What counts as CAS

In general, an experience/project may be acceptable if:

• The experience falls under one or more of the CAS strands (creativity, activity, service).

• The student can demonstrate how one or more of the learning outcomes will be met.

• The student can demonstrate how they will personally grow from the experience.

• The activity has real consequences or benefits for the student and/or other people.

Unacceptable experiences/projects include:

• Anything for which money is paid.

• Anything that is for a grade or needed for high school/IB credit. Time spent on simple, tedious, and/or repetitive tasks (ex. filing)

• replacing books on library shelves, shredding paper). Family duties, religious devotions, or proselytizing.

• Passive pursuits (ex. going to a museum or concert will not count as creative).

• Activities that cause division among different groups in the community. Any course that is part of your IB Diploma Programme

When in doubt, please discuss the experience description and goals with your CAS Advisor (Tutor) or the CAS Coordinator prior to beginning the activity to see if it will count for CAS.

Guidelines for CAS experiences and Projects

Over the course of 18 months students must complete:

• 12 experiences must be completed (minimum).

• 4 experiences for each creativity, activity and service.

• All objectives should have been completed and achieved multiple times.

• Complete a Project lasting at least 4 weeks.

• All experiences need to have a detailed summary and clear SMART goals.

• All experiences must have evidence/reflection along with the CAS questions completed.

CAS experiences

A CAS experience is a specific event in which the student engages with one or more of the three CAS strands. CAS experience can be a single event or may be an extended series of events.

A CAS project is a collaborative series of sequential CAS experiences lasting at least one month (see the section on CAS project for additional criteria).

A meaningful CAS programme must be more than just a series of unplanned/singular experiences. Students must be involved in at least one CAS project during the programme.

CAS experiences may incorporate one or more of the CAS strands. For example:

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• Going for a mountain hike could be a singular experience within the “Activity” strand.

• A student plans a number of visits to a nursing home resulting in a series of CAS experiences within the “Service” strand.

• A group of students plan and stage a basketball tournament for the local community, resulting in a series of CAS experiences involving the strands of “Activity” and “Service”.

Students must take part in and document CAS experiences and projects on a regular basis for a minimum of 18 months.

The earliest that a student may begin to document CAS is the first day of Year 12 and all documentation must be completed by February of Year 13.

NOTE: A student may count a non-IB course offered during the school day in one more of the following subjects as a CAS experience/project (must gain prior approval from the CAS coordinator): Art, Band, Chorus, ROTC, Theatre, TV Production