Introduction to the Graduation Project
An Individual Career Plan (ICP) is a process that assists the student and parents in relating the student's career interests and postsecondary higher education aspirations to individual aptitudes and achievements. The plan provides postsecondary plans and tentative career goals, identifies the steps that are required, and reinforces the commitment and responsibility of each student to take charge of his or her career. This plan is developed by the student, with assistance from parents and school personnel and is a requirement for graduation.

Students will complete a series of activities in grades 7-11 to complete the project (see timeline). Failure to complete the required components on-time will result in a progress report issued by the adviser. If components are late by more than a marking period, a conference will be scheduled with the student's parents, the principal, and guidance counselor. If required components are not completed by the end of the school year, the principal may take appropriate action which may include issuing a failing grade for "Graduation Project", or retention.

A formal exit review of the ICP will be done by a review panel during the final exam time of the student's junior year. If an unsatisfactory review is received, the second review must be completed before the end of the first semester of the senior year. If the student's work still does not meet approval, parents will be called to school for a conference. A completed, approved project will be required before a diploma is issued.

Review panels for graduation projects will be comprised of three faculty members. At least two of the panel members must "sign-off" on the plan for it to be approved. The adviser will not be a member of the panel.

The adviser must approve the plan before it is submitted for final review. The student will present to the adviser the final written copy of the ICP two weeks prior to the review. After approving the ICP, the adviser will forward three copies to the review team. The review team must have these copies at least one week prior to the formal review presentation. At the final review, the student must make a presentation about their ICP. A maximum of ten minutes for the presentation and five minutes for questions will be provided.
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Freshman Requirements
Component C: End of the first semester--Students must submit a typed, two page paper including:
a) his/her current career choice,
b) why s/he chose this career,
c) what skills are needed for this career area,
d) the postsecondary education required (if any) for this career,
e) the high school education needed,
f) what program of study they will follow in high school including any specific courses they plan to take in preparation for this career,
g) the average salary and salary range, and
h) the sources of this information.

Component D: By course selection time for tenth grade--The student will submit a summary of the courses selected for tenth grade. Any changes from the previous paper will be clarified. The advisor will meet with the student at this time to assist in course selection and will sign the course selection form.
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Sophomore Requirements
Component E: End of the first semester--Within the first twenty days of school, the advisor will assign the student a career area to research. The area assigned will not be closely related to the area researched in the freshman year. The purpose of this assignment is to broaden the student's career area knowledge, provide them with information of a career area in which they may have limited knowledge, and provide additional practice for career research skills. The student will complete assignment sections c, d, e, g and h.

By course selection time: The advisor will meet with the student at this time to assist in course selection and will sign the course selection form.

Component F: By the end of the year: The student will discuss Component C with the advisor and edit where necessary. An additional requirement will be added at this time. Part "i" will consist of information from the guidance office's GIS system relating the plan to possible training/education institutions. If the GIS system does not contain the appropriate information, the student will submit a list of options discussed with their guidance counselor. In either instance, part "i" must be co-signed by the counselor.

During the school year: Students will be administered the Differential Aptitude Test and the California Occupational Preference Survey.
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Junior Requirements
Component G: By the end of the first semester: The student will write a two-page paper relating the results of the Differential Aptitude Test and the California Occupational Preference Survey to his/her career plan. The student will identify: a) areas of strength, b) areas to improve, c) how these areas correlate to the skills needed for his/her career objective. The parents will sign this paper. The advisor will provide written feedback to the student. If the advisor believes the student's career objectives are unrealistic based on this information, s/he will meet with guidance counselor and principal. If they concur with the advisor, the guidance counselor and principal will schedule a conference with the student and parents.

Component H: By the end of the year: The final ICP will be completed in written form (using Component C sections "a" through "i") and submitted to the advisor two weeks prior to the review date. Upon approval of the advisor, the advisor will forward three copies of the plan to the review panel. The student will be scheduled for the formal review and will have ten minutes to present his/her plan with an additional five minutes reserved for questions. The plan must be approved by two of the three panel members to be considered complete. Component H must be approved for graduation.
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Senior Requirements
If the ICP has not received final approval, the student has until the end of the first semester to resubmit his/her plan and complete another final review process. If this deadline is not met, a parent conference will take place with the advisor, guidance counselor, and principal. At this conference, strategies will be developed so that the student can complete this graduation requirement.
The advisor will continue to meet with the student to: a) assist in pursuing the appropriate education/training/employment, b) communicate application guidelines, c) assist in developing interview, job-related, and/or education-related skills.
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