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College & Career Readiness for Collinsville's Future Leaders
College & Career Readiness for Collinsville's Future Leaders
We want to help empower 5th and 6th graders to explore their passions, develop essential skills and unlock a world of opportunities. College and career readiness is essential for 5th and 6th grade students and their families because it lays the foundation for future success, both academically and professionally. Helping students see the connection between their education today and future careers will inspire them to stay motivated and engaged in their learning journey. Check out the guides below to see what to expect and how to best support your child.
Tips for a Successful Year at DIS:
Stay Organized: Keep track of assignments and due dates by using a planner or folder system.
Ask for Help: If you find something challenging, don’t hesitate to ask your teacher or classmates for help.
Get Involved: Participate in class discussions, group projects, and any extracurricular activities that interest you.
Be a Leader: Remember that others look up to you, so be a positive role model in your words and actions. Whether through your behavior in class, how you treat others, or how you approach your schoolwork, you have the chance to demonstrate leadership and set a positive example for your peers and younger classmates.
grade5.pdf5th Grade Parent's Guide to Student Success
6th-grade-june20.pdf6th Grade Parent's Guide to Student Success
Importance of Classes and Grades at DIS
Importance of Classes and Grades at DIS
As our students progress through 5th and 6th grades, it's essential to understand how their grades and class placements can impact their future opportunities in middle and high school. Good grades help build a strong foundation in key subjects, ensuring that students are prepared for more advanced coursework later on. Being in the right classes—such as honors or specialized programs—can enhance their skills and confidence, opening doors to extracurricular activities, advanced classes, and even college readiness programs. By encouraging your child to focus on their studies and seek help when needed, you can help them set the stage for success and create a pathway to a bright future.
career-conversations-middle-school.pdfExploring Careers
Exploring Careers
Why Career Clusters Matter in 5th and 6th Grade (Click the button to the left and start exploring):
Opening the Door to Opportunities:
At this age, children are curious about the world around them. By introducing them to different career clusters, we help them see the wide range of jobs and industries that exist. This early awareness can spark their interest in careers they may have never considered or even known about before.
Connecting School to the Real World:
Your child might often wonder, “Why do I need to learn this?” Career clusters help answer that question by showing how school subjects, like math, science, and language arts, are connected to real-world jobs. Understanding this connection can motivate them to engage more in their studies.
Laying the Foundation for Future Choices:
While we certainly don’t expect your child to choose a career right now, exploring career clusters allows them to think about what they enjoy and what they are good at. This early exploration will help guide future decisions about electives, extracurricular activities, and courses in middle and high school.
Encouraging Exploration without Pressure:
Career clusters are broad categories such as health sciences, information technology, and arts and communication. This approach allows your child to explore a range of possibilities without the pressure of choosing a specific job too soon. They can explore interests and talents across many different fields.
Equal Access to Career Information:
By introducing all students to career clusters, we ensure that every child has access to the same opportunities and information, regardless of background or family resources. This ensures that every student has a fair shot at finding a career path that excites and motivates them.
Supporting Career Conversations at Home:
Understanding career clusters will also give you, as parents, a helpful tool to support your child’s development. Talking with your child about what they enjoy and connecting those interests to different career clusters is a great way to encourage their natural talents and passions.
Career Exploration Opportunities at DIS
Career Exploration Opportunities at DIS
CAVC
STEM
Career Day
Financial Planning for College
Financial Planning for College
Scholarships & Grants
explore a wide range of scholarship and grant opportunities to help fund your child's educational pursuits from local organizations such as the Collinsville Area Community Foundation to national programs. Most scholarship opportunities in the 11th and 12th grade but the activities and interests students start now can heavily influence these opportunities.
2. FAFSA and Financial Literacy
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a free form that students in their senior year of high school use to apply for federal financial aid for grants, scholarships, work-study funds, and loans. These funds pay for college, career school, or graduate school.
3. 529 Plans
529 plans are flexible, tax-advantaged accounts designed specifically for education savings. Funds can be used for qualified education expenses at schools nationwide. Before you start you will need to know the child's date of birth, social security number and what investment choices you want. There are many different federal and state options. The College Savings Network website is a great resource on comparing the various plans. Contact your local bank or investors for more information on starting one. As you’re looking through plans, pay attention to:
State residency requirements. Do you have to live in the state to take advantage of the plan?
Fees. There are asset-fee ratios, account maintenance fees and more.
Maximum contributions. How much does the plan allow you to contribute? Some plans max out at $500,000.
Tax deductions. Does your state offer tax deductions on contributions? This might be a bonus.
Summer and Community Programs
Summer and Community Programs
Discover the Cahokia Mounds World Heritage & State Historic Site's facilities and programs.
Cahokia Mounds
The College for Kids program is an educational enrichment program for children in our community. Courses are designed to provide students with unique and enjoyable educational, cultural and recreational activities, which are different in form and content from regular classroom activities.
SIUE Community Education Programs help students be active and socialize while still learning arts, sciences and sports in a fun and engaging setting
Willoughby Heritage Farm and Conservation Reserve is a public park with a variety of ways to volunteer and learn about the environment and other outdoor activities.
Take a look at the variety of enrichment programs your local library has for you and your family.
Check out all the fun and educational activities offered by the City of Collinsville
Click the button to the left and it will take you to other summer programs that your student can possibly do.
What to Expect in Middle School
What to Expect in Middle School
Transitioning from DIS to CMS is a big step, and while it may feel a little overwhelming at first, it’s also full of new opportunities and experiences. We want to help you get ready for what to expect and how you can make the most of this important transition.
More Independence and Responsibility: In middle school, you’ll have more freedom to make choices about your schedule, your work, and your activities. But with that freedom comes more responsibility. You’ll be managing multiple classes, assignments, and teachers, so it’s important to stay organized and keep track of your work. Using a planner or calendar to write down assignments and due dates will help you stay on top of things.
Switching Classes and Teachers: Unlike elementary school, where you mostly have one teacher for everything, middle school is different. You’ll have different teachers for each subject, and you’ll be moving from class to class throughout the day. It might take a little time to get used to this, but it’s also a chance to learn from different teachers who specialize in subjects like math, science, history, and more.
More Challenging Coursework: As you move into middle school, the work will become a bit more challenging. You’ll be expected to think critically, solve problems, and complete projects that require more effort and focus. Don’t worry—your teachers will be there to help you along the way! Remember, it’s okay to ask questions if you don’t understand something. Middle school is all about learning and growing.
Making New Friends: Middle school brings students from different elementary schools together, which means you’ll have the chance to meet new people and make new friends. While it can be a little nerve-wracking at first, this is an exciting opportunity to build friendships with people who share your interests. Joining clubs, sports teams, or other extracurricular activities is a great way to meet new people and have fun.
Developing New Skills: Middle school is also a time to develop important skills, both academic and personal. You’ll work on time management, study habits, and teamwork—skills that will help you not only in middle school but throughout your life. You’ll also start to learn more about what you enjoy and what you’re good at, which will help guide your choices in the future.
Changing Schedules and Routines: Middle school days are structured differently from elementary school. You’ll have more classes, new schedules, and possibly longer school days. It’s important to stay flexible and adjust to these new routines. It might seem a little confusing at first, but you’ll get the hang of it quickly!
More Extracurricular Opportunities: Middle school offers many chances to explore your interests beyond the classroom. Whether it’s sports, music, art, or academic clubs, these activities will help you grow as a person, develop new skills, and make the most of your middle school experience. Getting involved in extracurriculars is also a great way to balance schoolwork with fun and relaxation.
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