School Leader Award Winner: Warren Township School District

The Capstone Experience

Established in 2017, The Capstone Experience at Warren Township School District is an innovative educational program designed to engage students in critical thinking, problem-solving, and real-world applications of their learning. The main feature of the Capstone Experience is what is known as the Capstone Challenge.

Each year in the month of May, students in Warren Township public schools’ grades five and eight  participate in the Capstone Challenge. The Challenge provides students with opportunities to showcase their knowledge and skills through interdisciplinary projects focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).^1. 

The program challenges students to address global and local issues through self-directed research and team-based projects. Students work in small teams to research an area of focus, identify a problem, and articulate a researched solution. 

Grade eight teams focus on SDGs surrounding climate goals including clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, responsible consumption and production, life below water, and life on land.  The fifth grade teams focus on gender equality, good health and well-being, quality education, and zero hunger. For the Challenge, students are assigned to teams based on their common interests in specific SDGs.

The program is open and accessible to all students in grades five and eight. Currently, each year about 350 – 375 students participate in the program.

The goals of the program are to encourage critical thinking and problem-solving; foster collaboration and teamwork; develop oral communication, public speaking and media literacy skills, and promote goal setting and personal accountability.

How the Program Works

The implementation of the Capstone Experience includes several key steps. Students begin by learning about the SDGs and identifying areas of interest. They are then grouped into teams to focus on specific goals.

Over approximately 10 hours of instructional time, students conduct research and develop their projects. This process includes brainstorming solutions to global and local issues, and creating visual and formal presentations.

The overall experience is designed to engage students in a real-world challenge and application of critical skills. Each student team develops and makes a formal presentation of their findings to a panel of judges. This presentation is a critical component of the program, allowing students to demonstrate their learning and receive feedback. The process also provides educators feedback on how current programming supports students’ capacity to demonstrate personal accountability, cooperative skills, responsibility, leadership, and to be self-directed team members. 

“The Capstone Experience challenges students beyond traditional classroom learning. By engaging students in real-world problems and encouraging them to develop practical solutions and strategies to address a problem, the program not only enhances academic skills, but also prepares students to be thoughtful, proactive global citizens,”  said Dr. Matthew Mingle, superintendent,  Warren Township School District.

The Role of the Board of Education 

The board is invited to serve as judges and every year board members volunteer their time.  In addition, the Capstone ratings from judges and student self-evaluation ratings are summarized and shared with the board’s curriculum committee.  These correlate to specific standards and serve to provide another perspective on student performance outside of the standards measured by NJSLA or other common assessments.

Program Evaluation Strategies

To ensure the program’s effectiveness and continual improvement, several evaluation strategies are employed. 

Surveys and Feedback: Students and judges provide feedback through surveys, assessing various aspects of the program, including content understanding, skill development, and overall experience.

Performance Metrics: Educators use rubrics to evaluate student presentations, focusing on critical thinking, research quality, presentation skills, and teamwork.

Reflective Practices: Teachers and program coordinators engage in reflective practices, discussing observations and feedback to identify areas for improvement.

Program Results

Students have shown significant improvements in critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills. Over 90% of students reported an increased understanding of global issues. Students demonstrated a 25% improvement in collaboration and teamwork skills, based on pre- and post-program assessments.

The program received positive feedback from both students and judges, highlighting the creativity and depth of the projects presented.

“We are very proud of the work that has taken place around the Capstone Challenge over the past eight  years.  Students look forward to the opportunity and staff have embraced the importance of providing students the opportunity to engage in this important work,” said Mingle.

Plans for Improvement

There have been adjustments to the program since its inception.  Resources have been generated to support teachers and their consistent delivery of the Capstone leadup. Teachers also enhance the students work by providing them with “appetizer and taster experiences” in the form of guest speakers and activities that provide them opportunities to develop a baseline understanding of topics aligned with their interests.

Warren Township Schools plan to make several enhancements to the Capstone Experience going forward.

Enhanced Preparation: Introduce more interactive lessons and resources in the lead-up to the Capstone project to better prepare students for their research and presentations.

Increased Community Engagement: Expand the involvement of community members and local organizations in the project phases, providing students with more real-world insights and support.

Technology Integration: Utilize more advanced technology to assist students in their research and presentations, ensuring they have access to the latest information and resources.

Continual Feedback Loop: Establish a more robust system for continuous feedback, allowing for real-time adjustments and improvements during the project phases.

Program Funding

The program relies on volunteers and resources already within the district.  The curriculum department budgets a small amount of funding to support Capstone materials and resources.  

Conclusion

The Capstone Experience at Warren Township Schools exemplifies an effective approach to education that goes beyond traditional classroom learning. By engaging students in real-world problems and encouraging them to develop practical solutions, the program not only enhances academic skills but also prepares students to be thoughtful, proactive global citizens. With ongoing improvements and a strong foundation, the Capstone Experience continues to shine as a model for experiential learning in education.

For more information on the Warren Township Schools Capstone Experience contact, Assistant Superintendent William Kimmick at wkimmick@warrentboe.org.

^1. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

Ann Marie Smith is NJSBA’s Assistant Editor.