Rope Projects

Dear 8th Grade Students and Parents,

You are now almost half of the way through your last year at Sacred Heart School. I trust that it has been a valuable and meaningful experience for you. Hopefully you have learned much, grown much, and find yourself well on the way to becoming the sort of person that you want to be. The end of the 8th grade year provides the opportunity to reflect on how you have grown and what you have learned while a student here at Sacred Heart School through the ROPE project.

When I first met with all of you, I explained that I wanted you to begin thinking about what experiences, events, or ideas have been most formative for you here at Sacred Heart School. What have you learned or done that has helped to make you the person you are today and the person you are still becoming? In addition, your presentation should include some reference to the sort of person that you would like to be. Not what sort of job you would like to do when you “grow up” or what you want your major to be in college. Instead, what do you want to accomplish in high school? How do you want to grow in your faith, your character, and your knowledge over the next four years?

Your presentation should be:

  • Faith-based – Your project must reflect on not only what you have learned, but who you have become, especially in terms of your faith and character.
  • Multidisciplinary – That is, it should reflect learning in more than one school subject area (any school subject area may be included).
  • Coherent – You should work to develop one theme or idea that ties together your faith development and your academic growth. Avoid presenting a list of three or four different ideas that are not related.
  • Reflective- This presentation should reflect what you have already learned or done and should show us the person that you are now. It should not require new research. The point of this project is to reflect on what you have learned, who you are, and who you would like to be.
  • Unique – The presentation should reflect your individuality and should be immediately recognizable by anyone who knows you. It should not be just like anyone else’s.
  • Serious – Your ROPE project should be fun, but it is a serious assignment. This is your opportunity to shine. Make this project one of the best experiences you have at Sacred Heart School.
  • Multi-dimensional- Your presentation must involve the use of Power Point slides. However, the slide presentation is only a foundation. Your presentation may include other auditory, visual, or performance aspects and may make use of props, symbols, or “artifacts”.

So, now it is time for us to begin to meet to discuss your ideas for your ROPE presentation.  Mrs. Knapp has a sign-up sheet in the front office. You may sign up for 15-minute appointments to meet with me between Monday, December 14 and Thursday, December 17 and then again Tuesday, January 5 through Friday, January 15. Appointments are available before and after school and at lunch time. You may bring your lunch with you to lunch appointments. There should be time for everyone to make an appointment, but do not delay. Please understand that I might have to cancel an appointment due to an emergency. If that happens, I will contact you to reschedule a time as soon as possible.

Thank You.

Mr.  Burroughs