Burris Laboratory School

May Term Guidelines

Each year that a student in grades 9-12 attends Burris High School, the student is require to participate and earn six May Term credits. The grading scale for May Term classes include A, B, C, and NC and do appear on the high school transcript. A student must earn 70 percent to pass May Term and have at least a 90 percent attendance rate. Applicable May Term credits are required for graduation from Burris Laboratory School.

MAY TERM MISSION STATEMENT

The May Term curriculum provides an opportunity for the Burris Laboratory School community to explore intellectual, social, artistic and physical concepts that enhance learning through practical and in-depth exploration.

MAY TERM VISION STATEMENT

As an integral part of the educational program of Burris Laboratory School, the May Term curriculum will provide for:

  • Longer blocks of instructional time
  • Opportunities to extend and apply learning beyond the school setting
  • Freedom to explore ideas and engage in activities beyond the traditional curriculum
  • Students to choose from a wide variety of interesting content, activities and experiences
  • Greater utilization of resources from outside the school
  • A high degree of student/teacher interaction
  • An opportunity for the community to observe an exhibit of students' learning

MAY TERM GOVERNANCE

May Term will be facilitated by a May Term Committee. The principal will appoint members to this committee from interested high school faculty and staff. A quorum is one member over 50 percent.

Committee Duties

  • Advise the administration in regards to faculty teaching loads and/or teacher requests for schedule adjustments during May Term.
  • Create guide to facilitate planning process for courses.
  • Serve as mentors to new faculty in preparation of course proposals and planning.
  • Approve classes to be offered.
  • Create course catalog.
  • Register students.
  • Coordinate and set guidelines for exhibition.
  • The Committee will work to find funding opportunities to ensure that students with limited financial means would not be excluded from programs simply because of cost. The committee will:
    • encourage May Term classes to identify and work toward earning money to assist with expenses
    • enlist the support of the Burris extended family to provide opportunities for students to earn money toward personal May Term expenses
    • look for grants that might provide assistance to students with a demonstrated need
    • prepare a rubric to determine the amount of assistance that might be provided to a student in financial need. (Confidentiality issues require that only faculty and administration participates in the discussion of individual student need.)
    • The Committee and administrator will work together to select the dates for May Term.
    • In order to document student achievement, the committee will be responsible for the development, administration and evaluation of student and faculty evaluation rubrics for the overall May Term experience and course evaluations. The committee, utilizing the information obtained during the evaluation process, should develop recommendations for improvements to May Term. The committee findings should be presented at the first high school curriculum meeting in the fall.
    • Reply to parental concerns.
    • Organize parent pre-registration information night.
    • Organize student information convocation.
    • Set guidelines for
      • International travel
      • National travel
      • Overnight trips
      • Four-hour classes
      • Chaperons
      • Exhibition day
      • Course costs
      • Course descriptions
      • Student registration, drop/add
      • Requirements for credit
      • Class size
      • Collaboration with the Indiana Academy

      MAY TERM GUIDELINES

      A 25 percent deposit will be required

      • Due at registration
      • Non-refundable except in the case of a canceled class
      • International travel
        • One international trip
        • Proposed by May 1 of the previous year
        • Multiple proposals will be evaluated by the committee
        • Minimum number of students - 12
        • National travel
          • Maximum of two national trips
          • Minimum number of students – 12
          • An informative trip convocation will be scheduled during the first 9 weeks of school.
          • Parents are required to communicate interest in students attending trips by attending meeting or by contacting sponsor.
          • Overnight trips
            • Cannot interfere with other classes
            • Four-hour classes
              • No more than three four-hour classes
              • A 6 hour course may be approved by the committee to replace each canceled trip
              • Based on scheduling needs
              • Chaperons
                • There must be at least one chaperon for each 8 students
                • Parents and spouses may serve as chaperons
                • Exhibition Day
                  • An exhibition of student work will take place at the end of May Term
                  • Teachers must submit their exhibition plan before May Term begins
                  • The committee will schedule exhibition time
                  • Course costs
                    • Non-trip course fees are determined by the instructor and cannot exceed $100. All other funding are subject to the rules and regulations of Ball State University.
                    • Course descriptions
                      • Teachers proposing 6-hour trip must also propose alternative classes
                      • Teachers proposing 4-hour classes must also propose alternative classes
                      • Priority for trips will be rotated among faculty
                      • Teachers will present course outlines to the committee on the chosen form
                      • Outlines that include a strong academic rationale will be presented by deadline
                      • Student registration, drop/add
                        • It is recommended that students do not take the same class twice in a two year period.
                        • May Term courses involving international and national trips will be scheduled prior to the remaining courses
                        • Changes in a student's schedule will be considered on an individual basis and must be submitted in writing to the committee
                        • Requirements for credit
                          • Grades of A, B, C and NC will be assigned
                          • PowerSchool will be used to keep students updated on their progress
                          • Class size will be determined by the committee
                          • Collaboration with the Indiana Academy
                            • Faculty may team with each other on travel
                            • Co-enrolled student requests will be considered
                            • Student Attendance requirements per Student Handbook
                              • If make-up work is needed, the principal will oversee students or designate someone else to do so.