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POLs require professional dress, which means that students must wear a button-down shirt and tie, shirt with finished neck, sweater or blouse; a nice pair of slacks (no jeans), skirt or dress; dress shoes (no sneakers, no excessively high heels). Unlike SLCs, if a student arrives for POL without professional dress, it will mean automatically rescheduling the POL for a different time. Please communicate with an adult at school if procuring professional dress clothing is cost-prohibitive; we have extra clothes and will find a way to help!
It’s worth noting that it is not unusual for students to need to do POLs more than once before they successfully meet expectations, and that being asked to redo a POL certainly does not mean a student cannot succeed. Students should head into POLs with a growth mindset and recognize that when we hold them to high standards of excellence it’s because we know they are capable of meeting them. We ask that if families are traveling for Winter Break, they do not plan early departures, as students may need to redo POLs on Thursday 12/14 or Friday 12/15.
POLs will be scheduled in grade-level core classes and students are responsible for communicating home about when their POL will take place. We will share grade-level POL schedules as they are finalized in the News from the Nest. While students are not required to be on campus when they are not presenting or paneling, they are certainly welcome; that said, there will not be classes or activities planned for them these days.
9th Grade
Students will present POLs before a panel of classmates and teachers, highlighting work from classes using DPs and reflecting on their first semester of high school. Core teachers will help students prepare for POLs beginning next week. Students are on campus for the entire day of their POL so they can both present and serve on a panel for classmates. Students are not required to be on campus for the days that they are not presenting/paneling. Those who do not meet expectations for POLs or paneling will be asked to refine and return again. Students are welcome to invite family members and friends to attend their POL if they choose to.
- POL Prep is Monday 12/11 and Tuesday 12/12 with POL Dress Rehearsal on Tuesday afternoon; all 9th graders are expected to be at school from 8:30 to 3:20 these two days
- POLs are Wednesday 12/13 through Thursday 12/14; 9th graders will be on campus for 8:30 to 3:20 one of these two days
- Make-up POLs are scheduled for Thursday 12/14 or Friday 12/15
10th Grade
POLs for sophomores take the form of a brief presentation to a panel of teachers, peers and community members focused on the culture and values of the 10th grade class, followed by an in-depth interview with the panel. All students will both present and panel for their peers. Individual schedules will vary and students need only be at school on those days at the time of their individual POL (½ hour), and the times they are scheduled to panel (½ day). Student schedules will be assigned, and they can advocate to change times by approaching core teachers with a scheduling solution. Families are welcome, though not required, to attend. Please talk at home about what would be best for your family; it’s important that students feel as comfortable, confident and supported as possible. For some students, this means presenting without the additional pressure of parents in the room, for others, a parent in the audience can help inspire excellence. Those who do not meet expectations for POLs the first time will be asked to refine and present again. Those who successfully complete POLs the first time will not be required to attend days after they have finished presenting unless they are scheduled to panel.
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POL Prep will take place Monday 12/11 and Tuesday 12/12; all 10th graders are expected to be at school from 8:30 to 3:20 these two days
- POLs and Paneling are scheduled for Wednesday 12/13 and Thursday 12/14
- Make-up POLs will take place on Friday 12/15
11th Grade
Junior POLs take the form of individual job interviews that prepare students for LINK Internships and the professional world beyond high school. Students will update resumes and write professional cover letters in preparation for their interviews. In an effort to simulate an actual interview, teachers and faculty will serve as the interviewers, and there will be no additional audience members in the room, including peers and parents. Individual schedules will vary and students need only be at school at the time of their POL. Those who do not meet expectations for POLs the first time will be asked to refine documents and/or interview again. Those who successfully complete POLs the first time will not be required to attend days after they have finished presenting.
- POL Prep is scheduled for Monday 12/11 and Tuesday 12/12; all juniors are expected to be at school from 8:30 to 3:20 these two days
- POLs are scheduled for Wednesday, 12/13 and Thursday 12/14; juniors will come to school one of these days at the time of their individual POL
- Make-up POLs will be on Friday 12/15
12th Grade
Seniors will use POLs as a way to present their initial research for their Senior Thesis, to identify strengths in their thesis research, gaps in their research and avenues for more specific research when we return to it in January. Please note, this is not a reflective POL. We are focused on critiques of their academic research and reasoning, not on personal reflections or habits. Families of seniors are encouraged to attend, as it will provide an opportunity for parents to help with the critique. Seniors are also encouraged to invite community members beyond their parents to sit on their panel. All seniors will panel three times for peers in addition to presenting their own POL; paneling and presenting will happen on four separate days for seniors. They will not need to attend school on days when they are neither presenting or paneling. Here is the Senior POL Schedule. Seniors are expected to continue to attend elective classes through Friday 12/8, when these classes end.
- POL Prep began in Humanities class on Monday 11/27 and will continue through Wednesday 12/6
- POLs are Thursday 12/7 through Thursday 12/14
- Make-up POLs will be scheduled as needed the morning of Friday 12/15
Please take time to check in at home about the end of the semester, when stress levels can run high. Reflective work like this can be challenging, but it can also be enlightening and deeply rewarding, as students recognize the progress they are making en route to the futures they want for themselves. We hope that POLs provide a way for all Ospreys to finish the semester strong!
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