Sessions of 2026 Connection Conference: Susan Farretta
Farretta, Susan
CTE Career Development
Arizona Department Of Education
Susan serves at the Arizona Department of Education as the CTE Career Development Specialist. She has had two career Pathways in Business and Education. She was an International Business Manager at Motorola Semiconductors in Phoenix, AZ for 17 years. She earned her M.A. in Education and taught High School CTE in the Phoenix-metro area for 15 years.
Sessions:
[5601] State 48 Graduate Profile Alignment to CTE Professional Skills
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Westin La Paloma
- Interdisciplinary
The State 48 Graduate Profile was developed by a coalition of educators, business leaders, and community members. This collaborative framework represents a unified definition of student readiness. Essential human and workforce skills prepare K-12 students for career, college, career, and community life. It serves as a blueprint to strengthen instruction and bridge technical skills with durable, adaptable competencies. The profile connects technical skill attainment (taught in CTE) and is aligned to the AZ CTE Professional Skills Standards. State 48 Graduate Profile can strengthen instruction, support student readiness and ensure graduates are prepared for their future success. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the profile's framework, where they can be demonstrated within the CTE standards, and learn how to highlight these vital connections in daily teaching and learning.
[5600] Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) and eCTE
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Loews Ventana Canyon
- Interdisciplinary
Join us AVID and eCTE to learn new strategies to boost middle school career exploration education. Gain instruction strategies to build relational capacity, self-awareness, and communication skills in students. Review resources for creating interest inventories, portfolios, and individualized paths, linking learning to real-world careers, and improving instructional/relational skills for higher engagement, ultimately leading to better student discovery of interests, skills, and future options.
[5602] Middle Level Matters: Association of Middle Level Education (AMLE) and eCTE
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Loews Ventana Canyon
- Interdisciplinary
Middle school is a pivotal stage in a student's journey—where curiosity, identity, and aspirations begin to take shape. It's during these years that students start to ask, "Who am I?" and "Who can I become?” Connecting current interests to future career possibilities, helps students bridge classroom learning with real-world applications. Implementing eCTE Career Exploration in this developmental stage allows students to move from concrete to abstract thinking, improving engagement and preventing dropout. As educators, supporting this transition is essential for fostering lifelong learning and career readiness.
[5533] Boost Student Critical Thinking Skills with Program Specific Math
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Westin La Paloma
- Interdisciplinary
CTE instruction improves standardized math and ACT scores by making math relevant through problem-based learning, teaching students to think critically, and using tools like estimation, modeling, and fostering collaboration. Math concepts are embedded within real-world CTE scenarios, making them more relevant and easier for students to understand and retain. Applying the AZ CTE Professional Skills framework to integrate these strategies by designing relevant thinking activities, assessing understanding through diverse methods, and developing individualized student goals to enhance performance.
[5603] Career Literacy Fuels Future-Ready Students
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Westin La Paloma
- Interdisciplinary
Looking for ways to fill your CTE student pipeline? It starts with early career literacy where students explore career options and connect them with CTE opportunities. This session introduces strategies to bring career awareness into K-8 classrooms. When integrated into daily instruction, they expand career discovery, encourage career exploration, and provide opportunities for students to experiment with careers in hands-on ways. They also make room to celebrate career literacy success. This activity-packed session will share resources and ideas for engaging students in meaningful ways. Participants will receive a variety of hand-outs and a free book from the Bright Futures Press middle grade career exploration collection.
[5599] Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) and eCTE [REPEAT]
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Westin La Paloma
- Interdisciplinary
Join us AVID and eCTE to learn new strategies to boost middle school career exploration education. Gain instruction strategies to build relational capacity, self-awareness, and communication skills in students. Review resources for creating interest inventories, portfolios, and individualized paths, linking learning to real-world careers, and improving instructional/relational skills for higher engagement, ultimately leading to better student discovery of interests, skills, and future options.
[5604] Career Literacy Fuels Future-Ready Students [REPEAT]
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Loews Ventana Canyon
- Interdisciplinary
Looking for ways to fill your CTE student pipeline? It starts with early career literacy where students explore career options and connect them with CTE opportunities. This session introduces strategies to bring career awareness into K-8 classrooms. When integrated into daily instruction, they expand career discovery, encourage career exploration, and provide opportunities for students to experiment with careers in hands-on ways. They also make room to celebrate career literacy success. This activity-packed session will share resources and ideas for engaging students in meaningful ways. Participants will receive a variety of hand-outs and a free book from the Bright Futures Press middle grade career exploration collection.
[5608] Build Your eCTE Curriculum Map
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Loews Ventana Canyon
- Interdisciplinary
Please bring your charged laptop and portable battery to this interactive session focused on Middle School eCTE (Early Career and Technical Education) Career Exploration. Career exploration programs can build robust pathways into high school and beyond. Educators will discover curricular resources that are engaging, flexible, and student-centered. Participants will create a curriculum map and lesson ideas for the new school year.
