CAREER EXPLORATION
Grades 9-12
Career Exploration is a course for students with identified needs in the area of transition planning, including self-advocacy and self-determination, financial literacy, independent living, employment, and post-secondary planning. This course will address the skills necessary for a successful post-secondary transition. Students will engage in learning activities that are designed to meet their individual needs and address their personal vision for the future so that they can successfully transition to life after high school. Activities include, but are not limited to: job exploration, mock interviews, completing applications, balancing a budget, applying for financial aid, and accessing community resources. This course is not calculated into the GPA, and is graded pass/fail.
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP PROGRAM
The MHS Global Citizenship Program (GCP) is designed to foster students’ global awareness. Over the past several years, the Medfield schools have pursued initiatives aimed at offering our students a broader, more multicultural and international experience. Through this program students will gain interdisciplinary experience and knowledge of the world, and concurrently develop the communication and self-awareness skills to be flexible, respectful, and creative as participants in, and contributors to, a globalized society. This is a voluntary, self-directed option open to all Medfield High School students. By completing a global travel experience,world language learning, global service, a focus project, and a reflective essay and resume, students can earn a Certificate of Global Competence. Students may start this project as early as ninth grade and as late as junior year. Students will not earn academic credit toward graduation and all work will be completed independently with the help of the GCP Coordinator. To learn more about the project requirements, please click here.
INDEPENDENT STUDY
Grades 11 and 12
This course is intended for students who wish to pursue a rigorous and focused course of self-motivated independent study. Enrollment is limited and will be approved by the Independent Study Committee. Students who have demonstrated an ability to work independently and have a strong interest in a particular topic that is not available through coursework offered at Medfield High School may apply to take an independent study in the spring for the following academic year. Students are allowed to take up to 5 credits of Independent Study during their high school career. This course is not calculated into the GPA, and is graded pass/fail. Each student must have a teacher who will monitor the progress of their study and assign a pass/fail grade at the end of each term. Students will be required to keep a weekly record of their progress and hours spent working on this project, detailing the tasks completed and progress towards their goal, to be reviewed with the supervising teacher. Upon completion of an Independent Study, students will be required to showcase their work to the school community. Applications for Independent Study will be available in April/May.
ONLINE COURSES
Grades 11 and 12
Is there a course or subject of interest that we do not offer at MHS? There are a comprehensive array of courses available for students to take online. Students have the opportunity to take online courses through either Virtual High School or The Education Cooperative. Students may review course catalogs at www.vhs.org and www.tec-coop.org. Students must demonstrate high level of independence, good time management skills, and the ability to engage in online learning. Students do not sign up for online selections during the course selection, but rather a separate online course selection will be held in May. VHS - Students that enroll in VHS courses will have weekly course expectations and will be provided with term and semester grades. TEC-CL or TEC-OA courses are self-paced. Students will receive a Pass/Fail grade for the term grades, since TEC-CL or TEC OA does not provide term grades, but rather status updates. Students will receive their final grade for the TEC-CL and/or TEC-OA courses at the end of the semester. Students can take up to 7.5 credits of online courses.
SEAL OF BILITERACY
The State Seal of Biliteracy provides a means to recognize high school graduates who attain high functional and academic levels of proficiency in English and another language, meaning that those students can function in those languages in authentic, real-life situations. The Seal of Biliteracy was signed into law on November 22, 2017, by Governor Baker as part of “An Act Relative to Language Opportunity for Our Kids,” Chapter 138 of the Acts of 2017, commonly referred to as the LOOK Act. The regulations describe that the purposes of the State Seal of Biliteracy are to:
Encourage students to study and master languages;
Certify attainment of biliteracy skills;
Recognize the value of language diversity;
Provide employers with a method of identifying people with language and biliteracy skills;
Provide universities with a method to recognize and give credit to applicants for the attainment of high-level skills in languages;
Prepare students with skills that will benefit them in the labor market and the global society; and
Strengthen intergroup communication and honor the multiple cultures and languages in a community.[1]”
[1] 603 CMR 31.01(3). (Guidance and Laws - English Language Learners. (2019). Doe.mass.edu. Retrieved 15 January 2019, from http://www.doe.mass.edu/ell/guidance/default.html)
SENIOR PROJECT
4th Quarter Senior Year
The Senior Project is a personalized learning experience designed to engage 12th grade students in an in-depth study of a specialized area. Through early release from classes, this project allows seniors an opportunity to focus on independent inquiry and personal growth. Projects can range from sampling a potential career, developing a community service project, to exploring a deep personal interest. They offer students a chance to challenge themselves and provide a transition between high school and college. Students are supervised and guided through this experience by adults, both in school and out. Students are graded on their daily journal, a 5 to 8 page paper, an exhibition, and an oral presentation that incorporates a technology component. Seniors in good academic and behavioral standing are eligible to apply. A committee consisting of inside mentors and the Senior Project Coordinator review the applications and select the projects to be completed. Grades earned will be H, Pass, or Fail. Senior Project grades are not calculated into the GPA, and are graded pass/fail.
SKILL DEVELOPMENT
Grades 9-12
Skills Development Class is designed for students to receive specially designed instruction in a small group setting during the school day. This course will address a variety of skills that students require to access the curriculum. This may include the areas of study skills, organizational strategies, the writing process, self-advocacy or note-taking strategies. Additionally, this class may also include necessary post-secondary skills such as budgeting, money management, interviewing and job applications skills. This course is not calculated into the GPA, and is graded pass/fail.
WE SERVICE PROGRAM
In the AP with WE Service program, students will work both inside and outside of the classroom to complete a service learning project. This work will provide a means for students to examine and engage with relevant coursework through a local, national and global context. Students who complete an AP with WE Service course, meet the recognition requirements, and take the AP Exam for that course will earn the AP with WE Service student recognition. The recognition is shown on students’ AP score reports. The AP Environmental science course will be offering this opportunity to enrolled students.
WORK RELEASE PROGRAM
Grade 12
This program provides students with on-the-job skills that are not available at the high school in the form of courses. Only students who are considered to be receiving “alternative education” through working will be accepted into this program. There is a work release program worksheet that needs to be completed by the student, parent/guardian and employer and returned to the guidance counselor at school. This form is then shared with building administration. This course is not calculated into the GPA, and is graded pass/fail.