College & Career Support

Janet Blanford, Director of Secondary Success & College Readiness

Email:  janet.blanford@highlineschools.org

Janet oversees the Secondary Success and College Readiness (SSCR) department which includes both the SSCR support team and the content specialists in literacy, social studies, mathematics, and science. She also centrally supports secondary counselors.  Janet and her team collaborate with central office and school staff to develop and implement strategies to ensure students are known by name, strength and need and that they get the support they need to graduate prepared for T24.

Sativah Jones, College Readiness Manager 

Email: sativah.jones@highlineschools.org

Sativah is the district coordinator for high school College Bound Scholarship repledge events and programming.  She supports the College and Career Access Specialists and college readiness initiatives for the district including college knowledge, college application completion, financial aid, Khan Academy SAT prep, Running Start, and more.  Sativah also oversees the partnerships with school and community-based college access providers and facilitates partnership meetings. Sativah processes all new course and course equivalency requests.

Michelle Thomassian, Career Access Manager

Email:  michelle.thomassian@highlineschools.org

Michelle supports the College and Career Access Specialists and career readiness initiatives for our high schools.  She partners with many business professionals and organizations in the Greater Seattle area to develop real-world career opportunities that help students understand their postsecondary options so they can make informed decisions about the future they choose.  Career Access programming includes career worksite tours, internships, job shadows, guest speakers and fairs, as well as specialized events such as financial literacy, women in STEM and networking events.

Aileen Velasquez-Soto, College Access Specialist

Email: aileen.velasquezsoto@highlineschools.org

Aileen serves as the project manager for districtwide large-scale college and career-related events including graduation, CollegeCon, FutureU, DiscoverU, and more. Aileen supports college access through event support and coordination, and by maintaining the district’s college and career exploration tool, Naviance. Contact Aileen with questions about Naviance, partnerships, and post-secondary opportunities.

Xulie Olivos, Career Access Specialist

Email: alejandra.olivos@highlineschools.org

Xulie serves as the project manager for districtwide large-scale career events such as STEM Fest, Speed Networking, and much more.  Xulie supports career access programming through event support, coordination and communications, and collaborates with schools, businesses and community partners to support high school students in making informed decisions about their futures through career exploration. Contact Xulie if you have questions about career trips, internships or other career readiness events and programs.

Jackie King, Secondary Success Specialist

Email: jackie.king@highlineschools.org

Jackie is the AVID coordinator for Highline, she oversees implementation at the schools, coaches teachers and organizes professional learning for AVID. Jackie also coordinates the Advisory program, organizing professional learning on best practices for Advisory, and the High School and Beyond Plan. She collaborates with AP teachers on instructional strategies and program needs. Jackie also works with online credit recovery at high schools.

Monica Bracelen, Secondary Success and College Readiness Project Specialist

Email: monica.bracelen@highlineschools.org

Monica manages the partnership with Highline College that places 40+ tutors in middle and high schools.  She also supports Middle School programming including events, partners, contracts, tutoring, and our annual Summer Session. Monica coordinates the middle school bilingual event, La Chispa, which supports Latinx students on their college-going journey.  As of the 2018-2019 school year, Monica is also the district coordinator for WE Day, a day honoring students who have committed to changing their communities through community service projects.  

Alicia Rodriguez, Program Specialist

Email: alicia.rodriguez@highlineschools.org

As a project specialist, Alicia supports two teams: Secondary Success & College Readiness and PreK & Elementary Success.

Alicia supports college and career access through event support, coordination and collaboration with schools to support high school students in making informed decisions about the future they choose.

Alicia also supports Team Read through recruitment, hiring and training of teen coaches who work with our elementary readers. 

Contact Alicia if you have questions about internships, college and career readiness events, and Team Read.