Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow
Academic and Career Planning
What is Academic & Career Planning?
Academic and Career planning, or ACP, is a student-driven, ongoing process that actively engages students enabling them to:
- Understand their own interests, strengths, values, and learning styles,
- Create a vision of their future,
- Develop individual goals, and
- Prepare a personal plan for acheiving their vision and goals.
Columbus School District uses Xello to help with Academic and Career Planning.
- Xello is software that helps students in grades 6-12 learn about themselves, explore, and create personalized pathways.
- Xello is one tool to help with Academic and Career Planning.
Resources
Academic Planning Information
Xello
Xello:
Xello is a career planning software tool for students in grades 6-12 to create their very own, unique roadmap for future success - enabling them to discover their own personalized pathway through self-knowledge, exploration, and planning.
All students in grades 6-8 are encouraged to complete the following: Career Matchmaker, Personality Style, and Learning Style. Students will also complete additional lessons with their School Counselor.
Xello Log-In Information:
Xello Website
- Username: COLU-(5 Digit Student ID)
- Password: Birthday MMDDYYYY
(8 digits with no spaces and no symbols)
With Xello, students will:
- Build Self-knowledge
Define their interests, skills, preferences, and aspirations
- Explore Options
Learn about career possibilities and educational pathways
- Create a Plan
Create dynamic actionable plans that outline steps needed to achieve school, career, and life goals
- Learn & Reassess
Interactive lessons help develop age appropriate skills and knowledge for success in school and life
CHS Grade Level Information
9th Grade (Freshman)
10th Grade (Sophomore)
-
Individual Planning Conferences:
- All sophomores will have the opportunity to participate in a Individual Planning Conference with their School Counselor. This planning conference will focus on the following topics:
- Graduation Requirements/Academic Progress
- Post-Secondary Planning
- Start College Now & Early College Credit
- Youth Apprenticeship
- Xello
- Planning Conferences will be held in November & December after 1st trimester
- Sophomore Presentation - coming soon
- Sophomore Conference Checklist - coming soon
- Sophomores will also have additional whole-group Academic & Career Planning Conferences
Additional Resources for Sophomores:
- All sophomores will have the opportunity to participate in a Individual Planning Conference with their School Counselor. This planning conference will focus on the following topics:
11th Grade (Junior)
-
Individual Planning Conferences:
- All Juniors & their Parents/Guardians will have the opportunity to participate in a Individual Planning Conference with their students School Counselor. This planning conference will focus on the following topics:
- Graduation Requirements/Academic Progress
- Post-Secondary Planning/College Admission Information
- ACT Information
- Start College Now & Early College Credit
- Youth Apprenticeship
- Xello
- Meetings typically held in March/April following 2nd trimester
- Junior Student/Parent Presentation
- Junior Planning Conference Checklist
- Junior Student Survey
- Junior Parent Survey
Additional Resources for Juniors:
- All Juniors & their Parents/Guardians will have the opportunity to participate in a Individual Planning Conference with their students School Counselor. This planning conference will focus on the following topics:
12th Grade (Senior)
-
Individual Planning Conferences:
- All Seniors will have the opportunity to participate in a Individual Planning Conference with their School Counselor. This planning conference will focus on the following topics:
- Graduation Requirements/Academic Progress
- Post-Secondary Planning/College Admission Information
- ACT Information
- Transcript Requests/Final Transcripts
- Financial Aid
- Placement Testing
- Start College Now & Early College Credit
- Xello
- Meetings typically held in September & October
- Senior Class Presentation
- Senior Planning Conference Checklist
Additional Resources for Seniors:
- Academic Plan Progress Report
- Graduation Requirements
- Early Graduation - please see Student Services for more information
- ACT Information
- Post-Secondary Planning
- College Admission Information
- Financial Aid Information
- Placement Testing Information
- Xello Access Information
- Start College Now & Early College Credit
- Youth Apprenticeship
- Infinite Campus Course Selection Instructions
- Scholarship Information
- Transcripts
- All Seniors will have the opportunity to participate in a Individual Planning Conference with their School Counselor. This planning conference will focus on the following topics:
CHS Course Catalog
Columbus High School Course Catalog
-- CLICK HERE --
Columbus High School
2024-25
Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow
Graduation Requirements
The following total and subject-specific credits are required to graduate from Columbus High School. It is the responsibility of the student to earn the following credits with passing grades:
|
Subject Area |
Class of 2024 & 2025 only |
Class of 2026 and beyond |
|
English |
4.5 |
4.0 |
|
Mathematics |
3.5 |
3.0 |
|
Science |
3.0 |
3.0 |
|
Social Studies |
3.0 |
3.0 |
|
Physical Education |
1.5 |
1.5 |
|
Health |
0.5 |
0.5 |
|
Fine Arts |
0.5 |
0.5 |
|
Financial Literacy |
0.5 |
0.5 |
|
Career & Tech Ed |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
Electives |
8.5 |
All additional classes will count toward total credits required |
|
Total |
26 |
26 |
|
Financial Literacy: Pass 0.5 credits of Personal Finance OR Economics (.5 credits included in the above 26 total) |
||
|
Civics Test: All students must pass a civics test. Students are allowed to retake the test if needed. |
||
*Art or Music courses satisfy the Fine Arts graduation requirement.
