Guidance

Our goal in the Career Discovery Program is to help our students explore the various career options available to them in today's society. Our junior students are strongly encouraged to participate in the Program as they begin planning for life after High School, as well as senior students who are undecided about a potential career path. After checking in with students about possible career interests through various career inventories and questionnaires, we begin contacting sites, allowing our students to visit and "interview" owners and employees. Our students observe the site's daily activities firsthand during their visit and tour. In addition to visiting sites, we create job shadowing and intern opportunities for students to experience the workforce firsthand. We also invite companies to attend our school for a Guest Speaker Series. We plan to continue expanding our program, enabling our students to gain sufficient experience to enter college with the confidence to declare a major and subsequently pursue a field they will enjoy for a lifetime.

At CHS, we provide direct instruction to our students in their planning for post-secondary life. Through informal assessments, class discussions, and the New Jersey Career Assistance Navigator (NJCAN), a web-based career exploration site, we collect information that guides college and career planning throughout a student’s four years here. We also encourage students to try new activities, build upon their interests, and get involved in their neighborhoods. We prompt them to participate in extracurricular activities and community service. We have a Community Service program in which the older students act as interns to a cooperating teacher at the Lower School. Our Career Discovery program is also an excellent opportunity for students to see various careers. As students progress through high school, we ask for more introspection from our students as we start to hone in on what they want to do in the future. The goal is always the same: creating a post-secondary plan matching an individual’s strengths, interests, and aspirations to achieve a successful future.

In the junior year, our guidance staff encourages students to visit colleges and other post-secondary options, and build a comprehensive resume that includes awards, achievements, involvement in community service practices, extracurricular activities, and paid work involvement. Also, several college representatives come and speak to our junior class.

For 12th grade college bound students, round table discussions on the social and emotional transition to college are provided to discuss topics such as dorm life, personal safety, navigating the social scene, and maintaining emotional health. Each senior has an individual meeting to discuss post-secondary education plans. Senior year focuses on narrowing options and interests and applying to colleges and transition programs.

We specialize in finding colleges and universities with comprehensive programs for students with learning differences. All students work directly with a school counselor and a senior advisor who assists them in completing applications, attaining letters of recommendation, meeting deadlines, constructing an essay, and updating their resumes and transitions. We pride ourselves on being highly involved in each step of the post-secondary process.

The Quest Program allows students ages 18-21 to continue their education in a familiar environment and gain additional preparation for their post-secondary education plans or for their entry into the workforce. Quest's differentiated and individualized academic classes and elective courses, along with life skills and executive functioning classes, provide our students with additional tools for the future.