Free webinar on college and career paths Thursday

Parents of students at Glenbard East and the other Glenbard high schools can join a free online program Thursday that looks at how families can start conversations about college and careers earlier.

The GPS Parent Series, which Glenbard Township High School District 87 lists on its calendar, presents “Purposeful Paths: Connecting College Opportunity and Career Discovery” with early career development expert Ana Homayoun and a panel. The two Zoom sessions run from noon to 1 p.m. and from 7 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 5, according to the district’s event page and the series website.

Homayoun is the founder of Green Ivy Educational Consulting. She will discuss why early career exploration matters and how parents can help students discover interests, strengths, and possibilities before they make decisions about a college major or course selections, the GPS site says. After her keynote she will moderate a panel of regional education leaders who will talk about Illinois’ evolving college and career-readiness landscape.

The program is offered in partnership with College of DuPage. Homayoun is the author of books that include “That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week” and “Getting In Is Not Enough: The New Blueprint for Success Beyond Grades and College Admissions,” the series notes on its event page.

Glenbard East High School at 1014 S. Main St. in Lombard serves many local families. The weekly GPS series covers topics for parents and caregivers of students from early childhood through high school and beyond. The GPS website states that there is never a cost to attend and that no registration is required for the sessions.

Links to join the noon and evening Zoom sessions are posted on GPSParentSeries.org. Families can also enter an email address on the site to receive weekly reminders of upcoming programs.

The series calendar lists another webinar for Nov. 10 with Dr. Ellen Hendriksen on social anxiety, perfectionism, and quieting an inner critic. Both of those sessions are also free and available online at noon and 7 p.m.

For neighbors whose students are already in high school or will be soon, the Thursday programs offer a concrete place to hear how current Illinois options for college credit and career exploration work, and when those conversations can usefully begin.