ii. 84-89 1 pt

iii. 79-83 2 pts

iv. 74-78 3 pts

v. 70-73 4 pts

vi. 65-69 5 pts

vii. 60-64 6 pts

5. A student must have a passing grade to keep an exemption.

6. Grade 11 English exams in January should have a format that follows the P.E. to give students practice. *Verify the policy on the English exam with Mr. Munro.

Policy 6: Each department shall create a plan of evaluation for each course that reflects a school wide policy of not more than 30% of a semester mark may be dedicated to memory-based testing.

What is a project? A project takes on a different meaning for different teachers. It is, therefore, important to note that for the purpose of this document, the term project will mean an alternate form of assessment, which does not include memory- based testing. Teachers are to provide an overview of the project, including the objectives and an evaluation rubric (also, see policy 3). Student choice should be built into the project. A project could include research, presentations, group work, in-class activities, written reports, oral reports, and lab work, etc. in order to meet a curriculum outcome. Projects are to be vehicles used to teach skills (reading, writing, speaking, thinking and listening).

Classroom Management

Policy 7: Code of Conduct. The creation of a program in grade nine to induct the students into the culture of the school and its norms will be undertaken. This will assist in the identification of students who will require further intervention.

Rationale: The Code of Conduct must be the same for all students at K.V.H.S. To help the students of Applied and Level Three courses understand the code and their responsibility to uphold it, they must have support to develop the skills to function within the norms of the school and the community. This requires the development of new courses and programs that will equip these students to be positive and productive members of this community.

Summary of Applied and Level three policies.

Policy 1: A set of specific resources for each course, including web sites, library resources, and those available at the Department of Education, will be developed.

Policy 2: Creation of a Course Syllabus.

Policy 3: Teachers must provide rubrics.

Policy 4: All exams should be worth no more than 40% of the course mark.

Policy 5: Exam exemption policy for Applied and Level Three students.

Policy 6: Each department shall create a plan of evaluation for each course that reflects a school wide policy of not more than 30% of a semester mark may be dedicated to memory-based testing.

Policy 7: Code of Conduct.