Supported Transitions
Helping students navigate where they are and where they're going.
Every transition is an opportunity to either build momentum or lose it.
Moving from elementary to middle school. From middle to high school. From high school into college, a trade, the workforce, entrepreneurship, or whatever comes next.
I want our students to have support through those transitions, not just a list of requirements and a deadline.
Because being prepared for the next step is about more than knowing what class to take. It's about knowing where you're going, what options exist, and who can help you get there.
The Transition Doesn't Start on Graduation Day
Students shouldn't have to reach senior year before they're asked what they want to do after high school.
Career exploration, mentorship, exposure to different professions, and conversations about postsecondary options can happen much earlier. That doesn't mean asking a 12-year-old to choose a career. It means giving students opportunities to discover what interests them and helping those interests develop over time.
Two Transitions Matter
School to School
Every time a student moves to a new school, they're navigating more than a new building.
New teachers. New expectations. New schedules. New social environments. New academic demands.
I want to explore ways to make those transitions more intentional, including stronger communication between schools, opportunities for students and families to understand what comes next, and earlier identification of students who may need additional support.
The goal isn't to eliminate every challenge. It's to make sure students aren't navigating them alone.
School to Life
There isn't one definition of success after high school.
For some students, that's a four-year college. For others, it's a community college, trade school, apprenticeship, military service, certification, entrepreneurship, or entering the workforce.
Indiana already recognizes multiple pathways through its graduation requirements, including employment, enrollment, and service, as well as work-based learning experiences.
I want Franklin Township students to understand those options before graduation and have meaningful opportunities to experience them.
What Could This Look Like?
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Bring students into contact with professionals, businesses, tradespeople, colleges, and community organizations before they have to make major postsecondary decisions.
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Connect students with adults working in fields they're curious about so they can ask questions, see the work firsthand, and start building relationships.
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Build stronger connections between our schools and local businesses, organizations, colleges, trades, and professionals to create a pipeline of internships, apprenticeships, job shadows, and other work-based learning opportunities. Franklin Township already has infrastructure for this.
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Create stronger bridges between elementary, middle, and high school so students and families know what to expect before they arrive at the next stage.
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College should be an option. So should skilled trades, apprenticeships, certifications, entrepreneurship, and direct entry into the workforce.
The Goal: Help Students See What Comes Next
My Own Experience
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I know what it feels like to do well in school and still wonder, “what will I do?” I graduated with honors, worked hard, and did everything I was supposed to do, but I still didn't have a clear picture of where it was all leading. That experience has stayed with me and it's why I believe preparing students for life after school has to be about more than simply preparing them to graduate.
More Than One Path
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I don't want every student to leave Franklin Township with the same plan. College can be the right path for some. For others, it might be a trade, apprenticeship, certification, entrepreneurship, or entering the workforce. Our job isn't to choose their future for them. It's to make sure they know their options and have the support to pursue them.
Start Earlier
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Students shouldn't have to reach senior year before they start thinking about what comes next. Career exploration, mentorship, job shadowing, internships, and exposure to different careers can start much earlier and evolve as students learn more about themselves and their interests.
Build on What Already Works
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We don't have to start from scratch. Indiana schools are already using internships, apprenticeships, career exploration, and other work-based learning opportunities. I want Franklin Township to learn from what's working elsewhere, connect with local businesses and community partners, and ask: What could we build here?