CAREER & COLLEGE READINESS
Graduation Requirements
The High School & Beyond Plan
Welcome to the Fife School District Career & College Readiness website. In grades 6-12, students begin exploring career and college readiness options that include career inventory assessments, organizational success skills, and career and college research. Students focus on how to link learning to life. The lessons and activities students complete each year build on skills and knowledge preparing them for success.
The High School and Beyond Plan is a state graduation requirement. The career and college readiness activities and lessons students complete each year culminate with a project and presentation in their senior year. Students demonstrate their career and college readiness by presenting a one year after graduation plan.
Questions? Contact Christiann Thomas, Career & College Specialist at cthomas@fifeschools.com.
Career & College Readiness
Preparing students for Career, College, and Life
Learning to be career & college ready!
Preparing for post-secondary success!
Demonstrating evidence of career & college readiness!
What is the High School & Beyond Plan?
Culminating Outcome: A one year after high school graduation plan prepared for options in career, college, and life.
The High School & Beyond Plan helps students gain knowledge and skills to plan current and future goals. Students revise their plan annually to accommodate changing interests, personalized pathway choices, and post-secondary goals on what they expect to do the year following high school graduation. Post-secondary aspirations may include pathways for application to four-year colleges or universities, two-year community or technical colleges, apprenticeship programs, industry standard certificate programs, military training, or on-the-job training and workforce entry.
High School and Beyond Plan state guidelines:
Identification of career goals, aided by skills and career interest survey assessments and identification of educational goals for graduation and beyond
A four-year plan for courses taken in high school that satisfies state and local graduation requirements and aligns with students' secondary and postsecondary goals that may include education, training, and careers
Options for satisfying state and local graduation requirements, academic acceleration, dual credit courses, Career and Technical Education programs, and graduation pathway options
Resume or activity log, that includes the student’s education, work experience, community service, including how districts recognize community service (RCW 28A.320.193)
Evidence that the student has received information on federal and state financial aid programs that help pay for postsecondary programs
Fife School District has aligned grades 6-12 with the Washington State Career Guidance Themes & 21st Century Skills to prepare all students for Career and College Readiness.
Washington State Career Guidance Themes
► Career and College Development
► Ownership of Learning
► Transition Skills
► Learning Techniques
► Metacognitive Skills
► Academic Eligibility/Academic Acceleration
► High School and Beyond Plan
► Financial Literacy
21st Century Skills
► Critical Thinking
► Creativity
► Collaboration
► Communication
Xello Electronic Career Portfolio
Students create a Career & College Readiness electronic portfolio using Xello that includes career readiness lessons, career interest surveys, personal goals, career and college research, financial aid applications, scholarships, job descriptions, salary, occupational outlook and high school course planning. In grade 12, students present their High School and Beyond Plan.
Lessons are integrated in the 6th and 7th grade Connections classes at SLMS.
Grade 6
Welcome to Middle School: Skills for Success
Career Guidance WA Lessons #5, 6 & 7: Note-taking, time management, study skills
Xello Lesson: Career Interest Survey
Match Careers to Interests
Identify Big Decisions
Understand Benefits & Consequences of Decisions
Xello Lesson: School Subjects at Work
Connect School Subjects to Careers
Explore Connection Between Interests & Careers
Understand Importance of Time Management
Create a Time Budget
Grade 7
Explore Learning Styles
Connect Learning Style to Careers
Xello Lesson: Discover Learning Pathways
Investigate Post-Secondary Pathways
Connect Pathways to Careers
Xello Lesson: Personality Styles
Reflect on How Your Personality Affects Choices
Xello Lesson: Biases and Career Choices
Identify Biases of Gender, Ethnicity, Ability, and Class in the Workplace
Explore How Biases Influence Career Choices
Xello Lesson: College Bound Scholarship
Middle School & Beyond Planning
Career Guidance WA Lesson #14: Preparing for High School
Students start their High School & Beyond Plan lessons in 8th grade during their Family class.
