• Below are FAQs related to gifted seminar. If you have additional questions, contact Dr. McGinnis  (pmcginnis@methacton.org) 

    How often does seminar meet?
    Daily, for half of a marking period.

    Does each seminar run for only half of the marking period?  
    Yes, each seminar runs for half of the marking period.

    How many seminar choices can a student select per marking period?
    Students can participate in one seminar each marking period.

    Do students have to make up the work they miss in their special area classes?
    No, students do not miss any classes when participating in seminar. This works because each marking period a student attends two separate special area classes taught by two different teachers. For example, in tech ed, a student who does not participate in seminar might take metal work for half of the marking period and wood shop during the other half of the marking period. The student is only graded for the portion of the special area class that they attend.

    ​Do students go to their special the other half of the marking period?
    Yes. Please see answer to previous question.

    Are students graded in the special on that half of the marking period?
    Yes, please see answer to previous question.

    Is seminar a graded class or is it a pass/fail course?
    Seminar is a graded class. For more details about the seminar grading policy please see the following link:
    http://drmcginnis.weebly.com/grades.html

    Can a student drop out of seminar if they are having trouble balancing their overall workload?
    There will always be some flexibility with scheduling; students are encouraged to allow their personal interests to be the major factor when determining their  participation in seminar. Students should be reassured that there will be no assigned homework in seminar and that they will have a significant amount of class time devoted to their projects. In addition, half of the seminar grade is an effort grade; those students who come to class excited to learn and who utilize their time wisely will be very successful!

    Can gifted students attend the seminar field trips if they are not participating in the seminar?
    The seminar field trips are designed to supplement and support the content of specific seminars. As such, only those students who are participating in the related seminar can attend that seminar's field trip.

    Can a student attend a seminar field trip if they are a conducting an independent study project? 
    No. Please see answer to previous question. If the instructor is not in the building due to a field trip, arrangements will be made to ensure that the student has a place to go during the one period of the day that they would normally attend seminar. The student would follow their regular schedule the remainder of the day. 

    When selecting the seminars, is there any way to find out which section of expressive arts a student is scheduled for in each half of a marking period?
    Unfortunately, that information is not available. Students are encouraged to make their selections based on their personal interests and strengths. For some students, that may mean selecting to participate in a seminar. For other students, that may mean staying in their special area course.