PLAN OVERVIEW
WHAT WE DO TO MAKE STUDENTS COLLEGE & CAREER READY
- Course offerings
- Youth Apprenticeships Program
- Professional certifications
- Partnerships with local businesses
- Use of Xello software
- CTE classes
- Resource planning time
- Career awareness-elementary level
- Course requirements (General Education Requirements and Personal Finance)
XELLO 26.03(1)(c)(1) 26.03(2)(b)(c)(1) 26.03(3)(c)
The link for the standards that Xello satisfies: Xello Scope and Sequence for 6th through 12th grade.
At Southwestern, students begin developing their ACP as early as sixth grade by utilizing a software program known as “Xello.” Each student has their own account and adds information to this account throughout their middle school and high school career.
At the beginning of the school year in ACP, the sixth grade students will answer a series of questions related to their interests and learn of at least one career that will fit those interests. They will also gain the knowledge of how they learn (learning style) following the Xello Scope and Sequence for 6th through 12th grade.
The seventh and eighth grade will complete their recommended standards during their Career Education class.
High School students will work through the activities in Xello during the required Academic and Career Planning meetings during homeroom. The school counselor will work with them on career planning including, why people work, the conditions under which people work, the levels of training and education needed for work, common expectations for employees in the workplace, and how expectations at school are related to expectations in the workplace.
Juniors will work with the Personal Finance teacher during the required Personal Finance class. They will continue through Xello according to the Scope and Sequence and completion standards recommended by DPI during the required Academic and Career Planning meetings during homeroom.
See the Grade-By-Grade Activity Guide included in this document for more information on what students will develop in this program at each grade level.
RESOURCE TIME/INDIVIDUALIZED MENTORS 26.03(3)(a)(b) 26.03 (2)(c)(3) 26.03 (3)(a)
HIGH SCHOOL students will receive help with their “ACP” plan during the ACP Resource time which will occur twice a month during resource time. Students will be broken into career clusters based on their assessments taken in Xello including the Matchmaker tool. The advisor the student is assigned to is one who will work with them during the High School experience. The High School Advisors will include the instructors from agriculture & tech ed, family and, business education, band, science, social studies, math, special education, Spanish, English, and phy ed. Teacher aides will be available to help teachers who have large advisory groups. During this ACP Resource Time, the school counselor will help their students explore, investigate, and learn about different professions in that Career Cluster.
Students will be taught specific soft skills once a month using the resources from Soft Skills That Pay the Bills. This site provides videos that help teach these soft skills in addition to presentation by the teacher. These videos are in English and Spanish.
As sophomores, students meet with the school counselor to review and update the “ACP,” and with school counselors, students view and update ACP documents. Completed ACPs are in Xello. Throughout high school, each student's ACP process is continually changing. Throughout the twelve years of the school, students will explore various academics, clubs, sports, work, and volunteer experience. Ideas change over the years and new experiences will help guide students through their paths.
MIDDLE SCHOOL students will be divided into groups with an advisor working specifically with each group. The Advisors assigned to middle school include the following teachers: math, science, English, resource, social studies, and other staff.
In eighth grade, the goal is to have each 8th grader identify a preferred career cluster. We also start to discuss post-secondary options in order to highlight the importance of the student taking courses in which will help them with this additional education. Most students will not know what their interests are or even what career field they may want to go into. Using the Wisconsin Labor Market Statistics website will help students realize the needs of the economy at a point in time and help them with their decision-making process. We will also share with and talk about the Regional Pathways in the career pathway that interests them.
PARENT/FAMILY INVOLVEMENT 26.03 (1)(b)(1)(2)(3)
Because Southwestern has chosen to use the software application, Xello, families can explore the student's individual account. Welcome Families to Xello is a website that explains more about this unique tool. It's a wonderful site that really allows students to connect their future career options with connecting it to future programs and high school courses.
Students and parents can start the process by just talking about the student's interest and thoughts about future jobs.
Some ways that Southwestern plans to keep parents informed about the ACP services their child will be receiving include the following:
- During Back-to-School nights and back-to-school events.
- Parents can be sent an invite to view their student’s Xello account.
- On the quarterly and/or semester grades that are sent home.
- The Xello reports include the student’s portfolio, assessment results, careers that interest the student, education plans, and career preparation.
CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION COURSE OFFERINGS 26.03(1)(c)(2) 26.03(2)(c)(4)(5)
See Southwestern High School Course Guide for course options offered at the high school.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR STAFF MEMBERS 26.03(1)(c)(3)
Staff Members are aware and have access to Xello and ACP.
INCORPORATION OF APPLIED CURRICULA 26.03 (1)(c)(4)
Applied curriculum through middle school and high school courses, Comprehensive School Counseling program to include individual planning conferences. Please see the Southwestern ACP Components Guide below, as well as the Southwestern School Course Curriculum Guide for further program information.
EDUCATION FOR EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM 26.03(1)(d) 26.03(2)(c)(2)
UW-Platteville and Southwest Technical College are partners who provide class presentations and postsecondary visit days for our students both on and off campus. Relationships are also created through our School to Work program (Youth Apprenticeship and Employability Skills Certification.) We also offer related instruction for the Youth Apprenticeship program including but not limited to OSHA 30, Pistons to Pathways, and CNA certification.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS 26.03(2)(c)(7)
Academic and Career Planning are required for all students 6th through 12th grade which covers employability skills including how to get and keep a job.
CAREER AWARENESS AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVELS 26.03 (2)(a)(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)
Students in the elementary grade levels will begin to explore careers at basic levels. Such subject matter will include but will not be limited to the following:
- Career options and the conditions under which people work
- How a person gains the knowledge they need to perform a specific career
- They will also explore how the expectations at school are related to the expectations in the workplace.
