Urbandale High outlines ‘Pathways’ and moves to Xello for career planning

District staff updated the board on the district’s postsecondary-success work, including career-connected learning across preK–12, the high-school Pathways model and a transition from Naviance to Xello for career planning.

Brandon Schrell, the district’s director of teaching and learning, said staff have organized work groups aligned to life, career and college indicators and are developing a district career and academic plan. He explained that the statewide terminology has shifted from “work-based learning” to the umbrella term “career-connected learning,” which includes both career-exploration activities and sustained work-based learning experiences such as internships, employer partnerships, pre-apprenticeships and industry-recognized credentials.

Officials showed a Pathways preview for Urbandale High School that organizes classes around five service areas — applied sciences/engineering/manufacturing; human services and health sciences; information solutions/business/finance/marketing; and visual and performing arts — and described course sequences, credentials and a digital “flipbook” guide for students. The district is encouraging students to use pathways to explore rather than to lock into a single career track.

Administrators said the district has approved a move from Naviance to Xello as the career information system for grades six through 12; Xello will include a “matchmaker” tool and allow parents to view course selections for eighth- through eleventh-grade students. Staff described plans for classroom conversations about pathways and a roll-out that will include counselor and teacher support to help students set four‑year plans.

Presenters said they expect continued expansion of work-based learning and that the district is planning communications and parent access to the new system as it is implemented.