The Minnesota state legislature put into effect a new education requirement that requires all Minnesota public schools to help students create and pursue individualized postsecondary education or career plans, according to college readiness adviser Kara Mueller.

According to assistant principal Kari Schwietering, administrators applied to have a career and college readiness adviser at Park in order to align with the new state statute.

Schwietering said Mueller, business innovations teacher, I3 academy coordinator, and career and technical education director, now holds the new position. Schwietering said she was excited to have Mueller directing the changes to advisory.

“I’m encouraged with advisory this year that we have Kara Mueller in charge,” Schwietering said.

Mueller said as the career and college readiness adviser she is in charge of creating the new advisory agenda.

“I do all the curriculum for the career and college readiness advisory sessions,” Mueller said.

According to Mueller, advisory now includes grade-specific postsecondary planning. She said this will be implemented in eight advisories each year, for a total of 32 advisory sessions.

“We’re scoping and sequencing, which means in ninth grade, what should ninth graders learn about career and college readiness? And then scale it up for 10th grade, then eleventh and then twelfth,” Mueller said.

Freshman George Hare said he sees benefit to the early start to personalized postsecondary planning present in the new advisory curriculum

“It seems really college oriented at a young age,” Hare said.

Mueller said her new position, on top of her role as I3 academy coordinator, business innovations teacher and career center overseer, keeps her very busy. Nonetheless, she said she greatly enjoys her job.

“I love what I do,” Mueller said. “I love helping students find a pathway.”

Junior Tyra Ramsey said she believe the new individualized postsecondary planning is a good idea because many students would not create plans on their own.

“Some people don’t talk or think about this on a regular basis, so this gives them a goods opportunity,” Ramsey said.

Mueller said she hopes the new curriculum will encourage students to try their best. She said all students should pursue some sort of education after high school.

“Learn about yourself and push yourself to achieve your goals,” Mueller said. “Postsecondary is college, and that is for everyone. Every single student in this school needs to have a plan for postsecondary.”