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Bear Tracks Advisory Program

Information Regarding the High School and Beyond Plan

The High School and Beyond Plan at Olympia High School will be completed in the Bear Tracks Advisory Class, which meets once or twice a month. Each student will be assigned to a Bear Tracks Advisory group in the 9th grade, where they will remain throughout their four years of high school. The Bear Tracks Teachers will assist students in planning to make the most of their time at Olympia, as well as planning for what they want to do after high school. Completing the High School and Beyond Plan is a graduation requirement for the Class of 2008 and beyond.

The High School and Beyond plan at OHS includes the following:

• Four-Year Graduation Requirements Worksheet.
• Information about 4-year College and 2-year College Entrance Requirements, Community College, Apprenticeships, Military, Tech Prep classes, Career Pathways.
• Test Scores that include WASL, ASVAB, PSAT, AP, SAT, and/or ACT.
• Self-assessment of interests, skills, priorities, goals.
• Lists/Examples of Extracurricular Activities, Community Service/Volunteer Activities, Work Experience/Career Exploration, Best Works, and Awards/Certificates.
• Cover letter and Resume from Occupational Education classes.
• Letter of Recommendation.
• Post-high school and beyond planning sheet.

Bear Tracks Teachers will:

➢ Distribute and explain materials.
➢ Help students create and then store their portfolio binders.
➢ Coordinate a yearly student-led conference with each advisee and an adult supporter (starting with the Class of 2011).
➢ Explain post-high school options and give students direction in choosing a career path.

Occupational Education Teachers will:

➢ Teach students how to write a resume and cover letter.
➢ Help students work on self-assessment/career planning programs.

Counselors will:

➢ Work individually with students on present and future planning; do credit checks with seniors who have not completed the plan.
➢ Present information in classrooms:
o 9th - High school career and four-year planning.
o 10th – Career planning and high school programs.
o 11th – Future-planning exploration related to colleges and other post-high
school options.
o 12th – Post high school planning and college applications.
Career Specialist will:
➢ Work individually with students on Career Pathways.
➢ Assist with classroom presentations to each grade level.
➢ Help students use and apply the information in OHS Career Center.

Parents will:

➢ Act as a resource and support for their student.
➢ Attend yearly student-led conferences (beginning with the Class of 2011).
➢ Review Post-High School Plan with child and sign necessary forms.
➢ Communicate with counselor or teachers about concerns.

Revised 10/12/07

A Brief Bear Tracks History:

The Navigation 101 program was first developed by the Franklin Pierce School District in Tacoma. It was created to assist students in meeting the new graduation requirements in Washington State, including the Culminating Project and the High School and Beyond Plan. As a result of the program’s success, Navigation 101 curriculum was then replicated and used in a number of other districts around the state. In 2006, the State Legislature funded Navigation 101 so that any interested district could apply for grant money to help in adopting the program.

In the fall of 2006 the Olympia School District decided to integrate Navigation 101 curriculum into our existing High School and Beyond Advisory program. District officials and teachers applied for and received a grant to pay for staffing and supplies that would enhance our current advisory system.

Several staff members spent the 2006-2007 school year researching how other schools had implemented Navigation 101 curriculum. We made visitations to other schools to observe and ask questions, looked at the curriculum that other districts were using and attended OSPI trainings on how to implement a Navigation 101 program in our school. Through this several month long process, we found new best practices to integrate into our advisory system.

Additionally, last Spring the OHS staff voted to change the name of the new curriculum from Navigation 101 to “Bear Tracks”. The name change was designed to make the advisory system more appropriate for our school. Advisors will now be referred to as Bear Tracks Teachers, or Tracks Teacher for short.

Finally, last June the Bear Tracks Leadership Team – a group of 4 teachers and 1 counselor – spent three days deciding which elements of the Navigation 101 curriculum to integrate into the Bear Tracks advisories during the 2007-2008 school year. The end result is an enhanced an advisory system that will help students understand how to make the most of their time in high school and how to best prepare for their goals following high school.