Career Action Plan
CAP
Advisory Program
2004-2005
Instructional Guide
Sophomore Program & Activities
Table of Contents
CAP Overview Chart
Session One: Welcome (Sep. 21, 2004)
What is CAP?
Activity: Introductions Inventory
Letter home to parent about CAP
Session Two: Testing (Oct. 12, 2004)
Learning about high school and post-secondary testing
Activity: NCAA Clearinghouse Forms
Session Three: Career Planning (Nov. 9, 2004)
Career Clusters, Occupational Factors
Activity: Influences on My Career Decisions
Activity: Your Fantasy Job
Session Four: Occupations and Job Characteristics (Nov. 30, 2004)
Career Interests
Activity: Review Kuder CPS Individual Results
Activity: Job Characteristics and Values
Session Five: Decision Making Skills (Jan. 11, 2005)
Alternatives & Choices
Postcard home to parent about upcoming Conference Scheduling
Activity: Jane’s Alternatives
Session Six: Pre-Registration (Jan 25, 2005)
Conference Schedule Sign-up Sheet
Letter home to parent with conference time
Activity: Hand out Course Recommendation sheets
Session Seven: Pre-Registration & Credit Audit (Feb. 8, 2004)
Confirm Conference Schedule Sign-up Sheet
Take up Course Recommendations
Postcard home to parent with conference time (hand delivered by students)
Activity: Review Credit Audit provided by Academic Counselor
Session Eight: Scheduling Conferences
CAP Conferences All Day, February 17, 2005
Session Nine: Graduation Requirements & GPA (Mar. 22, 2005)
Report cards, Transcripts, etc
Activity: Review Credit Audit provided by Academic Counselor
Session Ten: Career Portfolio (Apr. 19, 2005)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Developing a Portfolio
Activity: Updating Your Resume
Career Action Plan
DATE / 10th Grade
SOPHOMORE / 11th Grade
JUNIOR
September
Tuesday, 9/21 / Intro/Welcome / Intro/Welcome
October
Tuesday, 10/12 / Testing / Testing
November
Tuesday, 11/9 / Career Planning / Graduation Requirements & GPA
November
Tuesday, 11/30 / Occupations & Job Characteristics / Life Roles &
World of Work
January
Tuesday, 1/11 / Decision Making
Skills / Decision Making
Skills
January
Tuesday, 1/25 / Pre-Registration / Pre-Registration
February
Tuesday, 2/8 / Pre-Registration &
Credit Audit / Pre-Registration &
Credit Audit
FEBRUARY
THURSDAY, 2/17 / CAP CONFERENCES / CAP CONFERENCES
March
Tuesday, 3/22 / Graduation Requirements & GPA / Education Plans
College Information
April
Tuesday, 4/19 / Career Portfolio / Financial Aid & Scholarships
2004-2005 Calendar
Career Action Plan
Sophomore Advisory Program
Session One: Welcome & Introductions
What is CAP?
Activity: Introduction Inventory
Supplemental Activities: All about Me & Person Search
Parent Letter home about CAP
Ø Introduce yourself and the CAP program and check the list of who should be in your class during this advisory period. Turn in anyone absent to the Attendance Office. (Please send anyone not on your list to the nearest office to make sure they have been properly placed with an advisor.)
Ø Hand out the Introduction Inventory and allow students 10 minutes to complete them. Supplemental activities are provided if time allows. You may elect to use these at a later date.
Ø Hand out the letter to the parents and envelopes to be completed by students. Make certain you have written your name in the advisor blank in ink. Review with students the correct way to address an envelope. Once students have addressed envelopes, have them stuff and seal the envelopes. If a student is absent, please do these steps for them. Bundle envelopes, place your name on the bundle, and return to the Counseling Center no later than 4:00 pm today.
Ø If you have folders for students not on your list, please send them to the Counseling Center and the folders will be forwarded to the correct advisor.
All student materials should be kept in their CAP folders and the folders should remain with the advisor.
What is CAP?
Career Action Plan (CAP) is Cabot High School’s advisory program. Each faculty member serves as an advisor to approximately 18 students. This process begins at the junior highs and continues until the end of the Junior year. As a Senior, each CHS student becomes part of the larger advisory activity known as Senior Seminar.
