Senior College Seminar Course Syllabus

SENIOR COLLEGE SEMINAR COURSE SYLLABUS

MRS. JILL LAX http://jlax.wikispaces.com Phone: (760) 436-6136 x6274 E-mail: [email protected] Teaching schedule this year: 2-4-6 days only - Periods 2 & 6: Senior Seminar, Period 4: English 10 Hons.

Welcome ! Congratulations on making it to your senior year of high school! I hope you are ready for a magical final year of school, filled with its own unique excitement and challenges, not the least of which involves the college application process and admittance to the college of your choice. Having taught seniors for several years, I became aware of the stresses and time pressures involved in completing the college admissions process, which led me to teach this course that not only addresses the complexities of the admissions process, but also the components that might help students succeed during their freshman year of college and to find a career path that is suitable for them. This class provides a unique opportunity for you to be given time and to be guided in making one of the toughest, most critical (yet exciting!) decisions that you make at this time in your lives. Your intrinsic motivation and active involvement are crucial to your success; I will guide you, help you to get (and stay) organized, provide you with feedback and advice, but ultimately the choice and responsibility will be yours. Good luck! I am eager to get started!

GOALS OF THIS COURSE  To help you to gain a better self-understanding and awareness, to reflect upon what is important to you in selecting a college and a possible career / major.  To provide you with the support necessary to complete your college application process, including but not limited to selecting the “right” college for you, writing effective personal statement/s, filling out your applications, applying for financial aid, and more.  To help you keep your cool, stay organized, and understand your needs and preferences so that you can make good life-long decisions  To make the college admissions process seem less scary by knowing deadlines and staying organized  To guide you in finding your voice, articulating what is unique about you, and gaining the perspective of an interviewer so that you become self-confident in your personal statements without bragging emptily  To anticipate issues that occur freshman year of college to help avoid first-year college failure syndrome  To explore your career options, possible college majors, and other aspects of college life  To foster a sense of community, belonging, and social and personal responsibility in seniors who often suffer from burnout and lack of motivation in their senior year

SYLLABUS Since this is a class built around “real-life” needs and deadlines, my students will have some choices and there is also some flexibility with regard to assignments and due dates, but some due dates are NOT negotiable, and you will be held to deadlines. The goal of this course is to HELP, not hinder you. There is no “busy” work! The structure and nature of activities will vary from time to time, depending upon students’ individual needs and college admissions deadlines. However, there are also certain built-in requirements, assignments, and deadlines. You are on your way to becoming a college student – organizing your time and adhering to deadlines is an important step to your success.

The following assignments, activities, and topics will be covered throughout the year (subject to change):  Conducting important self-reflection  Researching and investigating potential colleges to attend  Filling out college applications  Writing, editing, revising, and receiving feedback on personal statements (college essays)  Investigating and practicing college interview techniques  Answering brag packet questions for Naviance  Enrolling in Naviance  Writing a resume and receiving feedback from a professional in the community  Experiencing mock job interviews by job recruiters in the community  Listing your activities and accomplishments  Investigating scholarship opportunities and filling out scholarship applications  Understanding grant and loan opportunities and other aspects of the financial aid process  Examining and researching career choices and potential majors  Taking personality and career tests  Bringing in career guest speakers and listening to firsthand accounts of different career experiences  Understanding how to avoid freshman college failure syndrome and how to make good choices  Investigating how to select a roommate, apply for housing, decide on meal plans, etc.  Narrowing down college decisions and deciphering which colleges are best for you  Writing letters of appeal, finding out how to stay on wait lists, and deciding what to do after you hear back from colleges, etc.  Presenting a concluding senior project for closure on your high school experience

A note about College Essays (Personal Statements):  The college essay (a.k.a. the “personal statement”) is one of the only aspects of the college application where students are able to highlight their personal qualities. Getting to know and understand yourself, your goals, and priorities will help you to write a successful essay. You will spend some time learning about your motives and styles and what makes you unique.  You will receive coaching on how to express yourself effectively and uniquely in your essays. You can expect to read several examples of past student college essays, to brainstorm ideas for topics, to provide and receive peer feedback, and to write (at least) one college essay.  These pieces logically will correspond to a specific school’s essay prompt and meet their word requirements (or answer the directive to write a general “personal statement”).  We will spend a great deal of time on the longer essays, and you will be expected to share your essays with your peers and teacher, to seek feedback, and to write several drafts.  The college essay comprises a large part of your first semester grade. This is your chance to receive one-on-one personal coaching for your writing - take full advantage of this opportunity.  All papers (including drafts) must be typed, double-spaced, 12-point font, with one-inch margins, and include the essay prompt to which you are responding.  Even if your college does not require an essay, this is a crucial step to self-awareness and will help you not only to improve your writing skills (essential for college), but also to gain an awareness of your priorities and possible career interests.

CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS  Arrive on time, every time. Class begins at the bell.  Come to class prepared to learn, to have fun, and to connect with others.  Be respectful. I expect an atmosphere of mutual respect to prevail.  Stay on task. There will be many times when students will work on different assignments. Please take advantage of opportunities to work independently, when appropriate.  Cell phones are permitted when the time is appropriate only, which will be negotiated depending upon the circumstances. All phones must be turned off during presentations, lectures, etc. The first time my cell phone policy is abused in class I will issue a warning; the second time I will confiscate the device.  There will be times during individual work time when it is acceptable to listen to I-pods, and I will let you know when those times arise. We will also listen to music as a class from time to time, and I welcome students bringing in (appropriate) music for that purpose!  Involve yourself in the process! Listen to others. Learn from their experiences, mistakes, ideas, and questions. Be open-minded and trustworthy. You will hear personal anecdotes about others that you will not be at liberty to share outside of our classroom (except if you are concerned about someone’s well-being).  Because this class involves sharing personal information, it is imperative that students respect others’ privacy and keep information confidential. DUE DATES  Work is due by the due dates, unless prior arrangements have been made. However, there is obviously some flexibility with regard to certain due dates, in accordance with college deadlines.  Homework / assignments turned in after the expected due dates will ONLY be accepted with an official excused absence/tardy slip and under extenuating circumstances, which I expect students to discuss with me. Projects and major assignments are accepted late but only receive partial credit (10 points are deducted for each late day). If you have an extenuating circumstance, please see me prior to the due date.

ABSENCES  Class time is vital. Class work and class participation are assessed from time to time and will be included in your grade. If you have an excused absence you may make up class work within 5 days of your return to school. It is the student’s responsibility to make an appointment with me to make up any missed work.  However, since this class involves “real life” situations, and class interaction and peer connections are crucial, it is more about “missing out” on opportunities than it is about “making up work” if you are absent.  If an absence is unavoidable, please be resourceful. You may have as many (excused absent) days to turn in the assignment as you were (excused) absent. Missing deadlines hurts you, since often these deadlines are set by outside sources beyond our control, and they affect college entrance, financial assistance, and the like. Therefore, projects, major assignments, and papers must be turned in by the due dates. These will be assigned in advance leaving you ample time to turn them in early or on time.  Get telephone numbers and/or e-mail addresses of at least two other students in the class, and contact them to find out what you have missed / what is due. Please also consult my web page (http://jlax.wikispaces.com) for assignments, handouts, important links, etc. Please sign up to be a member of my wiki space ASAP!

REQUIRED MATERIALS AND MISCELLANEOUS NOTES Reducing stress during the college application process forms a huge part of this class, and your success with this process will depend upon your ability to be organized! (I’m here to help you do that!) Please see me immediately if procuring any of the following items presents a financial burden to your family.

 Calendar: You will need to keep a calendar with all college related due dates. These will be checked (for points!) from time to time. I will provide you with monthly calendars and a senior organization timeline.  Binder/Organizational folder: It is crucial that you have a system/method of organizing the components of the college admissions process (such as application forms, scholarships, essays, college correspondence, college research, brag packet and resume information, college essay, etc.).  Highlighters, pens, and post-it-notes: Invaluable for marking dates, pages in college brochures, etc.  CHROME BOOKS: I have a cart of chrome books for student use during class time, but since students will need to share these, there may not be sufficient computers for all students. This course is in high demand, and consequently I accept more students than I have computers for; therefore, it would be helpful for you to bring your own laptop computer to class, if possible.  Each of my classes will be assigned a number for the “Remind” message system. Students should sign up ASAP. I will use this system to send out special reminders, updates, or changes. I will NOT post the HW on “Remind”!  Each of my classes will be assigned a password for students to enroll in turnitin.com so that they are able to submit their work (specifically, college essays) electronically on this site. Students should enroll in turnitin.com ASAP.

Important notes about ESP’s (Extended Study Periods)  Unless otherwise specified (please see school website for details about special activities planned for ESP periods on certain days), ESP’s are an extension of our classes, occurring after the 90 minutes of regular instructional time on certain days of the week (see bell schedule).  Please understand that this time is crucial for student success. Attendance is compulsory – student absences from ESP periods are recorded as absences from the class period on that day. Here are some of the ways in which you can expect this time will be utilized: *College essay workshops between teacher and student and/or student peer editing and conferencing *One-on-one or small group time with teacher to discuss applications, questions, etc. *Time for students to work on homework (for any classes) *Extension of classroom activities *Journaling / Self Study What students will NOT be permitted to do during ESP time: *Students will not be sent to work in the Learning Commons at their leisure *Student will not be permitted to “visit” other classes/ teachers or to make up tests in other classrooms. *Students will not be allowed to leave campus or the ESP early to “go home”. As with any class period, students will only be permitted to leave with a proper off-campus pass arranged and picked up ahead of time.

GRADING POLICY  Access to students’ grades will be available on line at the Aries grade portal, utilizing the code that you were given at the beginning of the school year. I encourage students and parents to check grades regularly on Aeries by visiting the Aeries portal at http://parents.sduhsd.net. Progress reports and report cards will be delivered electronically through the Aeries parent portal.  Please check your grade regularly so there are no surprises as to where you stand in the class. Grades are computed according to: homework, other assignments, participation, and effort. There are no weighted categories in this course. If attendance, effort, participation, and completion requirements for assignments are sufficiently met, you should have no trouble receiving a high grade (or even full credit!) for this class! If quality work is turned in that reflects real effort – on time, you receive full credit for assignments.  Please note: PLAGIARISM is defined as the appropriating and putting forth as one’s own the ideas, language or designs of another. Don’t try it. Plagiarizing will result in an F and a communication with counselors, who may contact your colleges. Please see and sign the District Honesty Policy below.

Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty Policy: ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY (Borrowed, in part, from policies established by the University of Washington’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and adapted from collaboration with other LCC teachers) Cheating (academic misconduct) is increasingly a problem among high school students. Regardless of motivation, cases of academic misconduct are completely unjustified in every instance. To cheat is to demean one’s efforts and causes one’s character to come under suspicion; it belittles the hard work of all students. Cheating, plagiarism, or academic dishonesty, in any form, is not tolerated. The purpose of this policy is to clearly delineate examples of cheating, as well as to inform students ahead of time of the consequences of academic misconduct in this course. Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to: 1. Using another person’s words without proper citation (whether that person is a published author or not!) 2. Using someone else’s ideas without proper citation 3. Reproducing the exact wording of another source without using quotation marks, even if the source is cited 4. Borrowing the structure of another author’s words or phrases without proper credit or citation 5. Borrowing all or part of another student’s paper or assignment, including borrowing the structure of another student’s words, phrases, or ideas 6. Using a paper writing service, or an online source of written assignments, or having another student complete the work. Note: This includes obtaining information, either in full or in part, from Internet websites (popularly known as “paper mills”), in which students can obtain papers either free or for cost), and also includes the cutting and pasting or by hand reproducing content which can be found online (for example: Wikipedia). Other examples of academic dishonesty: 1. Cheating during a quiz or an exam, including: *Copying answers from another student *Possession of unauthorized notes or study-aids during a quiz or exam *Using an electronic device (such as a camera-enabled smart device) at any time during an exam or quiz 2. Turning in work that is identical, or substantially similar to, the work of another student: This is frequently a by-product of “working with another student.” In many cases, working with a partner while studying is a beneficial way of learning. However, please understand that submitting work that is identical or quite similar to the work of another student is considered cheating. All work should be uniquely your own. 3. Purchasing or possessing materials that contain specific answers to homework assignments or exams 4. Cutting and pasting answers from online sources, such as Wikipedia, even if the work is cited properly. This is not “doing” your own work, and in this class, it shall be treated as a case of academic dishonesty. Careful planning and time management will serve as good tools to prevent instances of academic misconduct. Please do not engage in any action that will cause your integrity to be questioned. Any infraction not described above, but that clearly falls under the auspices of academic dishonesty, is subject to consequences in the Discipline Policy outlined by La Costa Canyon High School and SDUHSD. Students who engage in academic misconduct will incur the following consequences: 1. The student will lose all credit for the assignment. These points will NOT be able to be “made up”. 2. The student will be referred to an administrator for documentation and for possible disciplinary action