Grade 8
Xello Lesson: Study Skills and Habits
Explore Time Management Skills
Reflect on Study Challenges
Update Experiences Timeline
Reflect on Your Skills
Update Careers
Xello Lesson: Jobs and Employers
Explore Employment Boards
Research Potential Community Employers
Attend STEAM Chamber of Commerce & Port of Tacoma Career Day
Xello Lesson: College Bound Scholarship
Xello Lesson: Explore Career Matches
Update Matchmaker
Update Careers
Investigate Career Matches
High School & Beyond Planning (prior to registration)
Xello Course Planner
Graduation Requirements
Coug 102 Lessons - College Research Activity
Research Colleges of Interest
Grade 9
Exploring Career & College Readiness - Health Class Presentation
Connect with FSD Resources for Success After High School
Research College Credit Options at FHS
Identify Strategies for Speaking Up
Xello Lesson: Transition to High School
Boost Confidence
Explore How to Get Involved
Xello Lesson: Getting Experience
Explore Methods for Gaining Skills
Xello Lesson: Exploring Career Factors
Investigate Career Decision Factors
High School & Beyond Plan (revisit annually)
Xello Course Planner
Graduation Requirements
COUG 102 Lessons - Career Research
Research Careers of Interest
Xello Lesson: Building a Resume
Create & Upload a Resume
Students are assigned to a small cohort group and teacher called their Family. Their Family class meets during the 40 minute FLEX time approximately twice a month. The Family teacher guides students through their 3 years at Fife High School and facilitates High School & Beyond Plan lessons.
Grade 10
Update Careers
Update Matchmaker
Identify What’s Important to You
Xello Lesson: Careers and Lifestyle Costs
Update Experiences
Focus on earnings and sample career paths
Identify different types of post-secondary programs
Xello Lesson: Workplace Skills and Attitudes
Identify Skills Employers Value
Rate Your Workplace Skills
Xello Lesson: Program Prospects
Match Programs to Career/Academic Goals
High School & Beyond Plan
Revisit and update 4-year plan and resume
Graduation Requirements
Grade 11
Xello Lesson: Choosing a College
Update Schools
Determine Your Personal Preferences
Feel Confident College Search Process
Update Careers
Assess Current Demands
Xello Lessons: Paying for College
FAFSA/WASFA
Scholarships
Xello Lesson: Entrepreneurial Skills
Could you be your own boss?
Explore Business Models
Xello Lesson: Work/Life Balance
Update Experiences
Reflect on Activities You Like
Investigate Work/Life Balance
Preparing for SAT/ACT College Testing
Explore SAT/ACT Resources
High School & Beyond Plan
Revisit and update 4-year plan and resume
Graduation Requirements
Grade 12
Xello Lesson: Career Path Choices
Update Careers
Connect Interests to Career Choices
Exploring a Career Change
Xello Lesson: Defining Success
Explore College Applications
Brainstorm What Success Means to You
Reflect on How Your Can Feel Successful
Explore Xello Resource Hub
Xello Lesson: Career Backup Plans
Update Careers
Match Skills to Backup Plans
Complete a Backup Career Planning Readiness Survey
Xello Lesson: Financial Aid Check-in
Confirm FAFSA/WASFA submission
Update and/or Create Resume
Identify Strong Interview Techniques
Practice Responding to Interview Questions
Explore Resources in Xello
High School & Beyond Graduation Project
Career Planning
5th Year Plan
Budget for 5th Year Plan
Connecting Learning to Future Plans
Update resume
Student from the
- Class of 2020 -
- Class of 2020 -
I found the career and college research very helpful! It narrowed down if I wanted to stay in state or go out of state, what I wanted to look for in a college (diversity, enrollment, & class size) and what I saw in each college that could better my career! I didn’t know what I wanted to do at first so taking quizzes and determining my likes and dislikes helped see what I didn’t want to do so I could focus more and narrow down on what I did want to do.