CAP provides the following:
ü An individualized, comprehensive, and continuing career and academic guidance plan
ü A process that enables students and their parent/guardian to gain knowledge needed to make informed academic and career preparation decisions
ü A positive relationship with a small group of students and an adult
ü An ongoing assessment of students’ strengths, weaknesses, career and academic objectives
ü Short and long term goal setting to meet academic and career objectives
ü An opportunity to explore the possibilities and advantages of pursuing non-traditional careers
ü A supportive environment where skills, abilities, and interests play a key role in decision making
ü A team approach to meeting student and parent/guardian needs
ü Integration between academic and career areas of education
ü An organized method to distribute information and effectively use time
ü Another adult on campus with whom parents/guardians can develop a long term relationship that is beneficial to all involved
Activity: Introduction Inventory
This activity is an opportunity for you tell your advisor some things about yourself. You will have 10 minutes to complete this activity.
1. My name is ______.
2. Today’s date is ______.
3. Something special about me is______.
4. I’d rather ______than ______.
5. I like teachers that ______.
6. My favorite place to be is ______.
7. Something that bothers me is ______.
8. At our house we ______.
9. The most important person in the world is ______.
10. I wish I could ______.
11. I think school should be a place where ______.
12. I feel nervous when ______.
13. It makes me angry when ______.
14. I feel proud when ______.
15. My favorite subject at school is ______.
16. My least favorite subject at school is ______.
17. When I graduate from CHS I want to ______.
18. I want my career to be in ______.
19. One thing I’d like to know about my advisor is ______.
20. One thing I’d like my advisor to know about me is ______.
Activity: All about Me
This is an activity to give you an opportunity to know more about yourself. Read each of the following statements and complete the sentence. You will have 10 minutes to complete this.
1. Date/place of birth ______
2. Nickname/origin ______
3, My friends like me because ______
4, One thing I like about me ______
5, One thing I don’t like about me ______
6. Favorite book or movie ______
7. The person(s) who has had the greatest influence on my life ______
8. My heroes are ______
9. One accomplishment I am proud of ______
10. Career choice—how that occupation would fit with my personality ______
Activity: Person Search
This activity is designed to give you an opportunity to know more about your CAP classmates. When you find someone who fulfills the item, have that person write his/her name next to the item. You cannot have any person sign your sheet more than once. This is a timed activity; you have 7 minutes to complete it.
Find someone who…
1. Traveled outside the state this summer. ______
2. Was born in another state.______
3. Remembers the name of their kindergarten teacher. ______
4. Can count in a foreign language. ______
5. Had a part-time job this summer.______
6. Has a dog for a pet. ______
7. Knows the words to our alma mater. ______
8. Was on the Honor Roll more than once last year.______
9. Has green eyes. ______
10. Can play a musical instrument. ______
Cabot High School
401 N. Lincoln Street, Cabot, AR 72023
501-843-3562
Dear Parent/Guardian:
Welcome to the Career Action Plan (CAP) Program. This program is an important connection between students, teachers, and parents. We will be having a CAP Conference with you on February 17th, 2005 to plan coursework which will support your student’s academic and career path.
Your student will be attending CAP advisory sessions up until that conference time. Below you will find a CAP calendar to better inform you of what we’ll be discussing with your student at these sessions.
Your student’s CAP Advisor is ______.
If you have questions, please contact me via phone or email. We look forward to meeting with you in February.
Dr. Tony Thurman
Principal
September 21: Welcome & Introductions
October 12: Testing
November 9: Career Planning
November 30: Occupations & Job Characteristics
January 11: Decision Making Skills
January 25: Pre-Registration
February 8: Pre-Registration & Credit Audit
FEBRUARY 17: CAP CONFERENCES (STUDENT RELEASE DAY)
March 22: Graduation Requirements & GPA
April 19: Career Portfolios
Career Action Plan
Sophomore Advisory Program
Session Two: Testing
Learning about high school and post-secondary testing
Activity: What Tests Should I Take This Year?
Activity: What’s the Difference? Test Comparison
Activity: NCAA Clearinghouse Information
Ø Take roll. Turn in names of those who are absent to the Attendance Office.
Ø Hand out and review What Tests Should I Take This Year?
Ø Hand out and review What’s the Difference?
Ø Hand out and review NCAA Clearinghouse information
WHAT TESTS SHOULD I TAKE THIS YEAR?
PLAN
November, 24 2004
NO Fee
ALL Sophomores – The PLAN is a practice ACT exam and serves as a comprehensive resource that helps 10th graders assess their current academic development, explore career/training options, and make plans for the remainder of their high school years.
