Local students have access to new career-planning tool
Students at Bert Church High School in Airdrie have a new option for career planning that may be available to other students in the Rocky View Schools (RVS) division in the near future.
Principal Pam Davidson and guidance counsellor Tracey Sweetapple presented the RVS board with an overview of myBlueprint, an interactive education-planning tool, Jan. 17.
The online program, for students in grades 7 to 12, enables students to choose courses, research post-secondary institutes and programs, and explore options that might fit their strengths, interests and abilities, so they can make informed decisions about their career paths.
Bert Church High School piloted myBlueprint in the 2011-2012 school year and Sweetapple said it is proving to be a value tool.
“It is so comprehensive,” she said.
“Everything is right there at your fingertips.”
The tool allows students to track their completed and current courses and a graduation indicator also helps keep students informed of their progress.
Students can also create portfolios that document school, volunteer and extracurricular activities, to allow students to more easily create resumes and cover letters.
Sweetapple said myBlueprint offers something for everyone.
“What I love about the program is it is strength based,” she said. “Even when teachers and administrators are struggling with (how to direct) a student… this program will show those strengths.”
The cost of the program is about $2 per student and once accounts are created, they can be used throughout the student’s academic career, even in post-secondary.
Sweetapple said 841 students are using the tool, adding Bert Church High School has the third highest login rate of all participating schools across Alberta.
She said there is opportunity to connect myBlueprint to PowerSchool, an online communication tool now used across the Rocky View School division.
According to an RVS report, Bert Church will begin collecting data and anecdotal feedback in the spring to measure student use and the overall success of myBlueprint.
The school’s administration plans to share these results with the jurisdiction and its school community via its website, Twitter account, registration materials and through its school councils.
RVS will determine whether or not to adopt the tool jurisdictionally after reviewing the data from Bert Church and George MacDougall High School, which also is in its first year of implementation of the tool.
“I think this is a fabulous program,” said Trustee Sylvia Eggerer.
More than 500,000 students in 50 school districts across Canada are using the program, according to Davidson.
For more information, visit www.myblueprint.ca
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