The Paradise Valley Unified School District opened College and Career Centers at five district high schools in the 2007-08  school year.  These highly anticipated Centers were made possible by The Foundation for Public Education (TFPE) Supporting PVUSD.

The Foundation’s generous funds helped supply each of the Centers with a full-time College and Career Specialist. The College and Career Centers (and their specialists) are located at these PVUSD high schools:

• Horizon – Susan Ruby
• North Canyon – Joni Bauchmoyer
• Paradise Valley – Clif Forrest
• Pinnacle – Kelly LaPorte & Tracy Jonsson
• Shadow Mountain – Beth Piazza

Students at each of the high schools have access to the College and Career Centers every school day. The College and Career Specialists are available before school, during students’ lunch and after school for convenience.  Students must obtain passes to visit the CCC during class time.  Typical questions/concerns that students can receive assistance with include, but are not limited to:

• I don’t know what I want to major in at college?
• What school is best for me?  Should I go to a community college first?
• Will any colleges visit my high school?  How do I sign up to attend the visits?
• What if I want to go directly into the workforce after high school?
• How do I decide what I want to do with the rest of my life?  Are there other options besides a traditional college experience?
• How am I going to pay for college?
• Who do I talk to about joining the military?
• When do I need to take the SAT or ACT?  How do I register for these tests?
• I want to prepare for the SAT/ACT but where can I find study tools?
• What’s required if I want to play sports in college?
• Where do I find information about scholarships?
• How do I order transcripts for colleges, scholarships, etc.?
• Explanation of the college application and financial aid process

All students, grades 9-12, are welcome and invited to visit the College and Career Centers.  It is never too early to begin planning for the next step after high school – no matter what that step may be.  Parents are invited to stop in and visit the Centers  — a valuable resource for all students and families.

PVUSD College and Career Center
Specialists help students with:

• Coordinating college & career and scholarship information
• Providing financial aid and other aspects of orienting students to post-secondary life
• Maintaining college/career folder for students
• Personally interviewing each senior regarding post-secondary plans
• Scheduling visits for two- and four-year college recruiters and armed services
• Assisting students with financial aid information
• Matching students to scholarships and financial aid opportunities
• Compiling data regarding scholarships and financial aid
• Facilitating career expos and presentations

Family Connection

A valuable tool available to our students/families, College and Career Specialists, counselors and faculty is Family Connection. Family Connection is a Web data base that allows students, parents, teachers and counselors to store information, locate and investigate information for college, scholarships, careers and much more. Students and parents will enter Naviance through an area called Family Connections. PVUSD high school students access Family Connection from their school’s Web page using their pogB user ID and external password. Family Connection offers many college and career planning tools like:

• interest surveys
• career exploration
• free test preparation (SAT & ACT)
• college searches
• scholarship searches
• ordering transcripts, and
• college visit schedules

In addition, links for many valuable Web sites are posted in Family Connection. Computers are available in the College & Career Centers for students to use for college- and career-related needs.

Example Resources:

College-going seniors Web links and information — 
Paradise Valley High School C&CC specialist, Clif Forrest