Global Education Achievement Certificate 

The Global Certificate is something the School District of La Crosse is offering to recognize students who have made the conscious decision to gain a more global perspective on life, through their studies and through other activities with a global focus.  This is recognized via a formal certificate that is noted on a student’s transcript.  The Dept. of Public Instruction, by universities in the UW system, will recognize it and, as the program grows, so will employers who value this perspective.

The Global Certificate is something the School District of La Crosse is offering to recognize students who have made the conscious decision to gain a more global perspective on life, through their studies and through other activities with a global focus.  This is recognized via a formal certificate that is noted on a student’s transcript.  The Dept. of Public Instruction, by universities in the UW system, will recognize it and, as the program grows, so will employers who value this perspective.

To earn the Global Certificate, students must take certain courses in school, complete optional activities in other courses, complete out-of-school activities (chosen from a list provided under the supervision of the Site Director), and complete community service activities.

Although some of the details of the certificate are still under consideration, at this point, we can provide the following information. (8 credits, 4 of which would be in World Language)

1. Students must complete 4 years of study in the same foreign language.
2. Students must complete classes of a global nature in other areas. The list we sent to the DPI for approval includes things such as World Humanities, Geography, etc.  Other courses may be added to the application list as they become available.  The requirement is that the student completes 4 credits in these other areas as well.
3. Students may complete “global options” in many, many other courses, at the discretion of the course instructor, e.g. reading a novel by a Russian author in an English class instead of the novel by Mark Twain that everyone else is reading. These options would go toward fulfilling the cultural literacy requirement.
4. Students may attend other events in the school or community that are global in nature, e.g. a lecture on the effects of globalization on Central American countries. These options would go toward fulfilling the cultural literacy requirement, and/or the co-curricular requirement.
5. Students must complete community service hours.

Students wishing to complete the certificate will work with the Global Education Coordinators at Logan (Rhonda McGowan) and Central (John Havlicek) to make sure they are registered for the appropriate coursework, to verify that they are completing the requirements, to become informed of upcoming events, to develop their own projects, and eventually complete the certificate.  The students will also work with instructors in other courses regarding the “Global Options” in those courses. 

Students wishing to include activities of their own choosing should always consult with the building Coordinator prior to participation, to ensure that the activity does qualify for the Global Certificate.  Some courses and activities already completed may be counted retroactively toward the completion of this certificate.