1. STEP 1 – Understanding the Project
You will be creating your “Ideal” school and creating a school handbook that will outline the framework for your school including the school’s mission, policies, and innovative programs.
You will create a poster board (tri-fold) that will display the information from your handbook in a creative format. Your display will likely show your school colors, mascot, and visual representations of what your school is about and represents, as outlined in your handbook.
You will conduct research on different functions of the school, primarily in the areas of innovative programs, discipline, and scheduling.
You will need to cite your sources (minimum of 3).
Information on how to cite will come on a later day.

2. STEP 2 – Research and Development
You will spend time in the computer lab conducting research on the various aspects of schools to help you decide what types of programs, policies and procedures you will use.
Any website, article or publication you use must be cited in your works cited/bibliography.
It is recommended that you focus your research on different types of programs (e.g., habitudes, AVID, Credit Recovery [Edgenuity], etc.) that your school will offer. Try to think outside the box.
It is recommended that you research Travis High School’s and other school’s student and faculty handbooks as examples but make sure you cite them if you use their model as your own.

3. STEP 3 – Putting It Together
Your handbook should look exactly like a real student/faculty handbook. Your handbook should include all the elements listed in the framework you were given. Make sure you organize it well, with headings and properly format it.
Your handbook will be digital, and either in WORD or PDF format. No other format will be accepted.
Your posters will be used for the gallery walk/presentation that will occur on the day of your final exam. You will not have to present! (Yaaaayyyy!!!) You're welcome.
Handbooks will be submitted to TurnItIn.com. I will NOT TAKE S. If you are having difficulty with using TurnItIn, you need to come to me BEFORE IT IS DUE, so we can figure it out. Waiting until the day it’s due to tell me you couldn’t get it to work will not be acceptable. TurnItIn instructions will be on my website, along with a copy of this PowerPoint and the Final Project instructions handout.

4. STEP 4 – Grading / Rubric
A rubric has been provided to give you a clear understanding of the expectation of your project.
You will have 2 checkpoints, both worth a daily grade. You need to make sure all the information is complete in order to receive full credit. For groups, the daily grade will be given to both partners.
Late work
1 day: -15 points
2 days: -30 points
3 days: -40 points
4 days: Don’t bother

5. Theories
One of the most important parts of your projects will be to identify 1 Theory (Functionalists, Conflict, Symbolic) that your school will focus on, and discuss how you will implement it. This information can be found in Chapter 12 in your book. Examples are:
Functionalists
How your school will contribute to society (what are the latent or manifest functions of your school?)
Are you trying to teach any specific norms or values to your students that might be different or unique when compared to traditional schools?
Different types of programs offered (such as those designed to help kids stay off the streets and out of trouble).
Conflict
Barriers students face due to socioeconomic status (poor students vs. wealthy students and access to resources such as tutoring and after-school programs).
Competition for G.P.A. and Scholarships
Racial disparity in success and fail rates (Why certain do groups do better than others and how you will change or affect that issue.)
Symbolic
Change what a traditional school looks like (classroom environments, structure of the school day)
Material used to teach (textbooks that present a more favorable view of history than what really happened [e.g. Christopher Columbus])
Teacher-Student interaction and how much teacher expectations have on student achievement.

6. Tri-Fold Poster Board for Project

7. Poster Requirements
Your tri-fold should contain the following elements in order to receive full credit:
School Name and Mascot (Picture)
School Colors (however you choose to display them is fine)
Mission Statement
Example/Description of at least 1 program you offer
Curriculumn list or sample list of courses
1 unique element of your school – OR – Example of your school climate (theory) that you chose.

8. Mission Statement Examples
Guidelines for writing mission statements:
What are the opportunities or needs that the school addresses?
What is the business of the school? How are these needs being addressed?
What level of service is provided?
What principles or beliefs guide the school?
Examples:
Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart
Our mission is to develop young men with active and creative minds, a sense of understanding and compassion for others, and the courage to act on their beliefs. We stress the total development of each child: spiritual, moral, intellectual, social, emotional, and physical.
Oxford Said Business School
The Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship exists to advance the field of social entrepreneurship through world-class education, through knowledge creation, and through brokering new and empowering connections