*Agriculture, Business and Technology, and Engineering courses satisfy the Career & Tech Ed graduation requirement.
*Please refer to the Course Guide for more information about CHS Graduation Requirements.
*To view a student's credit status, please log onto the student portal on Infinite Campus and follow these instructions on how to view a student's academic progress plan report.
Scholarships
Scholarships Available
-
Information about the following scholarships can be found by clicking the corresponding link.
Complete Guide to College Scholarships
Wisconsin Scholarship Directory - a list of 100+ vetted scholarships for students across the region, broken down by month.
Scholarships.org (Varies by scholarship)
Going Merry Scholarships (Varies by scholarship)
Wisconsin Department of Instruction Scholarships/Resources
American Legion Auxillary Scholarships (Many scholarships; various deadlines)
Department of Public Instruction Scholarship Resources (Various deadlines)
Healthcare Administration Scholarships (Various deadlines)
Americanism Programs & Scholarships (Various deadlines)
American Legion Scholarships (Various deadlines)
Financial Aid for Healthcare Students
WATDA Automotive Scholarship https://www.watda.org/scholarship.html (Deadline: January 15, 2025)
The following scholarships/applications can be found in Student Services:
- Columbia County Pork Producers Scholarship
- Wisconsin Metals Scholarship (Deadline: April 1, 2025)
- Wisconsin School Counselor Scholarship (Deadline: December 11, 2024)
-
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Career Planning
Career Clusters/Pathways
Career Clusters and Pathways
-- CLICK HERE --
Columbus School District
Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow
Youth Apprenticeship
Youth Apprenticeship Employment Opportunities:
EK Machine - Fall River, WI
- Positions available: CNC Machinists, Assembly, Welding, Fabrication & Painting
- If interested apply online at: https://www.ekmachine.com/careers/
Metalcraft - Fall River, WI
- If interested apply online at: https://www.mtlcraft.com/careers/
- Metalcraft Video #1
- Metalcraft Video #2 - Corporate Video
- Metalcraft Powerpoint - Looking for more information? Check here!
Schumann Printers - Fall River, WI
- If interested, please reach out to Mr. Crombie!
Royle Printing - Sun Prairie, WI
- Learn from one of the fastest-growing printers in America.
- Pay begins at $14/hour
- Apply online at: www.royle.com OR email Dawn Webber at: dwebber@royle.com
Youth Apprenticeship Information
College Planning
Post-Secondary Planning
- Two-year/Four-year College & University
- University of Wisconsin-System Information: https://www.wisconsin.edu/
- UW Help Website: https://uwhelp.wisconsin.edu/
- WI Private Colleges & University Information: http://www.wisconsinsprivatecolleges.org/
- Technical College
- WI Technical College Information: http://www.witechcolleges.org/
- Madison College Information: https://madisoncollege.edu/
- Military
- Please check here for more information: https://www.military.com/join-armed-forces
- Contact your local recruiter and maintain contact throughthe school year
- ASVAB Testing is scheduled for each school year, contact Student Services for more information
- Workforce
- Look for prospective jobs in spring of your Senior Year and prepare:
- Resume
- Three References (non-related adults)
- Three Letters of Recommendatino (non-related adults)
- Obtain job applications of interest
- Look for prospective jobs in spring of your Senior Year and prepare:
College Readiness
ACT and Placement Testing
ACT Information:
- An ACT score is required for all new freshmen applications to a 2-year & 4-year university
- All Juniors take the ACT Plus Writing in the Spring at Columbus High School free or charge
- Any students wishing to take the ACT again, please register online at:
Placement Testing Information
- All UW System schools require placement testing in English and Math. Foreign Language is optional.
- Scores of these tests determine which courses you are allowed to enroll in during registration.
- Information will be sent to students in the Spring via email or student portal.
- Students are allowed to take placement tests at any of the UW Campuses.
For more information please visit: UW Center for Placement Testing
Financial Aid
Financial Aid Information:
- The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) begins to accept applications on October 1st.
- To Apply for the FAFSA: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ -> Click "Start a New FAFSA"
- Apply for Financial Aid early
- Save a complete file for all Financial Aid papers.
- Be careful to ONLY use the FAFSA website listed above
- To Apply for the FAFSA: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ -> Click "Start a New FAFSA"
- Madison College FAFSA Presentation
- College Goal WI
- 2021 College Goal Wisconsin FAFSA Completion Event
Scholarships
2024 Local Scholarship Information
2024 Scholarship Recipients
Scholarships Available
Information about the following scholarships can be found by clicking the corresponding link.
