Dear Parents:

The future of your child is important to us. In fact the mission of the school district specifically states, "Each student will graduate prepared to lead a rewarding, responsible life as a contributing member of our community and greater society." That means that it is our responsibility to insure that your child is:

• Prepared for college
• Prepared for the global workplace
• Prepared for personal success

Lake Washington School District has worked intentionally to create what is called a "High School and Beyond Plan" to do exactly that. After careful investigation, consultation, and study we have chosen to use a program called Xello to help meet this goal. As such, every student in our school will begin to be engaged in that process. The Xello model actually starts with students in the middle school and adds on lessons, activities and assessments every year right up to and through graduation. We'd like to take a moment to share some of the components of the plan and let you know how we'll continue to communicate with you throughout this process.

Components of Xello

• Personal Profile. Each student will create a profile based on interests, personality, and learning styles, where all their lessons, activities, discoveries, and work is saved. This plan is personal, fluid and rich in scope.
• Lessons. As part of Xello, students will have the ability to access lessons at any time that will help them to identify careers and areas of study that complement and support both their interests and skills.
• Detailed Career Information. The program gives students the ability to explore hundreds of careers in great depth. They can access multimedia career profiles and research all facets of specific careers.
• College (Post High School) Educational Planning. The program includes a rich college planning tool that allows students to study post-secondary schools across the country. Adapted from the US Department of Education, the College Planning Timeline is designed to help the student prepare for college. The timeline is organized by grade, so you have a chronological, step-by-step plan to help ease the transition from high school to college. (can include 4 year, two year, certificate or military programs)
• Financial Aid Exploration. This section of Xello offers a financial aid database which includes details on thousands of private scholarships, grants, awards, fellowships, and other assistance programs that can help students pay for their education.
• Employment Readiness. The three main components of this section of Xello include an employment guide, a job search tool and a resume builder. These features assist students in applying the information that they have amassed in their plan to practical and meaningful work searches.
• Classroom Resources. Beginning in 6th grade, each student will complete the activities designed for their grade level to work systematically through the High School and Beyond Plan. The students have the ability to change their profiles as their interests evolve over the years. Teachers and advisors will be guiding your students through these processes.

As a district, we're excited about the potential that Xello can have for all of our students as we strive towards our mission and goals. We look forward to partnering with you!

For more information, contact:
Rebecca Zavala
Counselor
International Community School