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56 FY25 Wellness Promotion Policy (WPP) Annual Report Back to MenuBehavioral/Mental Health, Psychological & Counseling ServicesThe School Counseling Team, in collaboration with the Department of Multicultural Education, partnered with Palm Beach State College (PBSC) TRiO program to organize districtwide FAFSA Information Night. These events guided families through the financial aid application process and highlighted available scholarship opportunities. Additionally, 76% of 9th graders successfully completed a personalized career and academic plan using Xello. School counselors also provided support to 11th and 12th-grade students who were invited to participate in a career fair hosted by Junior Achievement at Palm Beach State College.Middle School Career Education PlanningThe School Counseling Department also launched a districtwide Xello initiative to strengthen college and career readiness for all students. We are proud to share the continued success of Xello, the online college and career readiness program adopted by the State of Florida for Career Education. Since its launch in FY24, Xello%u2019s virtual platform has supported middle school students in meeting the requirements of Florida State Statute 1003.4156(e), which mandates a career and education planning course in grades 6, 7, or 8. In recent years, school counselors have guided 8th-grade students through completing their personalized high school course planners. In FY25, these efforts yielded a 93% completion rate across the District%u2014an increase from previous years and a testament to the dedication of both our counselors and students.Elementary School Career Exploration Elementary counselors aimed to enhance early career exploration for younger students, specifically targeting an increase in the number of fifth graders using the Xello Career platform. They set a goal to raise usage from 20% (2,587 students) in FY24 to 23% (2,944 students) by May 2025. However, the actual outcomes greatly exceeded these expectations. By the end of the year, 7,443 out of 15,203 fifth graders had accessed the platform, resulting in a 48.96% engagement rate. This represented a substantial increase of 28.75 percentage points from the previous year, equating to 4,856 additional fifth graders participating in career exploration compared to FY24. This success highlighted the importance of early exposure to career readiness and showcased the collective efforts of elementary counselors in raising awareness of post-secondary opportunities. Additionally, several school counselors led career exploration initiatives in their schools, partnering with Junior Achievement to organize Career Fairs on campus, where community professionals volunteered to showcase their careers to students, further broadening career exploration options for them.College and Career CornerThe School Counseling Department, in collaboration with two other Florida school districts, hosted a series of virtual information sessions titled %u201cCollege and Career Corner.%u201d During these sessions, parents/guardians and high school students received information, resources, and action steps to prepare students for post-high school success. Topics covered included preparing for the SAT, an introduction to Xello, college essay writing, the Bright Futures Scholarship, and FL financial aid.Character EducationSchool counselors continued to promote resiliency and life skills by delivering direct classroom instruction. FY25 also marked the final year of the District%u2019s Character NOW! program, a longstanding initiative that recognized students for demonstrating strong character and ethics. At the inspiring End-of-Year Celebration hosted at Palm Beach Central High, 151 students were nominated across 182 district and charter schools, with 142students and their families in attendance, joined by principals, school counselors, and community members to celebrate these students as %u201cStudents of Character.%u201d