How is CAS graded?
CAS is a Pass/Fail grade in both Infinite Campus and also for IB. I will check your Digital Portfolios (websites) twice every quarter. I will inform you a week prior to checking the portfolios, and the checks will take place around interims and the end of the quarter. This will begin in the second quarter of this academic year.
How often should I be doing CAS?
You should be participating in at least one CAS experience every week, but ideally, you will be doing more.
How many hours of service do I need to complete?
Service will not be tracked or graded simply by the hour. Instead, it will depend on the type of service you are completing. You must NOT be compensated in order for an experience to be considered Service. You have two options for how to approach Service:
Continued Service: some of you are already CHS office aides or are engaged in tutoring and outreach programs. If this is you, keep doing what you are doing but begin logging hours, compiling artifacts, and have your supervisor or sponsor complete a Community Service Authorization form. You must be able to prove that you complete at least ten (10) hours of Service over the course of an academic year.
Service Events: If you are not an aide nor are you a member of an outreach club, you must complete at least three (3) Service events over the course of an academic year. This would be a stand-alone event that benefits the community (Community Service), and you must work the event for at least three (3) hours. At the time of the event, you must collect artifacts (photos, videos, lesson plans) and have a supervisor complete a Community Service Authorization form.
Does work I do in a class count for CAS?
No. If you are participating in an activity or event or if you create something as a part of a class, this does NOT count for CAS.
How often should I update my portfolio?
I would update my portfolio weekly or biweekly to ensure you are not overwhelmed at interims and the end of the quarter. If your portfolio has not been updated by the time I check it, you will receive a failing grade in Infinite Campus.
How many reflections should I have for each CAS category?
We are hoping to achieve approximate balance between the categories by the end of the year. Service operates with its own rules (10 hours of continued service or three service events for which you work about three hours). Therefore, if you do continued service, you may just have one long reflection (~4-5 thoughtful paragraphs). However, if you do three service events, you would have three reflections (~2 thoughtful paragraphs each).
For Creativity and Activity, you are aiming for approximately one CAS experience every week in total, but the requirement is that you are writing reflections weekly or biweekly. Please see Important Dates for a specific break-down.
Who do I go to if I am having issues with CAS?
Me! Ms. Annie Brooks! Speak to me in class, email me (abrooks@philasd.org), or find me in 308 or 110.
What happens if I don't do CAS?
If you do not complete CAS or fail to meet the CAS requirements, you will have a failing grade in Infinite Campus, which will be reflected in your GPA, and you will NOT receive your IB Diploma.
Alfie does tutoring in the Foreign Language Department once every week. He also plays basketball and baseball at CHS. His quarterly reflection breakdown might look like this:
Creativity: 3 reflections
Reflection 1: painting with his little brother over the weekend (~1 paragraph)
Reflection 2: crocheting (~2 paragraphs)
Reflection 3: cooking a meal for his family (~2 paragraphs)
Activity: 2 reflections
Reflection 1: recap of the basketball season (~3-4 paragraphs)
Reflection 2: doing yoga over the weekend (~2 paragraphs)
Service: no reflections until beginning of fourth quarter, and at that time, he writes one long reflection (~4-5 paragraphs) about the tutoring experience over the course of the year.
Henry is more of a dabbler. He likes to mix it up every week to try something new. He really does love playing guitar, though, so he would do that for fun without the CAS requirement. His quarterly reflection breakdown might look like this:
Creativity: 2 reflections
Reflection 1: writing a song on guitar (~3 paragraphs)
Reflection 2: orchestra (~2 paragraphs)
Activity: 3 reflections
Reflection 1: going for a long run in his neighborhood (~1 paragraph)
Reflection 2: playing ultimate frisbee with friends (~1 paragraph)
Reflection 3: hiking Hawk Mountain (~2 paragraphs)
Service: 1 reflection about doing the college panel after school (~2 paragraphs)