Academic Career Planning - Wausau School District

All students in grades 6-12 are developing Academic and Career Plans guided by parents, teachers, and counselors. This plan is a step-by-step process that leads students through a series of tasks that provide direction toward career decisions. The following links include each secondary building's Academic Career Plans:

Career Readiness Mission
The Wausau School District cultivates a dynamic learning environment that equips students with the academic foundation, career-relevant skills, and self-discovery opportunities to navigate their unique paths to success.

Dynamic learning environment: Engaging and relevant learning experiences that cater to diverse learning styles.
Academic foundation: Building a strong foundation in core subjects.
Career-relevant skills: Developing critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
Self-discovery opportunities: Helping students explore their interests and strengths.
Unique paths to success: Acknowledging that there are many ways to define success.

Wausau School District
Academic & Career Planning Team

Andy Grimm
Coordinator of Pupil Services
Jon Winter
Career and Technical Education Coordinator
Kay Pickar
Career Center Coordinator
West High
Taylor Wilkowski
School Counselor - West High
Katie Gilles
School Counselor - East High
Susan Holster
Associate Principal - East High
Nicole Melander
School Counselor - John Muir
Angela Diener
Associate Principal - John Muir
Quillan Wiseman
School Counselor - Horace Mann
Scott Strand
Math Coordinator
Diana White
Communications Coordinator

Academic & Career Planning

The purpose of Education for Employment (E4E) planning is to detail and document how the Wausau School District supports our students with career awareness and exploration as well as career preparation, planning, and decision making. The mission of the Wausau School District is to advance student learning, achievement, and success. Accordingly, the WSD provides opportunities for every student to connect with learning that is relevant to their personal academic, social, and career goals.

Wausau School District staff are focused on engaging every student in the Academic and Career Planning (ACP) process so that every student can:

Better understand their talents, gifts, strengths, skills, interests, and passions
Explore career areas of interest and make connections to their personal and future goals
Prepare and plan for careers by engaging in purposeful academic, co-curricular, and career- and community-based learning experiences as informed consumers.

Academic and career planning is related to increasing the relevance of a student’s learning experiences. A student’s learning has more relevance when connected to their future plans. The learning experiences offered by the WSD provide insight into and discernment regarding post-secondary pursuits and education/training opportunities for success in a career area(s) of interest.

Chapter PI 26 (Education for Employment Plans and Program) purposes include:

Preparing elementary and secondary students for future employment
Ensuring technological literacy & promoting lifelong learning
Promoting good citizenship
Promoting cooperation among business, industry, labor, post-secondary schools, & public schools
Establishing a role for public schools in the economic development of Wisconsin

Executing plans and delivering programming leads to desired outcomes that can include the following:

Students and parents who are more well-informed consumers of education
Students are confident in awareness and knowledge of self
With that knowledge of self, students then engage in academic, career-based, co-curricular, and other aligned learning experiences
Increased knowledge about the purpose of E4E, career-based learning, and the Academic and Career Planning process
Students are more prepared for careers and can reflect and synthesize information for personal career planning, preparation, and decision-making

Implementing E4E and academic and career planning within the Wausau School District utilizes five (5) key career choice strategies to support students on their life, career, and college readiness journey:

Career Readiness Data

Career and Technical Education Participants

2022-2023: 1616 out of 1655 students participated in Career and Technical Education class 97.6%

Career and Technical Education Concentrators

2022-23, 526 out of 1655 students were CTE concentrators. A CTE Concentrator is a student who takes two sequential classes in the same pathway.

Students Participating in Work-based Learning - 103 students (2022-2023)

Youth Apprenticeship: 54
Marketing Internship: 30
Business Opportunities:26

Students Participating in Dual Enrollment:

Students Participating in Career and Technical Student Organizations: 521

Students Completing Industry-recognized credentials: Total 140

114 students qualified under the CTE Incentive Grant (Microsoft Office, Early Childhood Certs, CNA, Marketing Coop, DWD-Youth Apprenticeship, Union Brotherhood Trades Certs) + 26 students earning Wisconsin Employability Skills

Number of Employer Partners: 400+ (WABA, WATEA, CWIMA, DECA, NTC Advisory, Chamber of Commerce, Junior Achievement)

Number of Career-based Learning Experiences offered

Classroom Speakers (Independently and Junior Achievement)
Company Tours (all 8th graders attend industry lead Heavy Metal Tour)
Career Fair (Greater Wausau Youth Career and Hiring Fest)
Career Related Projects (Ag, Marketing, FCS, Bus. Opps.)
Part time or Summer jobs in YA, Business Opportunities and Marketing Coop
Job Shadows in the Career Centers and classes like Young Adult Medicine or Occ Mech II
Service Learning in Marketing and Agriculture
CTSO state and national competitions
School Based Enterprises at East and West
Supervised agricultural experiences
Marketing Internships at East and West
26 students enrolled in Business Opportunities earning the Wisconsin Employability Skills certifications
30 students are currently working on completing this in 2024
54 students are currently enrolled in Youth Apprenticeship in 2024

Number of local and regional career pathways offered: 15 total pathways (WSD-CLNA)

Approved Regional Career Pathways in the WSD:

Agriculture and Natural Resources
Architecture & Construction
Digital Technology
Education & Training
Finance
Manufacturing
Patient Care

Career Readiness Success Stories

Career Readiness in the Wausau School District

ACP Curriculum, Support, And Services

The Wausau School District uses the Academic and Career Planning process and various tools to ensure every student engages and supports students with career planning, preparation, and decision making. The following documents/links provide information about the ACP process including curriculum, lessons, and activities.

Grade Level Appropriate Career Readiness Activities and Career-based Learning Experiences

K-5: Career Readiness Activities
6-8: Career Readiness Activities
- John Muir Middle School ACP
- Horace Mann Middle School ACP
9-12: Career Readiness Activities
- East High ACP
- West High ACP

ACP/School Counseling Services

Whole School Support
Connecting pupils to teachers and other school staff for assistance with the development and implementation of each pupil's academic and career plan, including how your district implements these recommended Career Readiness Practices:

Students participate in regular career conversations to discuss their career interests, academic goals, and postsecondary plans with an adult.
Teachers in all subject areas help students in their classes understand how the content they are learning connects with various careers and career readiness skills.

Career Pathways

A career pathway is a series of connected career and technical education and training opportunities that move seamlessly into a postsecondary option for a specific career area.

High school students who participate in a career pathway are more likely to:
Graduate high school on time
Pursue a postsecondary credential
Complete post-secondary education in fewer years
Owe less in student loans
Gain access to a valuable network of job contacts
Gain important work-readiness skills

Outcomes of completing a career pathway: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED565467.pdf

Regional Career Pathways in the Wausau School District

Professional Development for Staff

The Wausau School District is committed to supporting our entire staff to become engaged in the career readiness process. We provide the following professional development to staff:

Provide staff with information about career readiness programs and resources available in the district and who students can go to for more intensive career advising is provided to all educators each year.
- Xello
- School Counselors
Career readiness professional learning is provided to all educators regularly on how to conduct equitable and inclusive career conversations with students.
- Preparation for course registration
Career readiness professional learning is provided regularly on how teachers in all subject areas can help students understand how the content they are learning connects with various careers.
- Career Pathways
- Career Trees
- Speakers (Mark C. Perna)
Onboarding for new leadership/staff
Professional learning for K-5 educators and staff

Preparing for the Future

The ACP program at Wausau School District ensures every student is prepared for life after high school no matter what path they plan to take. This includes:

Career and technical education provided in the school district:
- Wausau School District Career & Technical Education
- CTE Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment
Courses that provide advanced placement and/or advanced standing, dual credit at Wisconsin Technical Colleges and Universities upon graduation from high school.
- WEOP
  - Gear Up (gateway to Rising Phoenix)
  - Talent Search
  - Upward Bound
- List of Wausau School District Dual Credit Classes
  - Agriculture
    - Vet Science
    - Advanced Conservation and Horticulture
  - Business/Marketing
    - Accounting II
    - Accounting IV
    - Advanced Marketing
    - Microsoft Office
    - Keyboarding
    - Management and Entrepreneurship
    - Personal Financial Management
  - English
    - Speech
  - Family and Consumer Sciences
    - Aspiring Educators
    - Child Development
    - Early Childhood Services/Careers with Kids
    - Foods and Nutrition II
    - Foods and Nutrition III
    - Foods Science
    - Health Occupations I
    - Careers with Kids
  - Global Language
    - AP French
  - Mathematics
    - Algebra III
    - Pre-Calculus
    - Advanced Math
    - Intermediate Algebra
  - Science
    - Medical Terminology
  - Technology and Engineering
    - Metals II - Machine Tool Applications
    - Introduction to Welding
    - Woods II - Fundamentals of Furniture Making
    - Graphic Communications II and III
    - PLTW Fab Lab 1, 2
    - PLTW Principles of Engineering (POE)
    - PLTW Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM)
    - Occupational Mechanics I
    - Occupational Mechanics II
    - Auto Academy
Early College Credit Program and Start College Now
- DPI Dual Enrollment Information
Postsecondary education preparation Describe other ways in which you prepare students for all postsecondary education pathways. CTSO's- DECA, FCCLA, Skills USA
Youth apprenticeship or other job training and work experience List or link here
Instruction in skills related to employment Share how your district helps students develop employability skills, including the Industry-recognized Credentials you offer. MS Office, Early Childhood, Marketing Internship

Labor Market Information

Labor market information (LMI) can help students understand which jobs are most likely to be available and well-compensated. LMI is included in the ACP curriculum.

To access Labor Market Information for Career Clusters in Wisconsin CLICK HERE

Career Readiness is for ALL of Our Students

Individualized ACP Support, Access For All Students

The Transition Coordinator works closely with students, staff, and IEP teams to help determine post-secondary transition goals and plans. The Transition Coordinator assures that all special education teachers are aware of the opportunities their students are taking part in that can influence the post-secondary transition plans associated with the IEP process.

Individualized support, appropriate to each pupil’s needs, are provided through:

Accommodations and/or modifications may be made to support access to activities and instruction
Personalized transition planning, such as career counseling, work experiences, job shadows, or individual support in the job development and career exploration process
Workshops and conferences to learn about self-advocacy, independent living, age of majority, and financial literacy.
The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation which provides even grater opportunities for our students in career counseling, vocational assessment, assistive technology assessments, transportation, and financial support for post-secondary options.
Training and programming offered through the PAES Lab and Project SEARCH

Access For All Students

If a pupil is a child with a disability, the pupil's academic and career plan shall be made available to the pupil's individual education program team. The pupil's individualized education program team may, if appropriate, take the pupil's academic and career plan into account when developing the pupil's transition services.

Share additional information about how your district supports students from special populations in your ACP process.

Career Readiness Technology

Share information about the technology platform(s), like Xello, that your district provides students.
Inspire Platform
Xello

Get Involved

Family Engagement

The Wausau School District engages families and caregivers in academic and career planning by:

Regularly informing families and caregivers about career readiness activities.
- PT Conference - Career Fairs
- Family access to Xello
- Parent Teacher Advisory night
Providing multiple ways for families and caregivers to participate in career readiness activities.
Regularly informing families and caregivers about the progress of their student’s academic and career planning.
- 8th grade & 10th grade meetings with counselors - East 11th, West 12th conferences, Junior Parent/Guardian Night
- Direct Admit?
- Art Show
- Plant sale
Actively seeking feedback from students, families, and caregivers when regularly evaluating our career readiness activities, programs, and initiatives.
Share any other ways in which your district engages families and caregivers in the ACP process.

Contact information:

Community Partnerships

The Wausau School District is proud to collaborate with over 400+ business and community partners.

Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce Expo & Membership

Greater Wausau Youth Career and Hiring Fest: 116 businesses

Boys & Girls Club of Wausau
United Way of Marathon County
Marathon County Park & Rec
DC Everest School District
Aspirus Hospital
Connexus Credit Union

Central Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance (CWIMA): 75 members

8th Grade Heavy Metal Tour

Wisconsin Automotive and Truck Education Association (WATEA): 62 members

Transportation Career Expo

Wausau Area Builders Association: 200 members

Build My Future Event
Bricklayer 500 event

Northcentral Technical College Advisory Committees:

Welding
Machine Tool
Transportation Auto/Diesel
Marketing
Early Childhood Education
Agriculture
Aviation 101
Culinary

The Wausau School District's strategy to engage businesses, postsecondary education institutions, and workforce development organizations in implementing the education for employment program, including how your district implements this recommended Career Readiness Practices:

Our district actively seeks feedback from community, industry, and higher education partners when regularly evaluating our career readiness activities, programs, and initiatives.
Highlight Career-based Learning Experiences that are offered.