The Board of Education passed a new program, Senior Experience 21, at its May 16 meeting. The program will be put into place for the 2017-18 school year for incoming freshmen, members of the Class of 2021.

The school board had heard a presentation about the program at its previous meeting on May 2, when NHS Principal Lorrie Rodrigue, Assistant Superintendent of Schools Jean Evans Davila, NHS teacher Elizabeth Hanna, and NHS School to Career Counselor Peg Ragaini shared an overview of the proposed program. Both Ms Ragaini and Ms Hanna have helped to oversee the NHS Junior/Senior Project course, which is designed to offer students the chance to build on existing strengths and to provide the opportunity to explore a subject or career they are passionate about outside of the classroom, while developing a career-oriented relationship with a community professional as a mentor in the student's area of chosen interest. This year Ms Ragaini, Ms Hanna, and NHS teacher Susan McConnell oversee the Junior/Senior Project course.

Dr Rodrigue explained the high school is looking to expand on the purpose of the Junior/Senior Project course though the new Senior Experience 21 program, which will eventually replace the Junior/Senior Project course.

State legislation that looks at requiring students to complete a project "to complete their four-year journey as high school students," Dr Rodrigue said, was one impetus for creating the program. While the legislation is still in process, the goal is to ensure the high school has a personalized learning experience to provide students with opportunities to explore passions and individual strengths. Dr Rodrigue also said the program would support college and work preparedness.

Creating the program was also a response to New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) recommendations following the high school's accreditation last year.

"It's really critical," Dr Rodrigue said, "that our students demonstrate skills in critical thinking, writing, oral speaking, informational literacy and research [skills], and civic responsibility, and are assessed in ways that are meaningful to them."

A committee began investigating what a senior experience project could look like at NHS. Dr Rodrigue said the new program needed to fit NHS and its students.

With the NHS Junior/Senior Project course already in place for at least the past 20 years, Dr Rodrigue said NHS was already "ahead of the game" on creating a senior experience.

"What we are going to do is really pull from what has been successful, rather than just start from the ground floor," Dr Rodrigue said.

The committee decided there were components of the program that should begin as early as freshman year at NHS. The introduction of the program would begin freshman year, with an explanation of what would be expected for a project. By the end of sophomore year, Dr Rodrigue said students would be expected to complete a "letter of intent" document to announce their project. In the junior year, NHS students would plan the project, utilize resources, seek out mentors if needed, and work with teacher advisors. As seniors, students would finalize projects, check with advisors, and plan for a final presentation.

All students would received a pass, fail, or pass with distinction rank in place of a grade. Students would receive one credit for the project.

"It would bring the current 23 credits, if you approve, up to 24 [credits] for every single student graduating Newtown High School," said Dr Rodrigue. "When we tell seniors that this is going to take the place of their final exam, they are going to leap with joy."

Superintendent of Schools Joseph V. Erardi, Jr, at the May 2 meeting, said the board was looking at approving the program and approving graduation requirements for the Class of 2021, with the expected increase to 24 credits.

According to the school district, the board will look at making an adjustment to its graduation requirement policy at a later date.