Complete Guide to College Scholarships
Wisconsin Scholarship Directory - a list of 100+ vetted scholarships for students across the region, broken down by month.
Scholarships.org (Varies by scholarship)
Going Merry Scholarships (Varies by scholarship)
Wisconsin Department of Instruction Scholarships/Resources
American Legion Auxillary Scholarships (Many scholarships; various deadlines)
Department of Public Instruction Scholarship Resources (Various deadlines)
Healthcare Administration Scholarships (Various deadlines)
Americanism Programs & Scholarships (Various deadlines)
American Legion Scholarships (Various deadlines)
Blake Tinman Foundation Scholarship for Mental Health (Deadline: April 1, 2025) https://www.blakestinman.com/scholarships
Ab Nichols Basketball Scholarship (Deadline: February 1, 2025) http://www.AbNicholasScholars.org
Prevent Suicide Columbia County Scholarship (Deadline: March 1, 2025) https://forms.gle/vqJzr4cqwKTmzmZ56
Marine Credit Union (Deadline: February 9, 2025) https://apply.mykaleidoscope.com/program/MCUMemberScholarship2025
Zonta Young Women in Leadership Scholarship (Deadline: February 8, 2025) https://www.zonta.org
Wisconsin Education Association Teachingi Scholarship (Deadline: January 29, 2025) http://www.weac.org/awards-scholarships
The following scholarships/applications can be found in Student Services:
To open Adobe PDF Files, you'll need to install Adobe Reader. Get Adobe Reader
- Financial Aid for Healthcare Students
- Dodge County 40 Et 8 Registered Nursing Scholarship (Deadline: March 15, 2025)
- Columbia County Association of Snowmobile Clubs (Deadline: March 31, 2025)
- Wisconsin Garden Club Federation (Deadline: April 1, 2025)
Transcripts
For transcript requests, please call the Student Services Office at 920.623.5950 x2104 or email Ms. Dunbar at kdunbar@columbus.k12.wi.us.
Please note: If you are a minor student (under the age of 18), you will need to have your parent/guardian sign the Permission to Release Records form before your"official" transcript can be sent anywhere. Signed forms can be returned to Student Services.
Early College Credits
Start College Now & Early College Credit Program
- Start College Now Application
- Early College Credit Program Application
- SCN & ECCP Parent/Student Guidelines
- SCN & ECCP Student Presentation
SCN/ECCP Application Deadlines:
- Spring Semester: October 1st
- Fall Semester: March 1st
Additional SCN/ECCP Information
CHS Scheduling
Course Selection Information:
In late January, CHS students in grades 9-11 are given information and instructions regarding course seletion and scheduling for the following school year. Students and their parents/guardians will discuss course information together before students submit their course selections online through Infinite Campus. Fore more information, please refer to the 2020-21 Course Catalog. Students and parents/guardians are encouraged to contact a School Counselor with questions regarding course selection and future career plans.
Incoming freshmen will receive course selection information from their School Counselor in late January. Information is also presented to both students and parents/guardians at an 8th grade Parent Night in January.
Infinite Campus Student Course Registration Instructions
Schedule Change Policy:
Upon receiving student course requests, the School Counselors along with administration put a great deal of time and effort into preparing student schedules with the goal of creating schedules that best meets the needs of all students. Because of this, there will be a very limited schedule changes. The following guidelines will be used to determine if a schedule change will be granted:
- Students will be allowed to drop a class within five school days of the trimester
- No changes can be made on the first day of each new trimester
- Students will need to complete a course change request form
- All schedule changes will be subject to class availability and class size
- A change may not be granted if it would reduce the class size to less than 10 students
- Any student wishing to drop a course after five school days, will receive an “F” for that course, unless there are extenuating circumstances approved by Student Services and Administration
- Students may drop a course between 5-10 school days ONLY to pick up a study hall
- All schedule changes are subject to administration approval and discretion
Summer School Credit Recovery:
The high school summer credit recovery program will provide your child with structured time to relearn/redo the content from a failed class. This will allow the student to earn .5 credits per class towards high school graduation. The summer school program will operate from June 13th to July 3rd . Classes will meet Monday through Thursday from 8:00AM to 9:45AM, or from 10:00AM to 11:45AM. Qualifying courses that your child may have failed for a trimester are: Any English, Math, Social Studies or Science classes. Students must complete the assigned work with a passing grade in order to be earn credit for the course. Students will be assigned to an hour and 45 minute work session per day and will be required to attend every day until he or she completes the coursework successfully. Students will no longer have to attend summer school once the required topics are completed. Students with two failing trimester grades in two separate classes may sign up for a second session. Please keep in mind that if a student fails two or three trimesters of a single class, they will not have enough time to complete the remediation, and must retake the class during the regular school year.