A completed certificate demonstrates high academic achievement and will be awarded in addition to the Penn Charter diploma. Interested students will go through an application process in the spring of their sophomore year (around course planning time in March). Your certificate advisor will provide support and feedback for each aspect of the certificate process. Certificate students are required to maintain a digital portfolio throughout the program. Portfolios should include: reflections, pictures, course material and projects. There will be times (TBA) in which you will "showcase" different aspects of your certificate process and receives feedback from peers and certificate advisors.
After exploring a number of different national and international listings of skills and competencies in different areas of investigation (Center for Ecoliteracy, Global Awareness, etc). The following three skills will be used to frame reflections and growth for certificate work: Seeking Truth, Building Empathy, Let Your Life Speak. More on these skills and competencies can be found here.
Course credits (a selected number of courses are identified in this handbook under Credits and Courses)
Three major projects (examples are given in this handbook under Major Projects)
80 activity hours across junior and senior years.
SCP (Senior Comprehensive Project) that is centered around the certificate theme
In terms of an overall timeline, certificate students will need to be in consistent contact with certificate advisors about their own schedules and commitments. Please know that a final presentation of digital portfolio work to a wider audience will be required prior to graduation. During the two years, students need to make "steady progress" in their certificate work with the following general dates
Courses: Ideally one of the three credits should be finished by end of 11th grade, but this can be discussed and exceptions made by the certificate advisor.
Projects: Ideally one of the three should be completed by end of 11th grade, but this can be discussed and exceptions made by the certificate advisor.
Activity hours should ideally be completed at 11th Grade end of semester 1 at 20 hours. Students are required to complete 40 hours of activity at the end of semester 2 their 11th grade year. During 12th grade year in semester 1 students should ideally reach around 60 hours. It is required at the end of semester 2 prior to SCP that students reach the 80 hours of activity.
SCP: students must have their certificate advisor "sign off" on their SCP proposal/essential question.
Please see the pages in the toolbar for more details/requirements for the certificate program.