CCHS Seniors prepare for life after graduation with ‘transitions’ class

The school year is nearly over at Cook County High School (CCHS). While most students are gearing up for summer vacation, the Seniors are preparing for the next phase of their life. A class at CCHS aims to help those students navigate their post-graduation plans.

This is the second year that CCHS has offered the transitions class open to all Seniors. Previously, Julie Bishop taught a transitions class through special education, specifically for students with an individual education plan. The newer class is an elective that any Senior can take, and is co-taught by Bishop and Amanda Beal. Beal was a major advocate for expanding the opportunity to take a transitions class to the entire Senior class. She and ISD 166 School Counselor Kelly Kotowicz spoke with WTIP about how the course supports students as they plan for life after graduation.

Kotowicz said that interest in the class was not limited to school staff. She said, “I heard from parents in the community, and even students, how much they were unprepared for going to the next steps after high school. So that made sense that we should help prepare students even better.”

Beal said they can tailor the class to meet students’ needs, no matter what their plans are for after high school. She said, “I love that there has been this embracing of all the different possibilities for students. And so we really tried to reflect that in this class.”

The topics addressed in the class range from college preparedness to home rental, to building an emotional support system. As the school year ends, Beal said that the class will focus on finalizing plans and addressing immediate questions from students. The students’ plans vary widely, and Beal said, “I think the future is wide open for them. And it’s been really neat to work with them this year to see what their future might bring.”

WTIP’s Kirsten Wisniewski spoke with ISD 166 School Counselor Kelly Kotowicz and CCHS teacher Amanda Beal about the transitions class for Seniors preparing for life after graduation. Audio of that interview is below.

Kirsten Wisniewski April 19, 2024