PSAT/NMSQT
October 13, 2004
Fee $11.00
Juniors – Qualification for the National Merit Scholarship Competition
Registration packets are available in the CHS Counseling Center.
ASVAB
November 24, 2004
NO Fee
Juniors – The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery is an aptitude test of vocational skills and readiness that helps students explore career and training options.
ACT
Offered 5 times per year
Fee: $28.00 ($42.00 with Writing)
Registration packets & test dates are available in the CHS Counseling Center.
Juniors – encouraged to take at least in the Spring
The ACT exam includes an interest inventory, biographical data, and four tests of educational development that are used by colleges for admission, advising, course placement, and scholarship selection.
SAT I-Reasoning Test
SAT II-Subject Test
Offered 5 times per year
Fee: $29.50 for SAT I $17.00 for SAT II
Registration packets & test dates are available in the CHS Counseling Center.
Juniors – encouraged to take in the Spring
The SAT I exam is primarily a multiple-choice test that measures verbal and mathematical reasoning abilities. Some colleges also require the SAT II subject tests which are available in a variety of subjects.
End of Course Literacy
March 9-10, 2005
Any student enrolled in any English Grade 11 course is required to take this comprehensive exam upon completion of the course.
End of Course Algebra
April 26, 2005
Any student enrolled in Algebra I is required to take this comprehensive exam upon completion of the course.
End of Course Geometry
April 28, 2005
Any student enrolled in Geometry is required to take this comprehensive exam upon completion of the course.
End of Course Vocational Tests
November-December 2004 (Fall)
April-May 2005 (Spring)
Each year, the Department of Workforce Education selects a specific set of vocational courses that will be given a comprehensive exam upon completion of the course. Instructors will notify students in the selected courses that are to be tested.
On-line sites for more information:
ACT www.act.org
PSAT/NMSQT
SAT www.collegeboard.com
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
A brief explanation of the differences between the SAT & ACT and the PSAT & PLAN college entrance exams:
Both the ACT and the SAT are accepted as college entrance exams across the state of Arkansas. If you plan on attending college outside the state of Arkansas, you may want to call that college and ask which test is preferred.
Begin Taking in the 11th Grade:
ACT – American College Test – Includes four tests of educational development in English, math, reading, and science reasoning that are based on the major areas of study in high schools and colleges. Also included are the high school course/grade information questionnaire, the ACT interest inventory, and the Student Profile Section.
ANSWER EVERY QUESTION…NO PENALTY FOR GUESSING!
SAT I – Scholastic Assessment Test – Measures verbal and math reasoning abilities, which develop over time; the work you do in school and on your own continually improves these reasoning skills. SAT I is designed to predict how well you are likely to do in college. The SAT does NOT measure important characteristics such as motivation, creativity, or special talents that can also help you succeed in college.
PENALTY FOR GUESSING…LEAVE SOME ANSWERS BLANK!
SAT II – Subject Tests – Measures knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge in specific subject areas. These tests demonstrate to colleges your mastery of specific subjects like English, history, mathematics, science, social studies, and languages. Check with the college of your choice to see what, if any, tests are required.
PRACTICING FOR THE ACT OR SAT
PLAN – Practicing for the ACT – taken 10th grade year
Ø PLAN tests English, math, science, and reading
Ø PLAN has no penalty for guessing, so answer EVERY question
Ø PLAN is written for 10th graders (based on most students being in geometry)
Ø PLAN includes an interest inventory to help suggest career fields
PSAT – Practicing for the SAT – taken in the 11th grade & possibly 10th grade years (counts for National Merit in the 11th grade)
Ø PSAT tests math reasoning abilities and verbal skills
Ø PSAT enforces penalties for wrong answers:
“0” for leaving blank
“-1/4” for incorrect answer
“+1” for correct answer
Ø PSAT is written for 11th graders (based on most 11th grade students being in Algebra II)
Ø PSAT includes a description of the career chosen by the student, as well as associated careers, related skills, and interests. Recommended high school courses are also suggested.
For more information contact:
ACT or PLAN: www.act.org
SAT or PSAT: www.collegboard.org
NCAA Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse Information for
Division I and Division II Institutions
In January, 1993, NCAA Division I and Division II voted to establish an Eligibility Clearinghouse to simplify the initial eligibility certification process. This process certifies the academic requirements for student athletes entering college and is designed to: