What we do at STVM to prepare our students for "the next step"

• The Guidance Department hosts a College fair with 100 college admissions representatives.
• New in 2010 students will be able to job shadow nurses, radiologists, pharmacists, lab specialist, physical therapists in local hospitals.
• Mrs. Knapp organized a video conference with The Cleveland Clinic and students in our school interested in the field of nursing.
• All of our sophomore, junior and senior students are given at account on a website called Kuder Navigator. This program offers 3 career assessments  that match students with a list of careers that should fit their interests, values and skills. The student will have this account after they leave STVM. There is a great college link that allows students and parents to see the colleges that offer the major your child is interested in. You may have a parent account to see what your child has been looking into.
• Mrs. Knapp leads a Career Exploration Group 3 times a year. These groups run for5 to 6 weeks and provide our students the chance to take the Self Directed Search, find careers that fit their personality. Lastly they research colleges that have the major(s) they are looking for.
• Career Connections Day-  Juniors and Seniors have the opportunity to speak to 50 professionals from various backgrounds. 
• The Guidance department organizes a college readiness presentation with the help of a John Carroll University Admissions Representative to the Juniors in early February and a sophomore parent night in March.
• Mrs. Knapp goes into the religion classes during the first few weeks of class to talk to  the seniors and make sure they are on the right track. She administers the Self Directed Search and every student is able to explore their career interests. The last day of presentations Mrs. Knapp goes over financial planning. Seniors receive a break down of the things they should be doing month by month. This document is on our website as well.
• Mrs. Knapp administered the Self Directed Search in the Plan classes in the Spring. After the SDS was scored, the students learned about the jobs that fit to their personality. Every student goes through college and career books and wrote down schools and careers they would explore further.
• Mr. Rotunda & Mr. Endress go into the NHS, and class meetings through the year to talk about college preparation and scholarships.
• The Guidance Department uploads the latest scholarship information onto our website.
• We host a Financial Aid night every year for Seniors and  their parents.
• Junior Parent Night – this is a time for parents of juniors and sophomores to learn what their child should be doing in order to be prepared for college.  – An instruction book for parents of college bound students is mailed home.
• Mr. Rotunda and Mr. Endress go into the sophomore and junior English classes to go over the PLAN and PSAT results and how to utilize them. They encourage students to take Mrs. Korllos’s class to prepare them for the ACT.
• The college counselors begin calling juniors into their office to go over the college search process and advising students on the ACT and SAT. They recommend student take the ACT more than once. If the student is thinking of a highly selective school they MUST take every portion of the SAT or ACT. They also prepare them to apply for scholarships.
• College representatives visit students during lunch.
• Seniors are called into the college counseling office from the beginning of school to make sure they have a plan for after graduation. Letters are sent home to parents if their child did not send a college application out by January. If specific scholarships come in that apply to our seniors the college counselors make sure the students have the application.
• The guidance webpage has many helpful resources.

STVM Family,

With career exploration it is important to remember that a person is still trying to discover who they are during high school. If you don’t know who you are, how do you know what you want to be in your career?  It takes time and experience to know these things. We are trying everything we can to get  students exposed to different careers and to get them thinking about their future. It’s ultimately up to them and their path to personal discovery which will then lead to career discovery.

As you support them on this journey please k eep in mind about 80% change their major at least once when they are in college.  It’s like trying on a pair of shoes, if they don’t fit you try on another pair. The process takes time. If you have any concerns and would like me to meet with your child regarding their career and college choices please call me at 330-996-0023 ext. 138 or e-mail me at eknapp@stvm.com  

Go Irish!