CLASS PARTICIPATION  I expect that students will be active, interested, involved participants in the class. Self-motivation and class commitment forms a large part of this class. I find that my senior seminar classes become a “family” of sorts and our commitment to one another is expected to continue throughout the year. I work extremely hard for you all, taking countless extra hours beyond the school day and “normal” teacher grading hours to revise, edit, suggest, and help students with essays and beyond. In turn, I do expect mutual respect and hard work from my students. I do not assign “busy work” and there will be times when you are working independently and won’t have a pressing deadline (probably only after March)! Should that occur, take advantage of that time to organize your life / work on other assignments, read a book, etc.!  Because so much of this class depends upon organization of time and materials, it is crucial that you remember to bring all necessary materials and any homework or drafts of essays. Completing the assignments enables you to add to class discussions. I appreciate parent/guardian support and partnership in providing a quality education for our students. Timely attendance is an important component of academic success and citizenship.  As far as “senioritis” is concerned, attending this class will help you – you will (hopefully) feel a sense of belonging and will want to treasure those last moments with one another before graduation. In many ways, although you may have applied for college by February, the work we complete between February and June is even more important, since it helps to prepare you as a person and as a student for all the challenges involved in moving out and moving into college – your new “home”. Furthermore: decision appeals, wait lists, etc. and many other aspects of admission only occur second semester. You will need to stay on top of everything! This is a YEARLONG course! You are committing to staying in this course all year. Since this is the ONLY ALL-SENIOR ELECTIVE on campus, I find that my students enjoy a special camaraderie and tight-knit bond that makes second semester very special. Many students have been turned away and admission to this class was by lottery … having a spot in here is a privilege! This course resembles a “home room” in many ways; you will find the atmosphere unique in the sense that the curriculum is the result of an open-ended, collaborative, and communal effort.

Special note regarding my absence for the next few class periods this year: My son will be attending Grad. School in Glasgow, Scotland this upcoming year, and I need to move him in. Unfortunately, the dates coincide with our school days. I therefore will be absent on 8/31, 9/5, 9/7, and 9/11. Please be assured that I have planned everything ahead of time and students will be in excellent hands. My substitute teacher, Adele Lapadula, will be here in my place and will be teaching according to my plans. She is a well-liked, highly respected, excellent retired English teacher from our district. Since this time of year, specifically, is crucial for college planning and apps, students cannot afford to be absent! I will be back on 9/12, and look forward to seeing all parents at Back to School Night then!

I anticipate a magical year! I am excited and honored to be a part of your journey to college. Sincerely, Mrs. Jill Lax (Please see next page for signature sheet to be signed and returned!)

Parents and Students: PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN this hard copy SIGNATURE SHEET that was handed out in class and return it the next class period.

PARENT AND STUDENT SIGNATURE SHEET Senior College Seminar Course Syllabus: Mrs. Jill Lax

[email protected] La Costa Canyon High School Tel.: (760)436-6136x6274 Room 461

Please confirm that you have read the Senior Seminar College course syllabus and Plagiarism Policy above and then please sign and return this signature sheet the next class period.

I look forward to meeting all parents at our Back-to-school Night on Wednesday, September 12th.

We have read, understand, and agree to abide by the Plagiarism and Academic Honesty Policy:

______Full Student Name Student signature Date

______Parent/Guardian Full name Parent signature Date

We have read, understood, and agree to abide by the expectations of the Syllabus:

______Full Student name Student signature Date

______Parent/s first and last name Parent/s signature Date

Student email: ______Student Cell phone: ______

Parent/s address: ______

Parent/s e-mails: ______Parent/s home phone/s: ______

Parent/s cell phone/s: ______Best time/s to reach parent/s: ______

Feel free to add anything below that you would like me to know: