High School and Beyond Plan

High school can be an exciting time in a student’s life. Before them lies a blank page on which they get to begin writing their own story. This is a time for students to explore their interests, guided by their post-high school plans. Many students in the Issaquah School District will pursue a 4-year bachelor’s degree at one of the many universities within or outside of Washington State. Some students will pursue a 2-year associate degree, technical certification, apprenticeship, or on-the-job training to obtain their career of interest. Others will join the military for job training and education. There are many opportunities for everyone to find their own success. Each path a student starts down may change as their interests evolve over time.

In Washington State, every student is required to have a High School and Beyond Plan as part of their graduation requirement. Plans are personalized and designed to help students set, visualize, and work to achieve goals. It's a process for students, parents, and teachers to guide students through high school and think about their future. A High School and Beyond Plan is one of the three components, along with Credit and Subject Area Requirements and Graduation Pathway Options, that Washington students must complete to achieve a high school diploma.

The first step to creating a high school and beyond plan is identifying a student’s career goal. One’s own interests and choices, often assisted by the guidance of family or caregivers, influence a student’s high school experience. In the Issaquah School District, starting in middle school, each student will complete a series of assessments in an online program known as Xello. Each assessment will help explore and identify the student’s own knowledge, skills, and interests. The assessment results will guide students toward careers to which they may be well suited, or if the student already has a career plan in mind, they may begin exploring and preparing for their career of choice.

What is Xello?

Xello is a District-provided online program that students use to complete the High School and Beyond Plan graduation requirement. Each student has a Xello account beginning in 6th grade, and they can explore careers, post-high school opportunities, and a wide variety of college options through their Xello account.

Students can use the “About Me” page in Xello to list their interests, skills and any education, work, and volunteer experiences. This can build toward a future resume. Access is easy. Students sign into their ClassLink (https://launchpad.classlink.com/issaquah) and launch Xello from there.

Starting February 9, 2024, the Issaquah School District provides parents with access to a Xello Family account. Each middle or high school student’s first parent/guardian listed in Family Access will get an email invitation from Xello with a link to access their Xello Family account.

What is Xello Family?

Xello Family is a feature that allows caregivers to log into their own Xello account. Through this account, caregivers can see their students' Xello portfolio, including any saved careers, colleges, or interests, and all progress on their High School and Beyond Plan activities. Caregivers can also log into Xello as demo students, allowing them to explore the Xello site and tools with the same view a student would have.

To access Xello Family, caregivers must first receive an invitation via email, which will include a link to access their Xello Family account - this link expires after seven days.

If the parent is not the first caregiver listed in Family Access and would also like to receive an invitation to create a Xello Family account linked to your student, or if the parent has received an email invite but the link has expired, please complete the Xello Family Account Request Form (https:// bit.ly/3OZZ0ex). District staff will process additional Xello Family Account requests.

To learn more about Xello and Xello Family, please check https://www.isd411.org/academics/high-school-curriculumpathways/graduation-requirements/high-school-andbeyond-plan.

Communication is always important; families and caregivers play a pivotal role in how youth approach their future beyond high school. Plan broadly and explore along the way. Remember, a student’s plans can change. Talk with students about any expectations for future education and career options. There are many resources to help guide students to achieve their ideal future; reach out to School Counselors or College and Career Specialists to help guide the way.

The Great Careers 2024

On Friday, February 9, 2024, Great Careers 2024 was held in person at Renton Technical College for all the Issaquah School District high school students to attend. This event was organized by the Greater Issaquah Chamber of Commerce Education Committee. They partnered with the Issaquah School District and provided an excellent opportunity to educate ISD high school students about careers they can pursue through on-the-job training, certification, apprenticeship, or two-year college programs.

The event was in the form of an EXPO. Each vendor was an exhibitor. Students could come by and ask questions about their industry and potential careers. The students also had a chance to tour the Renton Technical College.