What is CAS?

The Creativity/Action/Service Programme is central to the IB vision of the “well-rounded student”. While academics are an important part of the Pre-IB Programme, it is also important for students to establish a sense of balance between school and extra-curricular activities. The CAS Programme gives students the encouragement and opportunities to participate in new and challenging activities in their school and their community.

Some projects and/or assignments are given to IB students and not to the general population. These assignments often deal with international issues instead of just Canada.

The ideal CAS activity is:

active not passive. For example, while taking piano lessons may help you to develop a set of skills, you are receiving the benefits of someone else’s talents as part of your instruction. A better CAS activity is teaching young children what you have learned about playing the piano, or performing in a concert at a seniors’ home.

one that allows you to share your talents with others. For example, while selling tickets for a fundraiser ultimately has a worthy goal, it requires very little effort on your part. A better activity would be one where you take an active role in organizing a fundraising activity, or where you work as part of a team to accomplish a larger task, such as packing food hampers for the Christmas Cheer program.

one that encompasses two or more of the CAS components. Choosing activities that are creative and active (eg. performing with the school’s concert band at community functions) makes your CAS experience more meaningful, and allows you to develop a wider variety of skills.

one that is supervised by an adult, as you will need a supervisor to verify your hours.

What activities qualify for the CAS Programme?

Creativity – activities that challenge your artistic talents are creative activities. These include drama, dance, music, art and design, martial arts and yearbook. You may also use your creative abilities to design a webpage for a community group, or to organize an entertainment program.

Action- activities that allow you to participate as part of a larger group fit into this category. You can play a sport (in school or in the community), or belong to a school club (students’ council, yearbook, travel club, band, debate), or be a part of a community group (cadets, guides, scouts). Again, the best activities are those where you use your special talents to help others achieve their goals.

Service- any activity where you volunteer your time and talent qualifies as a service activity. IB students volunteer at the school or at their elementary school, and have volunteered with almost every community group in Thunder Bay and the surrounding area. Our students have worked with the United Way, the Red Cross, the Humane Society and Shelter House, to name a few.

How do I record my hours?

The CAS forms for Grade 9 and 10 Pre-IB students are posted on SWC’s Forum. You should type your description of the event and the hours you spent doing it directly on the form before you print it off. Then you can take your form to your supervisor to be signed, and bring it to Mr. Drcar or Mrs. Jones so that your hours can be recorded.

How many hours do I have to complete in Grade 9?

Students should complete a minimum of 10 hours in each area, for a total of 30 hours. You can certainly complete more hours, and most students do. You will find that many of you are already involved in excellent CAS activities; now you have to get used to completing the paperwork!

When can I start counting my CAS hours?

For students in Grade 9 Pre-IB, your CAS hours start the day you enter Grade 9 (ie. the first day of school). That means that any activities you were involved in over the summer before Grade 9 will not count as CAS hours, but will provide you with excellent experiences build upon for CAS.

Don’t forget!