Students are required to complete a Graduation Project in order to graduate from any public high school in Pennsylvania. The SAHS Graduation Project is designed to support and enrich classroom activities.
Task Description - The Graduation Project has two (2) required elements: a portfolio and a culminating project. Each component must be completed successfully to meet the graduation project requirement.
Although students will receive staff support, the responsibility for meeting the graduation project requirement falls upon the student. It is critically important that students understand what they need to do and how their work will be evaluated. Students should seek any needed clarification as questions arise. Students must present their work for the graduation project requirement by the first semester of the senior year.
Portfolio
The portfolio is a collection of projects that students have completed in their course work beginning in grade 10. Only projects designated as eligible by each discipline may be placed in the portfolio. The Souderton Area High School Program of Studies will designate courses that have projects that meet the requirements for inclusion in the portfolio. Students may rely upon course instructors to provide advice regarding the eligibility of projects completed in their courses. Additionally, using a scale of 1-5 (with 5 as distinguished work) only projects scoring 3 and above may be included in the portfolio. The course instructors will score the portfolio projects. A student may revise a low-scoring project for placement in the portfolio.
Each student will develop a portfolio that includes six pieces, with one from each of the core subject areas (Social Studies, English, Science, and Math), and two in elective areas of the student's choosing. The student will select one of these portfolio projects, or one approved by the Graduation Project Coordinator, as the culminating project.
Staff advisors will store the portfolios. An advisory session, when students can place completed course projects in their portfolios, will occur several times during the school year. In the spring of the junior year, the student will submit to his/her advisor a Letter of Intent that includes a formal portfolio reflection and proposal for the culminating project. The advisor will forward the Letter of Intent and the portfolio to the Graduation Project Coordinator. Upon successful completion of the portfolio and the Letter of Intent, the student will begin the final phase of the graduation project under the direction of the Graduation Project Coordinator.
Graduation Project Course
The Graduation Project Coordinator will facilitate the student's completion of the culminating project in a 9-week course for seniors offered during the summer, period one or period four. Seniors will be assigned to report to the course meeting at least once per week. Otherwise, seniors will be assigned a study hall, late arrival, or early dismissal. Significant out-of-class work on culminating projects is expected. The course grade will be based upon the student's performance on the culminating project and a research paper. The Graduation Project Course is worth one half credit toward graduation.
Academics