Compass Connections

• Robotics Club- Tuesday, May 14, 3:55-4:55 pm (Rm. 144)
• Block E (Academic Support)- Tuesday, May 14, 3:55-5:55 pm (Rm. 140)
  
• Navigation Celebration- Wednesday, May 15, 2:00 pm, Rm. 140 (emails were sent to awardees and parents last week)
• Last Day of School for Graduating Students- Thursday, May 16
• Block E (Academic Support)- Thursday, May 16, 3:55-5:55 pm (Rm. 140)
  
• Compass Cord Ceremony and Senior Celebration/All-School Picnic- Friday, May 17
  
• Portfolio Defense for 9th-11th Grade Students- Tuesday, May 28 - Thursday, May 30 (students will sign up for slots this week)
• Final Exams at St. Charles East & North- Tuesday, May 28 - Thursday, May 30 (see schedule below)

There is transportation at the beginning and end of each day, following the posted start and end times for East/North and Compass.

• For nearly all part-time Compass students who are not graduating, Tuesday (5/28) will be their day for final exams, so they will take their AM bus to East or North, take their final exams, and either provide their own transportation home after their 2nd period exam or wait in the Commons at East or North (or other designated area) until the end of the day at 12:50, taking the bus home at 1:10. Part-time Compass students will not attend Compass on this day.
• All Compass students will sign up for a designated time slot on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday for their Portfolio Defense, during which they will meet with a panel of teachers to review their portfolio, explain how they have met learning outcomes in each of their courses, and highlight artifacts demonstrating their best work. During this time, if students request it, they will also have the opportunity to engage in a Course Completion Conference, which provides an opportunity for them to share evidence of learning and explain to their panel how they have demonstrated proficiency of learning outcomes in a course where they had previously been Approaching Competency (APR). Students will prepare for their Portfolio Defense during their advisory class and will continue this work until the last day of classes on Friday, May 24th.
• The District will provide transportation on Thursday for Compass students who need it. A separate communication about this will be sent to parents and students on Monday, 5/13.
• Students are required to attend their Portfolio Panel as scheduled. They will not have additional learning activities on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, 5/28-5/30, but teachers and staff will be available for academic support during normal school hours (9:30-3:45, Tuesday and Thursday and 9:30-12:00 on Wednesday) to assist students in preparing for their Portfolio Defense. Students will be expected to remain in the Community Room when they are not meeting with teachers.

Want a diploma? A few of our graduating students haven't filed their FAFSA or completed the opt-out waiver that is a graduation requirement in the State of Illinois.

What to do? If you are one of those students, complete the FAFSA or complete the opt-out waiver on the ISAC website TODAY! Don't miss out on receiving your hard-earned diploma!

Need help completing the FAFSA? Check out the ISAC website or stop by the Financial Aid Office at ECC. They will help students and their parents complete the FAFSA for free! More info about ECC's support HERE.

Compass Academy students who will be graduating in May will be able to pick up a Compass graduate yard sign from Mrs. Stanley either before or after school any day this week. Signs and stakes are available at no cost to students and no pre-ordering is required. WE'RE PROUD OF OUR 2024 GRADUATES!

Scores for those students who took the PSAT or SAT on April 9 are scheduled to be released beginning on May 2. Those who took the make-up exam will need to wait until May 16 to access their scores. Students will be able to access scores in their online College Board account. We will not receive hard copies. Students who are not able to access their account should see Ms. Ohlson for assistance.

A group of Compass Academy students had the opportunity to engage in a hands-on exploration of the career field of bricklaying this week. They learned the basics of tile cutting, tuckpointing, caulking, and bricklaying at the Bricklayers District Training Center in Addison.

Students in the Rockets & Drones seminar took advantage of the sunny weather to practice maneuvering their drones in the field. Jerry Stamos, a soon-to-be Compass graduate, continued to show why he's been recognized as the student with the most school spirit on Neon Day with his light-up neon attire.

STUDENTS MAY COMPLETE THEIR LUNCH ORDER FOR THE WEEK BY CLICKING THE BOX ABOVE AND MAKING THEIR SELECTION BY 10:00 A.M. MONDAY MORNING.

Compass Academy students pre-order their lunch, so if your student plans to order lunch, please have them complete this form. Students are always welcome to bring food from home, if they prefer. If your student may qualify for free or reduced lunch, please complete this form or have them get a paper copy of the form from the Compass office.

CLICK THE PHOTO BELOW TO SEE THE WIDE ARRAY OF OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO ORDER.

Whether it’s an overnight pre-college program, a local day camp, or a sleepaway adventure experience, summer programs for teens are a great way to pursue new interests, improve existing skills, and make new friends outside of the classroom.

The TeenLife website has collected and curated some of the best summer programs for students in middle and high school. These one-of-a-kind programs come in all shapes and sizes — some are academically focused, others are skills-based, and still others are similar to a traditional summer camp experience. However, all of these programs offer vital enrichment opportunities for teens to expand their horizons.

Click the graphic below to see more information on the District 303 website. Students should register with Ms. Ohlson. If you have additional questions, contact Mrs. Stanley.

It may still be winter, but it's the time of year when many colleges and universities have applications open for current high school students to learn on their campuses this summer. From STEM, to the arts, to athletics (and MORE!), the opportunities are many. While some schools have opportunities for all ages, students who will be juniors and seniors next year have many different opportunities to extend learning while experiencing a college campus this summer. An assortment of summer programs from colleges with links to more information are below:

• Aurora University - Camp Spartan - Camp for neurodivergent students who are rising juniors or seniors
• Beloit College - Summer Programs
  
• Colorado School of Mines - SUMMET Program
  
• Harvard University - Summer College Programs for High School Students
  
• Illinois State University - Summer Research Opportunities
  
• Northern Illinois University - Summer camps (STEAM, Summer in the Arts at Northern, and Athletic Camps)
• Northwestern University - Pre-College programs
  
• Michigan State University - Pre-College programs
  
• Purdue University - Summer College For High School Students
  
• Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology - Summer Camps
  
• University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) - Summer programs for fine arts (FAA)
  
• University of Wisconsin - Summer Pre-College Explore Programs
  
• Wheaton College - Summer Institute
  

Are you interested in learning about the various career options available in St. Charles? Through the city's career pathway job shadow program, Compass students can shadow people in many career fields, including office administration, communications, accounting, firefighting, government, law enforcement, construction, forestry, water management, and vehicle maintenance. Students who participate in job shadowing on Wednesdays, and then write reflections about their experiences, have the opportunity to earn credit for career exploration.

Students may register for these opportunities by scanning the QR code on the bulletin board in the academic hallway or by getting a paper copy of the form from the counselor's office. If students have questions, they should view the video shown in advisory, which outlines everything they need to know about this opportunity, or make an appointment with Ms. Ohlson, the Compass counselor.

Sharon Stanley, Director

Email: sharon.stanley@d303.org
Website: https://compassacademy.d303.org/
Location: Compass Academy, South 9th Street, St. Charles, IL, USA
Phone: (331)228-3400
X (Twitter): @CompassD303