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Academic and Career Planning at WDMS

Our mission statement in the School District of Wisconsin Dells (SDWD) is:  

Connect. Inspire. Achieve. Everyone, Every Day.  

Further, SDWD has a strategic objective to, “connect with all students to understand their passions so we can engage and inspire them to achieve,” as well as belief statements that commit us to high academic standards, implementation of evidence-based practices, and to collaborate with families and local organizations to develop a stronger community. All of these goals are reflected in Academic and Career Planning (ACP) in the SDWD.  

ACP is a student-driven, ongoing process that actively engages students to take the next step in their self-defined career pathway by enabling them to:

  • Understand their own interests, strengths, values, and learning styles.
  • Create a vision of their future.
  • Develop individual goals.
  • Prepare a personal plan for achieving their vision and goals.  

The term ACP refers to both a process that helps students engage in academic and career development activities as well as a product that is created and maintained for students’ academic, career, and personal achievement.  

ACP is intended to equip students and their families with the tools necessary to make more informed choices and postsecondary education, training, and careers for life after high school. It is part of Wisconsin’s vision for every student to graduate academically, socially, emotionally, and life ready.  

Wisconsin State Statute 115.28(59) requires that school districts be provided with computer software to be used statewide to provide ACP services to students in grades 6-12. The currently-provided software tool is Xello which allows each student to access a personal account provided by SDWD.   Students use this software to take career-related assessments, explore online career and college profiles, and get information about financial aid and employment. The Xello scope and sequence below provides an outline for SDWD implementation from grades 6-8. More detailed information about the content of each grade level is available by clicking on the grade-level.  

SDWD Xello Scope & Sequence:

6th Grade:

  • Interests
  • School Subjects at Work
  • Decision Making
  • Time Management

7th Grade:

  • Explore Learning Styles
  • Discover Learning Pathways
  • Biases and Career Choices
  • Jobs and Employers

8th Grade:

  • Skills
  • Explore Career Matches
  • Transition to High School
  • Self-Advocacy