CAS Information

What is CAS?

Creativity, activity, service (CAS) is one of the three essential elements in every student's IB experience.  It involves students in a range of activities outside the classroom providing a counterbalance to their studies. The three levels of CAS enhance a student's personal development through purposeful activities, personal challenges, and reflections on outcomes and learning. All CAS activities should be interpreted as imaginatively as possible which opens a door to an array of various activities.

Creativity:  Encourages students to participate in the arts and creative thinking. 

Activity:  Encourages students to develop a healthy lifestyle through physical activity.

Service:  Encourages students to volunteer within their communities for personal growth and learning.

What are some examples of CAS

Creativity:  (as long as it isn't part of your IB diploma program)

• Learning to play an instrument
• Dance classes
• Theater, Musicals
• Debate Club
• Improvisational Comedy
• Choir
• Art

Activity:

• Team Sports
• Dance classes
• Yoga classes
• Swim Instruction or Classes
• Triathlons
• Gymnastics

Service:

• Tutoring others
• Homeless shelters or soup kitchens
• Volunteering at a retirement or nursing home
• Volunteering and working for hospice
• Volunteering at an animal shelter or humane society
• Red Cross

When does CAS start?

CAS does not start until the first day of your junior year in high school in the IB program.  It can not begin until then.  That isn't to say that students shouldn't be thinking of ideas and planning ahead.

How does CAS work?  What exactly is expected?

The students must meet eight Learning Outcomes as a result of their entire CAS experience.  All eight outcomes must be present for a student to complete the CAS requirement.  Some may be demonstrated many times, in
a variety of activities, but completion requires only that there is some
evidence for every outcome.  They eight Learning Outcomes are as follows:

1. Increase their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth.       (Every student has various skills and abilities, some more developed than others.  Students can make choices about how to move forward)
2. Undertake new challenges.                                                                                     (A new challenge may be an unfamiliar activity, or an extension to an existing one)
3. Plan and initiate activities.                                                                       (Planning and initiating will often be in collaboration with others.  It can be shown in activities that are part of  larger projects, such as an ongoing school activity in the community, as well as student led activities)
4. Work collaboratively with others.                                                                  (Collaboration can be shown in many activities, such as team sports, playing music in a band, or helping in a kindergarten class.  At least one project, involving collaboration and the integration of at least two of creativity, action and service, is required.)
5. Show perseverance and commitment in their activities.                                    (A student needs to attend regularly and accept a share of the responsibility for dealing with problems that arise in the course of activities.)
6. Engage with issues of global importance.                                                   (Students are required to act on at least one issue of global significance whether it be international or local)
7. Consider the ethical implications of their actions.                                        (Ethical decisions arise in almost any CAS activity.  Evidence of thinking about ethical issues can be shown in various ways, including journal entries and conversations with the CAS Coordinator)
8. Develop new skill.                                                                                                 (New skills may be shown in activities that the student has previously undertaken or an increased expertise in an established area)

What are the students' responsibilities?

Students have responsibilities that must be met.  They are as follows:

• Self review at the beginning of their CAS experience and set personal goals for what they hope to achieve throughout their CAS program.
• Plan, do and reflect at least one time per month with the CAS Manager.
• Take part in a range of activities, including at least one project, some of which they have initiated themselves.
• Keep records of their activities and achievements, including a list of the principal activities undertaken.
• Show evidence of achievement of the eight Learning Outcome.
• Meet with CAS Manager monthly during the school year. 
• All juniors and seniors must meet with the CAS coordinator during the first two weeks of school.
• Juniors are required to meet with the CAS Coordinator four times during the school year.
• Seniors must meet two times with the CAS Coordinator.  The first meeting is during the first two weeks of school and the the second is for the exit interview.

What does Reflection mean in this sense?

A reflection of personal performance is required from students for each activity.  The self evaluation process encourages the development of critical thinking skills and enhances a student's awareness of his own strengths and weaknesses.  Students should consider the following:

• The extent to which they have developed personally as a result of the activity. 
• The understand, skills and values acquired through the experience. 
• How others may have benefited from the activity.

Students must also reflect before, during, and after an activity.  They can do this in various ways; journals, Power Point presentations, photo essays, weblogs, scrapbooks, etc.  They should consider the following in each stage:

• How they felt
• What they perceived
• What they thought about the activity
• What the activity meant to them
• What the value of the activity was
• What they learned from the activity and how this learning might apply more widely.

What are CAS evaluations?

The IB diploma programme requires a student to be evaluated on his CAS  performance in two ways:

1. Self Evaluations (reflections) - This will be submitted upon completion of each activity within two weeks of completion of the activity.  This must be submitted to the CAS Coordinator.  A written reflection must be typed and summarized and have references relating to the 8 Learning Outcomes.
2. Exit Interview - A student will meet with the CAS Coordinator upon completion of the CAS program.  The interview will include a student's personal reflection, evidence of completion of each activity, and the 8 Learning Outcomes.  This interview takes place in March and April of the senior year.

Who is in charge of CAS at Largo High School?

Mrs. Christy Wolfe is the CAS Coordinator at Largo.  Her email is wolfech@pcsb.org.  Each student will then be assigned to a CAS Manager (Coach) who will help guide them and who they will meet with at least once a month.

What is ManageBac?

ManageBac is the web based IB management solution tool that students will use for CAS, as well as for his extended essay, theory of knowledge, and more. Both students and teachers will have access to this tool.

References:  IB website, teacherweb, CAS Corner