Counseling Center

Cascade Middle School students have lots of choices when it comes to high school. Most Cascade 8th graders are eligible to feed directly into Evergreen but students also have the option of applying to Big Picture, Mount Rainier, and Raisbeck Aviation. Contact your school counselor for more information about the high school application process. Highline High School and Tyee High School are not considered choice schools, and require an in-district transfer request form completed. Learn more.

Exploring the Options...

Naviance Family Connection is a customizable Internet-based college and career exploration and planning tool from Naviance used by Cascade students to develop a career plan and explore career and college options. Family Connection can be accessed from school, from home, or wherever students have internet access, including on their mobile device. 

Big Future is a website connected to The College Board that helps students explore careers, colleges, and how to pay for it all. This is a great site if you want to hear stories about how others chose their path and make a plan to reach your own goals.

Planning for How to Pay...

The College Bound Scholarship program is an early commitment of state financial aid to eligible students who sign up in middle school and fulfill the scholarship pledge. The scholarship is available to 7th and 8th grade students whose family income meets the guidelines or who are in foster care. The deadline to sign up is June 30 of the students' 8th grade year. Your school counselor has applications and is ready to sign you up! You can also find more information and apply here.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step toward getting federal aid for college, career school, or graduate school. Completing the FAFSA is free and is usually completed as early as possible during the calendar year that a student is planning to attend school. It is important to apply as soon as possible to qualify for the most funds!

South Seattle College's Professional and Technical Education Program offers over 25 career-focused professional and technical programs designed to get people the education they need to secure good paying jobs in today’s skill-focused economy. With two-year associate degree and shorter-term certificate options, we have a program to match your skills and passion!

Puget Sound Skills Center provide 18 different career and technical education (CTE) programs in five areas: Business/Marketing & Administration, Hospitality & Tourism, Human Services, Information Technology, Science & Health, and Trades & Industry. It serves students from 22 high schools in five school districts: Highline, Federal Way, Fife, Tukwila, and Tahoma.

Appointment forms are available outside of the counseling hallway in the 100 Building. Stop by the main office if you aren't sure where our offices are and they can help you find us.

Cascade's school counselors are here to help students create and achieve their goals. You can ask your school counselor for help with your schedule, academic planning, high school planning, college and career exploration, personal problems, and much more. Your counselor can also connect you and your family with community resources that can provide more assistance if you need it. 

Your school counselor must keep everything you talk about "confidential." They will not share anything that you tell them unless you threaten to harm yourself, threaten to harm others, someone is threatening to harm you, you share that someone else has harmed you, or if you give your permission for the school counselor to share specific information with others. 

Students and families can check grades online using Illuminate. For more information on how to navigate or register for Illuminate visit the district's Grades Online & More page.

Cascade partners with community organizations to provide free personal counseling services at school to students that qualify. Make an appointment with your school counselor to learn more and ask for a referral.