Students just starting high school can benefit from setting general career goals and considering a variety of options so they can use their high school opportunities to help them prepare for rewarding and productive careers.

 

Twice during each school year near the end of January and the end of March - grade level counselors register students for the upcoming semester classes. Parents must sign students' class registration forms. These registration periods present parents with ongoing opportunities to become involved with their students' program planning and decisions. Parents are able to bring experience, perception, and insight to the planning process.

Resources available to assist parents and students in high school planning include:

• the grade level counselor
• the career pathway advisor
• the classroom teacher
• books listing requirements for various colleges and universities
• school district publications which are available in the high school Career Center, such as:
  • "Refuse to Lose: Stay in School" This pamphlet suggests ways to find help for solving problems which might interfere with school attendance.
  • "Talking With Your Student About A Career" This pamphlet presents ideas for talking to students about potential careers.
  • "Get A Life" This planning guide provides detailed information to assist students and parents in planning a career pathway and a four year high school plan, selecting specific high school courses of study, and being aware of graduation requirements, Skills Center programs, and admission requirements to posthigh school educational opportunities. For Spokane District 81, this booklet is sent to all 9th grade students and parents in February.

Planning for Life After High School

Determining "what's next after high school" is a difficult task, but high

schools offer lots of help in answering that question, and knowing where

to access that information is important. Resources available to assist parents and students for this planning include:

• the grade level counselor
• the career pathway advisor
• the classroom teacher
• the high school Career Center, where parents and students can review computer software and other materials available to serve students in their post-high school planning, such as:
  • career and job search
  • interpretation of interest surveys
  • professional and technical training opportunities
  • military training opportunities, including ROTC and military academics
  • information regarding two and four year colleges
  • information regarding scholarships and financial aid
• Public Libraries
• Internet
• school district publications which are available in the High School Career Center, such as:
  • "What's Next?" This booklet provides helpful and informative material about post-high school options, high school career interest surveys and standardized tests, college admission tests, application procedures, financial aid sources, and a suggested junior and senior year time lin for monitoring posthigh school training plans. This publication is sent to all Spokane 10th grade students in March.