North Mason program helps students plan

Kirk Boxleitner | Sep 28, 20230

Courtesy of North Mason School District count

The Bulldog statue on the North Mason High School campus was recently repainted by NMHS alumni Brennan Hanson of Hanson Paint & Repair.

North Mason High School counselor Kim Walters shared information on the new YouScience program with the school board at the district school board meeting Sept. 21.

North Mason High School will be implementing YouScience in order to support each student in completing their "High School and Beyond" plan. Hawkins Middle School will implement the first phases of YouScience for exploration beginning in the seventh grade.

Walters said students would be tasked with completing the following courses in high school:

■ Ninth grade: Principles of biomedical science A in trimesters 1 and 2.

■ 10th grade: Career choices.

■ 11th grade: Current world history A in trimesters 1 and 2.

■ 12th grade: English A in trimesters 1 and 2.

According to Walters, the ideal curriculum plan would have seventh-graders start with an introduction and overview of what a high school and beyond plan is, and why it's important.

In eighth grade, Walters said students should start taking surveys to explore what their academic, career and personal interests are, in addition to reviewing their traits, to help them determine the top three outcomes that each student should explore.

Walters said those top-three options can serve as students' maps for choosing their ninth-grade course selections.

Those results should yield information on career interests and personality types, and as students enter ninth grade, they'll explore college and career options, and matters such as the expenses associated with education and employment, to help them determine which schools and jobs best match their top three traits, Walters said.

By 10th grade, students should be completing the process of finding schools, whether they plan to pursue post-secondary options of two to four years of college, or whether they're bound for technical or trade schools.

As early as their sophomore year of high school, those students will be mapping out which classes they have left to complete, and how they can plan for their remaining years of high school to ensure they meet the requirements for their future education.

NMHS sophomores are also on track to begin building their resumes in 10th grade so students who are 16 years and older can enter the workforce at that time, if they choose.

Eleventh-graders will begin building their portfolios in preparation for their senior year scholarship notebooks and final-year course requests.

The goal is to help those high school juniors determine whether they are in need of final CTE courses, and if there are options available in courses for certifications and/or college credits, depending upon their path.

In 12th grade, students should be completing their final reviews and beginning their applications to post-secondary schools, and applying for apprenticeships, internships or jobs, or meeting with military recruiters.

Seniors will be expected to complete their scholarship notebooks, to support all those post-secondary options, while their completed work in YouScience will provide profiles for each student.