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Elevate is a process that engages all students to advance goal-setting, decision-making, and self-advocacy skills that support lifelong learning. It involves customized learning opportunities, broadened perspectives, enhanced experiences, and support for reaching their goals. Elevate is backed by Virtual Job Shadowing, a complementary program that enables students to identify interests, explore careers, and plan to develop skills for job placement.
Elevate is much more than the basic requirements for an Individual Learning Plan (ILP). It is a process of embodying the school district’s FCPS Portrait of a Graduate.
Students in grades 6-12 work with mentors to customize their learning plans and document moments that support their achievements and preparation to excel in a global society. The district and its school prepare teachers, administrators, counselors, coaches, and families to mentor students. The focus is on building compatible relationships that foster sincere and open communication, which leads to authentic self-assessment and goal development.
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Why is it important?
This process increases student motivation and responsibility for their own learning. It encourages students to work hard to achieve their goals and become:
- Academically Prepared
- Students communicate effectively while applying content knowledge to real-world problems and creatively solving those problems both independently and in teams using critical thinking and contemporary digital tools.
- College & Career Ready
- Students develop and explore a variety of interests and career opportunities while developing professional skills necessary to succeed in today’s high tech global workforce.
- Civically Engaged & Culturally Competent
- Students become responsible leaders and active participants in our community who demonstrate civility, empathy, compassion, and respect for others. They also develop an understanding of different cultures and interact thoughtfully in diverse groups.
- Equipped for the Future
- Students practice setting goals while displaying the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the real world and reach targets like perseverance, self-confidence, personal responsibility, social/ emotional wellness, financial literacy, digital citizenship, and ethical behavior.
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How, when, and where does it happen?
Our schools set up Elevate Circles, led by mentors, to ensure that each student is engaged in exploring and defining their career goals and can make informed decisions about their postsecondary plans.
It takes time to build strong relationships that help promote responsibility, improve employability skills, and increase postsecondary readiness. It also requires a dedicated space where students feel safe and supported to explore all of their options realistically and to be genuine about their goals. Examples include homeroom, flex class, advisory period, College & Career Readiness class, and pathway courses.
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Virtual Job Shadowing
Virtual Job Shadowing empowers individuals to discover, plan, and pursue their dreams with a video-based career-planning platform. Our interactive tools help students and job seekers develop career paths based on choice, not chance. Virtual Job Shadowing motivates students to take control of their futures by planning for careers today, and our engaging videos take career exploration to a new level by connecting academics to the real world. This program provides students with opportunities for:
- Career and interests assessments
- Real-life virtual job shadowing videos
- Flex lessons to develop deeper knowledge of careers
- Life skills videos for employment enhancement
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Web tip: The URL shortcut to this page is fcps.net/elevate
