College & Career Readiness (CCR)

The CCR Department is dedicated to ensuring all Hartford Public School students have equitable access to high-quality college and career opportunities that will prepare them for the dynamic world of work and life beyond high school! It is our mission to inspire ALL students to create their own path towards success in and beyond school.

In relation to the District’s Model for Excellence, the College & Career Readiness Department Goals are to:

• Increase graduation rates
• Decrease Chronic Absenteeism
• Increase student perceptions of feeling safe & valued

Much of our work is done with 6th-12th grade students through the Student Success Plan (SSP) using a tool called Naviance.

College Readiness Initiatives currently underway include:

• All students in grades 6-12 have access to Naviance as an electronic Student Success Plan and a college & career readiness tool.
• Offering the PSAT, free of charge, to all Sophomores and Juniors during the school day
• Offering the SAT, free of charge, to all Juniors during the school day
• Increasing opportunities for students to take college courses while in high school
• Increasing college and career exploration for all students through college visits, career fairs, internships, and other meaningful experiences
• Increasing college partnerships to enhance the development of college-level academic skills
• Expanding the development of College and Career Readiness Plans so that each school has a roadmap for creating and sustaining a college-going culture

Other connections that support these goals include:

• The Hartford Promise: a scholarship program that is offered to all eligible Hartford students who maintain certain requirements.
• Khan Academy: students practice at their own pace, first filling in gaps in their understanding and then accelerating their learning to prepare them for the SAT.
• The College Board: an organization that connects students to college success.
• All In! Coalition: an organization working to drive post-secondary success in Hartford students. See below for more information about an initiative we are partnering on.

The ALL IN! for Seniors is a citywide-effort to rally behind the class of 2021 created by Hartford Public Schools and the ALL IN! Coalition for College and Career Readiness. Our goal is to ensure that all seniors have the resources and guidance they need to pursue whatever they’re interested in post-graduation. 

The Program:

The ALL IN! for Seniors Wednesday Workshop Series is a free online resource where your senior can attend webinars to help prepare for life after high school.

Every week your teen will be invited to a variety of sessions designed to help them prepare for college, the military, a trades program, or entering the workforce.

Examples of sessions include:

• How to Finance College
• Selecting a Trade Program and Certification Process
• Q & A with an Armed Forces Recruiter
• Choosing a Career Based on Your Strengths

We have gathered career counselors, college reps, business owners, and other experts from a variety of industries and specializations to present on each topic and answer student questions. 

How to Participate:

There is 1 ALL IN! for Seniors Wednesday Workshop date left in 2020: 12/16 – but there are more dates to come in 2021!

Seniors are automatically registered for these workshops and can view upcoming session topics via Google Classroom. This is also where they can watch live sessions.

Recording of the webinars is also available for both parents and students – scroll down to see links to previous sessions.

Along with providing valuable tips and resources, we also have prizes for students to encourage them to attend. Our grand prize is a new laptop. To be eligible to win the laptop, seniors must tune in live to 3 of the 4 Wednesday Workshops remaining 2020.

PARENTS: We need your help for the ALL In! for Seniors Initiative to reach its full potential.

As a parent or guardian, you are one of the most influential people in your child’s life during their preparation for the “real world.”

We put together this 5 step guide on how you can get more involved in your child’s planning and become an advocate for the ALL IN! for Seniors program:

1. Talk to your child about their plans after high school.
2. Remind your child to look over the workshop schedule and tune in to the topics that interest them on Wednesdays.
3. Watch the recording of the session (linked below) whenever you are free.
4. Discuss the workshops with your child and help them make a to-do list so they can implement what they learned.
5. Email us at jennifer.simmons@hartfordschools.org with any questions that you would like our experts to answer in a future seminar.

Watch Our Previous Wednesday Workshop Sessions

(Click on the titles to open the video links)

College Related Sessions:

• UCONN Live Tour Hartford Campus
• Financial Planning for college beyond tuition costs 
• Using online tools to find best-fit colleges
• Maximizing Winter Break 
• The College Essay
• UCONN Panel
• College Application Overview
• Goodwin Panel
• FAFSA
• College Application and Financial Aid Process for Non-US Citizens
• Intro to Manufacturing 

Career Related Sessions:

• Introduction To Career Specific Industry Fields – Health Care and Human Services
• Intro to Labor Market 
• Medical Assisting – Explore Pathways & Careers with CCC
• Intro to Career Specific Industry – Entrepreneurship
• Self-Reflection – Career Interest Inventory

Military Related Sessions:

• Military Service Overview
• More session videos coming soon

Staff Members:

The Department of College & Career Readiness is made up of the Executive Director of Post-Secondary Success & Alternative Programming and two district lead school counselors. Together the team works to support the School Counselors and College Career Specialists in each of the Hartford Public Schools.

For more information, please contact Dr. Dolores Garcia-Blocker, Executive Director of Post-Secondary Success & Alternative Programming.