Administrative​ ​Procedure​ ​218

SPECIAL​ ​PROJECTS Background The​ ​district​ ​supports​ ​the​ ​provision​ ​of​ ​special​ ​project​ ​credits​ ​in​ ​which​ ​students​ ​become​ ​involved in​ ​the​ ​selection,​ ​planning​ ​and​ ​organization​ ​of​ ​their​ ​own​ ​programs.​ ​These​ ​projects​ ​are​ ​not​ ​within the​ ​scope​ ​of​ ​the​ ​regular​ ​curriculum​ ​or​ ​the​ ​programs​ ​being​ ​offered​ ​in​ ​the​ ​school. Definition “Special​ ​project​ ​credits​ ​are​ ​designed​ ​for​ ​work​ ​undertaken​ ​by​ ​students​ ​on​ ​an​ ​individual​ ​or​ ​small group​ ​basis​ ​and​ ​should​ ​not​ ​be​ ​used​ ​as​ ​a​ ​means​ ​of​ ​offering​ ​credits​ ​for​ ​unapproved​ ​courses.” (Guide​ ​to​ ​Education​ ​ECS​ ​to​ ​Grade​ ​12) Procedures 1. The​ ​opportunity​ ​to​ ​earn​ ​special​ ​project​ ​credits​ ​shall​ ​be​ ​available​ ​to​ ​all​ ​students,​ ​including those​ ​attending​ ​an​ ​authorized​ ​summer​ ​school.​ ​Special​ ​project​ ​credits​ ​may​ ​be​ ​applied​ ​toward the​ ​Alberta​ ​High​ ​School​ ​Diploma.​ ​The​ ​content​ ​of​ ​the​ ​special​ ​project​ ​need​ ​not​ ​be​ ​related​ ​to​ ​a specific​ ​school​ ​subject.​ ​If​ ​a​ ​special​ ​project​ ​is​ ​related​ ​to​ ​a​ ​specific​ ​school​ ​subject,​ ​the​ ​content of​ ​the​ ​project​ ​shall​ ​be​ ​distinct​ ​from​ ​and​ ​in​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​regular​ ​course​ ​requirements. 2. Special​ ​projects​ ​will​ ​be​ ​consistent​ ​with​ ​the​ ​instructional​ ​focus​ ​of​ ​the​ ​district​ ​and​ ​the teachings​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Catholic​ ​Church. 3. Students​ ​who​ ​successfully​ ​complete​ ​projects​ ​are​ ​granted​ ​three​ ​credits​ ​for​ ​62.5​ ​hours​ ​of work​ ​or​ ​five​ ​credits​ ​for​ ​125​ ​hours​ ​of​ ​work​ ​in​ ​any​ ​one​ ​semester,​ ​or​ ​full​ ​term​ ​on​ ​the​ ​approval​ ​of the​ ​principal.​ ​Three​ ​credit​ ​special​ ​projects​ ​courses​ ​will​ ​be​ ​funded​ ​at​ ​2.5​ ​credit​ ​enrolment units. 4. Special​ ​project​ ​credits​ ​shall​ ​not​ ​be​ ​awarded​ ​for​ ​student​ ​activities​ ​that​ ​would​ ​be​ ​considered​ ​a normal​ ​part​ ​of​ ​extracurricular​ ​or​ ​co-curricular​ ​activities​ ​generally​ ​offered​ ​by​ ​a​ ​school​ ​(e.g. school​ ​team​ ​sports,​ ​school​ ​newspaper,​ ​yearbook). 5. In​ ​instances​ ​where​ ​a​ ​student​ ​enrolls​ ​in​ ​more​ ​than​ ​one​ ​special​ ​project,​ ​credits​ ​shall​ ​not​ ​be approved​ ​unless​ ​the​ ​projects​ ​vary​ ​substantially​ ​from​ ​year​ ​to​ ​year​ ​or​ ​demonstrate significantly​ ​increased​ ​levels​ ​of​ ​proficiency. 6. Students​ ​are​ ​required​ ​to​ ​submit​ ​a​ ​clearly​ ​planned​ ​proposal​ ​to​ ​the​ ​principal​ ​for​ ​approval.​ ​The principal​ ​shall​ ​retain​ ​a​ ​copy​ ​of​ ​each​ ​special​ ​project​ ​proposal​ ​until​ ​the​ ​project​ ​is​ ​completed. Each​ ​project​ ​shall​ ​be​ ​carried​ ​out​ ​under​ ​the​ ​supervision​ ​of​ ​a​ ​teacher.​ ​Projects​ ​shall​ ​be completed​ ​and​ ​reported​ ​to​ ​the​ ​principal​ ​prior​ ​to​ ​the​ ​conclusion​ ​of​ ​the​ ​semester​ ​or​ ​full​ ​term.

Calgary​ ​Roman​ ​Catholic​ ​Separate​ ​School​ ​District​ ​No.​ ​1 Administrative​ ​Procedures​ ​Manual

April​ ​2016 Page​ ​1​ ​of​ ​2

Where​ ​a​ ​project​ ​takes​ ​a​ ​student​ ​off-campus,​ ​the​ ​provisions​ ​of​ ​Administrative​ ​Procedure​ ​217 -​ ​Off-Campus​ ​Education​ ​shall​ ​apply. 7. Principals​ ​will​ ​refer​ ​to​ ​the​ ​procedures​ ​for​ ​Special​ ​Projects​ ​as​ ​outlined​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Alberta Education​ ​Guide​ ​to​ ​Education.​ ​Principals​ ​wishing​ ​to​ ​offer​ ​a​ ​course​ ​that​ ​goes​ ​beyond​ ​the Alberta​ ​Programs​ ​of​ ​Study​ ​must​ ​not​ ​use​ ​the​ ​process​ ​of​ ​Special​ ​Projects.​ ​Instead​ ​the​ ​course of​ ​action​ ​is​ ​to​ ​follow​ ​the​ ​procedures​ ​for​ ​establishing​ ​a​ ​locally​ ​developed​ ​course. Approval​ ​Date:

April​ ​12,​ ​2016

Reference:

Section​ ​18,​ ​20,​ ​39,​ ​60,​ ​61,​ ​113​ ​School​ ​Act Guide​ ​to​ ​Education​ ​ECS​ ​to​ ​Grade​ ​12 Ministerial​ ​Order​ ​on​ ​Student​ ​Learning

Calgary​ ​Roman​ ​Catholic​ ​Separate​ ​School​ ​District​ ​No.​ ​1 Administrative​ ​Procedures​ ​Manual

April​ ​2016 Page​ ​2​ ​of​ ​2