Students entering the Pre-IB program at Morgan Park High School will have an explanation of the Extended Essay requirement at an orientation session during the summer prior to the 9th grade from the IB Coordinator and Extended Essay Coordinators. Teachers in the Pre-IB program will discuss possibilities for essay topics in their subject areas as part of the 9th and 10th grade courses. The IB Coordinator and the school’s Extended Essay Coordinator will hold both group and individual meetings with Pre-IB students in the second semester of the 10th grade and the first semester of the 11th grade to guide and motivate them in serious consideration of a topic that puzzles or intrigues them among both the subjects they have studied and the other acceptable subjects for Extended Essays. Students interested in choosing a subject outside the Morgan Park IB curriculum will be advised that they should have a prior knowledge of the subject or be prepared to work beyond the recommended 40 hours to complete a quality essay.

In preparation for the Extended Essay Diploma requirement, the IB Coordinator and the Extended Essay Coordinator will inform the entire school faculty of the general guidelines and requirements of the essay and the need for faculty essay supervisors. After individual supervisors are chosen by students, the IB and Extended Essay Coordinators will have a meeting in which detailed iniformation is given regarding their mentoring role and responsibilities.

At the beginning of the 11th grade IB year, students will meet with the IB and Extended Essay Coordinators who will explain and distribute copies of the essay regulations, guidelines and assessment criteria.

Students will have a checklist indicating that they have indeed submitted the required work to the indicated person. This checklist will be submitted with required signatures to the Extended Essay Coordinator by the students at each deadline. Periodically during the above time frame and at each deadline date, the Extended Essay Coordinator will check with the supervisors to monitor the students’ progress and adherence to essay rules.

The following is the schedule of deadlines:

The IB coordinator will submit completed essays and abstracts along with pertinent materials by the March 15 deadline.