One of Superintendent Kirstin Vital’s WIG’s, or wildly important goals, is to engage students in meaningful, challenging, and innovative educational experiences to increase post-secondary options for all students and includes the creation of more personalized career pathways for students, she said.

This past November, Professor Emily Quinlan from Saddleback College and SJHHS teacher Mr. Willis visited English classes providing information about the emerging law pathway classes.

First, there are multiple pathways in action on campus, like graduation pathways, and these career pathways are an interesting addition.

Mr. Elenes, academic advisor, describes the law pathway as a “2 + 2 +3” pathway. This translates into: two years enrolled as a SJHHS student taking both high school and college classes, two years enrolled at Saddleback, and three years in a participating UC and law school.

Mr. Willis, advisor for the law pathway, informed The Express that the classes offered are “law prerequisite class[es] that will teach you all the about the basics of the law profession.”

Typically during the summer before junior year, interested students will begin the first prerequisite. From there every semester will come with a new class. The first one is Business 116, and will be offered next semester.

“We don’t want to waste the students’ time if they know what they want to do,” said Elenes.

SJHHS students enrolled will double as high school and Saddleback college students, these courses will satisfy SJHHS requirements and start a college transcript.

“They are taking courses specific to this pathway at Saddleback in addition to taking classes at San Juan Hills, which will double dip and verify them to participate in this program,” explained Elenes.

Currently, the only career pathway that will definitely be offered is the law pathway. In progress is the nursing pathway, and the two-way immersion program. Both will also be (part of, included, continued) through Saddleback. The nursing pathway will be a “2 + 2 +2” pathway that begins at SJHHS and ends at CSU-Fullerton, if it is implemented at SJHHS.

Admission into participating UCs and law schools is guaranteed, and this program is only available to SJHHS students.

To enroll in the pathways be sure to speak with your academic advisor to fill out required concurrent forms

The classes offered with the pathway are not the first Saddleback courses present at SJHHS. Counseling 100 is offered only to seniors to help transition students to college, and “allows seniors to participate in the freshman advantage program to get earlier registration so they have a better chance to get the courses they need if they choose to continue on at Saddleback,” said Elenes.

Enrolled students receive both college and high school credit, and those enrolled in Counseling 100 are automatically placed in the freshman advantage program; but they are not obligated to attend Saddleback Fall 2016.

Mr. Elenes explained that “Mrs. Smalley has chosen to focus on five CTE pathways. This will align with certificates so students can get into whatever field of interest and start working immediately,” these certificates are ones earned from ROP courses like the Emergency Medical Responder class.

Pathways are connected to both Saddleback and ROP. The five pathways are: biotechnology, patient care, performing arts, production and managerial arts, and legal practices.