Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s) of Seniors,
Senior Seminar is a graduation requirement, which allows each senior the opportunity to demonstrate twelve years of educational experience. Your son’s/daughter’s reading, writing, speaking, thinking, problem solving, and organizational skills will be showcased in this three part process. The components include a research paper, physical project, which is a minimum of 15 hours of fieldwork and related to some aspect of the paper, and a presentation to a panel of judges. The oral presentation is given before a review board of teachers, parents, and community members and synthesizes the first two components of the project. To be successful, your son/daughter must complete and pass each of the three components. Remember that your child’s experience cannot solely rely upon what your son/daughter already knows - the Senior Project must demonstrate new learning and growth for your child.
A successful Senior Project journey involves parental and teacher support as well as student initiative and self-discipline. Your son/daughter will be informed of the deadlines and requirements as we proceed. In September, your child will be given an Approval Form, which detailed the research topic and physical project. Your signature is required on this form and the student’s topic will either be pending or rejected. This is one of the first steps of the Senior Seminar class and very crucial. During this time, we encourage you to discuss with your child possible topics and projects and fill out the Parent Liability Release Form.
In a few short months, after twelve years of knowledge gained, frustrations overcome, and perseverance demonstrated, your son/daughter will be a high school graduate. The interest you take in your child’s project will help your child meet the challenges and deadlines and allow you to be involved in the last year of high school. If you have any questions about Senior Seminar please call the Senior Seminar Coordinator, Mrs. Reynolds.
Sincerely,
The Mashpee High School Staff
Parent(s) or Guardian(s) Liability Release Form
I acknowledge that I have read the explanatory letter about the Senior Seminar Class and Project and have read the Senior Seminar Handbook describing and outlining the course requirements. I understand the consequences of missing deadlines and assignments. I also understand that my senior will select the topic and project he/she wishes to complete, and I have reviewed this topic with my child. In the event that my senior selects a project that includes expenditure, I realize that this is the student’s choice, not a requirement. I further understand that if my senior undertakes a project by his or her choice in which risk is involved, I will not hold the school district responsible for injury.
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Parent/Guardian Signature Date
Integrity Commitment
Honesty and integrity are important character traits we hope to reinforce throughout the culminating project. While we fervently hope we will not have to perform administrative consequences, we want to be very clear about the consequences of cheating on the culminating project.
We define cheating as:
Plagiarizing (claiming work is yours that is not) any part of the culminating project, particularly the research paper.
Lying about or exaggerating the quality and/or quantity of the time spent working on the product phase; inventing or exaggerating a mentor relationship.
If any of these should occur, you would be removing yourself from eligibility to give your senior board presentation, because unethical behavior has severe consequences to an organization and to self. By doing this, you would also be removing yourself from commencement exercises - you would not walk at graduation.
You may have the opportunity to present your new, original work at a post-commencement board. Provided you pass that board, and satisfy the other graduation requirements, you would still earn your diploma.
I have also reviewed the above Integrity Commitment with my student and both parties fully understand the consequences of cheating. We commit to honesty and integrity regarding the whole Senior Seminar experience.
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Parent/Guardian Signature/Date
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Student Signature/Date