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Compass Connections

November 12, 2023

CompassConnections November 12, 2023
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UPCOMING EVENTS

  • College Visit from Lawrence Technological University- Monday, November 13, 12:05-1:05 pm (Rm. 141A)
  • Community Service Club- Tuesday, November 14, 3:55-4:55 pm (Rm. 142)
  • Robotics Club- Tuesday, November 14, 3:55-4:55 pm (Rm. 144)
  • Block E (Support)- Tuesday, November 14, 3:55-5:55 pm (Rm. 140)
  • Pathways Night- Wednesday, November 15, 6:00-8:00 pm (Rm. 140)
  • Block E (Support)- Thursday, November 16, 3:55-5:55 pm (Rm. 140)
  • Thanksgiving Break (No School)- November 20-November 24
  • Final Exams at SCE/SCN & Portfolio Defense at CA- December 20-December 22


THERE WILL BE AN ACTIVITY BUS TO PICK STUDENTS UP AT COMPASS ON TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS AT 4:55 PM IN ORDER TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION TO STUDENTS WHO MAY NEED IT AFTER CLUB MEETINGS AND THE FIRST HOUR OF BLOCK E SUPPORT. The bus will drop students at D303 elementary schools.


For the upcoming clubs & activities meeting schedule, follow this link.

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D303 PATHWAYS NIGHT - WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH

D303 will host the 3rd annual Pathways Night on Wednesday, November 15th from 6:00-8:00 pm in the Community Room at Compass Academy.


Pathways Night highlights post high school education and training pathways that don’t necessarily require a four-year college degree to acquire a great career. Guests this year include 2-year educational programs, technical schools, cosmetology, apprenticeship opportunities, skilled trades, municipal jobs, military recruiters, and MORE!


Panels featuring first responders and educational institutions will take place at 6:15 pm and 7:00 pm. We look forward to seeing you there!

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SAVE THE DATE- D303 COLLEGE & CAREER READINESS EVENTS

  • Career Pathways Night, November 15, 6:00 pm, Compass Academy Community Room
  • Early College Credit Information Night, November 29, 6:30 pm, SCN Auditorium

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STUDENTS OF THE QUARTER: NAVIGATION CELEBRATION

We are proud of the work our students are doing, so we took time last Wednesday to recognize a number of students who have been working diligently to meet their goals and contribute to the school and larger community. Compass Academy staff nominated one student (per staff member) who has demonstrated outstanding effort in one or more of the areas addressed in our "Directions to Success": navigating challenges, embracing opportunities for growth, seeking knowledge, and welcoming others and ideas. These students were celebrated as our Students of the Quarter during our Navigation Celebration on November 8th. Congratulations to the awardees!

Students of the Quarter for Q1 include: Jay Canada, Cody Comisky, Jake Gigiano, Robert Hale, Kiera Mennerick, Anna Naugle, Mik Spaeth, Jerry Stamos, Franki Walsh, and Ryan Woods (all pictured below); Avery Czerwinski and Owen Tarro (not pictured) were also honored.

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Block E Support- Tuesdays & Thursdays, 3:55-5:55 pm

Any student who would like to receive additional academic support may stay for Block E on any Tuesday or Thursday for one or two hours after school for the rest of the semester. This is open to all students, but is definitely recommended for any student who has not yet met competency in one of their 1st quarter seminars.


At Compass, students who need additional time to meet competency in a course do not fail; rather, we take a "not yet" approach, providing students the additional time and support they may need to demonstrate proficiency with learning outcomes for a class. This often involves making revisions teachers have said are needed in order to reach the required standards. To be clear, meeting competency is a much higher standard than just passing a class; at a minimum, it means reaching a threshold that would be comparable to that of a B in a traditional school. Our teachers will help support students in meeting competency, but students may need to dedicate some additional time to meet with staff for assistance. This is what the daily flex period, Wednesday mornings (9:00-11:00), and Block E support are for.


Please note, students do not need to sign up to stay for Block E Support; they just need to attend. A shuttle bus will be provided after the first hour of Block E to all D303 elementary schools, as needed. Any students who wish to stay for the full two hours will need to provide their own transportation.

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THIS WEEK'S GLIMPSE AROUND CAMPUS

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For an independent study project, Josh W., a sophomore at Compass, designed and built a guitar. For this project, he brainstormed designs and decided on the tools and materials he would need.
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He then spent many hours working both in and outside of school, applying skills in physics, engineering, woodworking, and problem-solving, along with a knowledge of acoustics, to build this guitar.
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He brought the completed guitar to school last week and treated everyone in his independent study class to an acoustic concert. Both the craftsmanship and the sound of the guitar impressed us all.
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Students in the Neuroscience seminar created brain models, representing brain structures along with the functions of each part. They made connections to prior learning and drew conclusions about the organization of the human brain.
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Students were able to choose any materials and design they wanted as long as they could accurately represent the human brain's parts and then explain those parts' functions. This student 3D printed a brain model.
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This group baked a cake and added various colors of fondant to outline the parts of the brain. Not only was their model accurate, but it was also delicious.
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Students in Mixed Media wanted to create art in a style similar to the street artist, Banksy. For this project, they created a stencil of something or someone they care about or to show a personal trait or interest. They then used spray paint to create prints with their stencils.
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Students created art representing sibling memories and beloved pets, among other subjects. Bermet B., a foreign exchange student from Kyrgyzstan, created a print that was inspired by two photos, one of her brother and one of the mountains in her home country.
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Students in the True Crime seminar explored a variety of scenarios and characteristics of the genre as they worked to arrange them from completely ethical to completely unethical. Their conversations revealed the complexities and nuances of ethical production and consumption of True Crime media.

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PARENTS, ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A WAY TO CONNECT WITH OTHER COMPASS PARENTS TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL?

Join the Compass Academy Parents' Facebook group! This group will keep you informed about upcoming Parent Advisory Committee (CPAC) meetings, and school and community events. This is a private group open only to Compass parents, staff members, and students.

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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.

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CITY OF ST. CHARLES JOB SHADOWING PROGRAM

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 Ms. Ohlson. 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.

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