O.H.S. Homeroom Program


Information regarding the High School and Beyond Plan

For the 2009-2010 school year, the High School and Beyond Plan at Olympia High School will be completed during a series of Homeroom lessons that occur in the last 15 minutes of a student's first period class. This is a change from the previous system where each student was assigned to an Advisory teacher in the 9th grade and with whom they remained throughout their four years of high school. The change is in response to staff interest in establishing more meaningful relationships with their advisee students. First period teachers, in their role as Homeroom teacher, 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 currently a State mandated graduation requirement.

 

The High School and Beyond plan at OHS includes the following (beginning with Class of 2010):

• Four-Year Graduation Requirements Worksheet.
• Test Scores that include WASL/HSPE, ASVAB, PSAT, AP, SAT, and/or ACT.
• Self-assessment of Career Interests and a Career Exploration Activity.
• Demonstrated ability to complete a cover letter and resume (within Occupational Education classes).
• High School and Beyond Plan worksheets, as completed in Homeroom.

 

Homeroom Teachers will:

• Distribute and explain registration, post-high school planning, and other school-related materials.
• Help students create and then store their High School & Beyond Plan folders.
• Coordinate a Student-Led Conference (9th & 10th grade only) 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.

 

Counselors will:

• Work individually and in the classroom with students on present and future planning; do individual credit checks with juniors; and help seniors who have not completed their plan.
• Present information in classrooms:
  o 9th - High school, career and four-year planning.
  o 10th – Career planning related to high school programs and post-high school options.
  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 their high school planning and post-high school goals.
• Assist with classroom presentations to each grade level.
• Help students access and utilize the information in OHS Career Center.
• Provide students with college and scholarship information.

 

Parents will:

• Act as a resource and support for their student.
• Attend a Student Led Conference during the Spring of 9th & 10th grade years (beginning with the Class of 2011).
• Communicate with counselor or teachers about concerns.



Revised 9/09

 

 

A Brief History of changes to our Homeroom 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.

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.


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.

In the Spring of 2009 the OHS staff voted to use the 1st period class as Homeroom.  Several times each year the first period class will be extended to accommodate activities to complete the High School and Beyond Plan and Registration activities.