1. Welcome CAP Parents!
Tuesday, September 12, 2017

2. AGENDA Student speakers Program orientation
Program updates and celebrations
Portfolios
CAP Course Sequencing
Student expectations: CAP honor code and Turnitin.com policy
Parent expectations: How you can help
Goals for the program
Questions and Answers

3. What’s happening at blair?
Karen Depenyou – Silver Chips
Marley Majette – BlackCAP
Chas Goldman – One Blair
Pierre Moglen – BLISS and Yearbook

4. Program Orientation
CAP was founded in 1988, making this year’s freshman class of part of the 29th program cohort. Alumni total over 2000.
Students complete 13 CAP specific courses and complete grade-level portfolios to graduate with a CAP certificate: Four classes in 9th and 10th grades, three in 11th grade, and two senior year.
Students must maintain a 2.75 GPA (this includes ALL classes in which students are enrolled) and complete their senior presentation to receive the CAP certificate.
Teachers share common planning time to address concerns, plan interdisciplinaries and coordinate calendar events (major projects, tests, etc.).
CAP students no longer have CAP specific homerooms.
CAP is not county funded, so we depend on the generosity of our donors to enrich the curriculum. There is one appeal in the spring, but donations are always welcomed and appreciated!

5. Program Updates
81 freshmen, with 20 remaining in the wait pool. 81 sophomores, 77 juniors, and 71 seniors.
93% of CAP students passed the AP World History and 93% passed AP Language tests. 92% passed the AP NSL test. All scores are well above school and county averages.
$50,000 state-of-the-art TV studio: new computers, software, cameras, set. Swept C-Span documentary contest last year!
2 CAP teachers are National Board Certified
100% are Highly Qualified Teachers (advanced MCPS certificates)
Communication through the Parent listserv, quarterly newsletter, and new and improved CAP website.

6. Grade-level e-Portfolios
All major assignments reflect one of three categories: Critical Thinking, Social Awareness, and Media and Communications.
Students must receive an “A” or demonstrate tremendous progress on the assignment to include the work in their portfolio, after writing a one-page detailed reflection.
Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are responsible for 6 entries for each year, with a minimum of one entry in each category.
Seniors are responsible for two advanced exhibitions: Impact on School/Community and Area of Emphasis.
Once the reflection is approved by CAP Teacher, it is uploaded onto the e-Portfolio, to be continually updated through their CAP experience.
Seniors will personalize their e-portfolio and create a presentation for all students, showcasing their personal, academic, and social growth.
The newly designed portfolio guide is available on website.

7. Portfolio competency breakdown

8. e-Portfolios, continued…
Final presentations are created in senior seminar during the first quarter; presentations are scheduled for December 7 & 8.

9. Humanities Course/Elective
CAP Course Sequencing
Grade
English
Social Studies
Humanities Course/Elective 9
Honors English 9 A & B
Honors US History A & B
CAP 9 Photography A
CAP 9 Scriptwriting B
CAP 9 Drama A & B 10
Honors English 10 A & B
AP NSL A & B
CAP Journalism A & B
CAP Newswriting A
CAP TV Production B 11
AP Language and Composition A & B
AP World History A & B
CAP Research Seminar A & B 12
AP Literature A & B or
Honors English 12 A & B*
American Studies A & B*
CAP Senior Seminar A
*Students who don’t take AP Literature can petition to take Honors English 12 or American Studies to fulfill their English requirement but must also take one or more of the following classes (must span two semesters). All petitions must be made in writing to the CAP Coordinator by the first week of December of the student’s junior year. See Ms. Fillman for more details.
AP Studio Art (Fine Arts)
Peace Studies
AP Art History (Fine Arts)
African American History
AP Comparative Government A & B (Social Studies)
Latin American Studies
AP European History A & B (Social Studies)
Philosophy
Sociology A & B (Social Studies)
Global Issues
Cultural Anthropology A & B (Social Studies)
Middle East Studies
A choice of two of the following Social Studies semester courses:
Women’s Studies
African American Literature A & B (English)
AP Music Theory A & B (Fine Arts)
Comparative Religion

10. Student Expectations Honor Code/Code of Academic Integrity
Academic support – giving and receiving
Mentoring/Tutoring (BLISS) and community service
Checking MyMCPS regularly/managing time and deadlines
Active communication with teachers
Being present (unless sick!) and present (fully engaged and ready to learn).
Getting sufficient rest and scheduling down-time.
Beyond the content areas, each grade level is focusing on life skills such as ethics, self care, and time management.

11. Parent expectations: How can I help?
Make sure your children eat breakfast and sleep.
Excuse notes – three days to submit after returning.
Athletes leaving early are responsible for early submission of work that day.
With Google Classroom, students should be mindful of electronic deadlines.
Students should not assignments to teachers unless arranged in advance. Exceptions are made only for illness. Many teachers are using Google Classroom.
Check MyMCPS regularly, but don’t micromanage.
Encourage student to bring concerns directly to specific teacher, then to coordinator.
Monitor sleep, time management and mental health. Please let us know how we can help monitor while they are in our care.
Attend Back to School Night – September 7:00.

12. Goals for the Program:
Our parent liaisons are Beth Hisle-Gorman, Nancy Oswald, and MJ Breinholt. We always welcome volunteers to help plan/facilitate parent mixers, fundraising events, class parties/celebrations, service projects, etc. Please if interested in a role.
Increase applications by 10% (231 applications in 2017)
Increase minority enrollment (feeder schools outreach)
Incorporate more technology into classrooms. Some teachers are going paperless.
Host a CAP Service Day to get students involved in philanthropic activities in the community, working across grade levels.
Recognize Legacy Parents.

13. Goals Continued…
To build relationships, network and create a community of support amongst parents.
Our Second Annual CAP Parent Mixer will take place October 10 at McGinty’s in downtown Silver Spring (upstairs) from 5:30-7:30
Please send RSVP to Beth Hisle-Gorman at by October 1.

14. Summer educational travels!
Please or see Ms. Fillman about traveling opportunities for students.
The 2018 summer trip to Greece and Italy is not a school trip.

15. Questions?