Westwind Academic Advisors are committed to providing students and parents with current, useful, reliable information about graduation progress, scholarships, post-secondary planning and applications, and all things related to a student's academics in high school and beyond.
WESTWIND ACADEMIC ADVISING WEBSITE
What is an Academic Advisor?
An Academic Advisor is available to assist students in the following ways:
Post Secondary Transitions
- Career and Education – support students in the use of Career Cruising and/or My Blueprint software in supporting students career and interest discovery (CALM support)
- University – College information conduit- meetings in and out of school. Day visits to local institutions. Campus visits to Alberta and US schools to establish connections and support student enrollment.
- Booking agent and supervisor for career presenters/post-secondary school presentations/scholarship evening and information evenings for parents and students, this includes our tri-annual Westwind Career fair as well as annual visits that occur each year.
- Keep updated by attending the ELAA (Education Liaison Association of Alberta – for counsellors and career practitioners) conference each year
- Application process for out-of-Province institutions- Reference letters, letters of recommendation, submitting of transcripts.
- University – College applications, present and past students.
- Community advocate of higher education.
- Facilitate the entire ACT exam process for students looking to attend university in the United States. ACT receipt ACT scores and adding results to cum files
Student Advocate
- Mediation between all staff – student conflicts particularly in marks and personality conflicts. (FSLC plays a role in this as well)
- Assisting previously graduated students as they return to studies and the application process often after an 18 month to 2 year break from formal schooling.
- Scheduling of students grade 9-12 – along with administration
- Jr. High resource teacher contact with Jr High Feeder schools
- Promote “Skills” competitions in our schools – work with Career Transitions out of Lethbridge to recruit students to the regional skills competition, facilitate student attendance to other Career Transitions activities over the year such as YETT (Youth Exploring Trades and Technologies) and HCE (Health Careers Expo).
- Liaison between home, student, parents and administration
- General drop-in center/ call center for students and parents occasionally serving as first line of contact in student trauma (eg. cutting, abuse) work with FSLC in student support on mental health and related issues.
- Trained in Suicide Awareness and Suicide Threat Risk Assessment
Career Support
- Careers Next Generations resource teacher.
- RAP/Green Certificate resource teacher.
- Organize the tri-annual Division Career Fair day.
Scholarship
- Support students in pursuit of Rutherford and other scholarships.
- Bulletin Board and Scholarship Work including recruitment of Scholarships
- Online Scholarship site development
Bureaucratic Alberta Education Liaison work
- Evaluation of out-of-province or country records.
- PASI – use for historical grades
- Student Record Validation Statement (DAR)
- Power School class schedules assist with timetable work in June and Sept and Feb Add/Delete Mark changes in Power School
- Proctor exams for high schools and postsecondary schools including ACT; ACT rep in the school.
- Mail sorting of college, university, and others pamphlets, handouts and getting those out to or available to students.