Compass Connections

• SPRING DANCE SPIRIT WEEK- Monday, March 11- Friday, March 15 (see below for days)
• Student Leaders Lunch Meeting- Monday, March 11, 12:15-1:00 pm (Rm. 144)
• Intramurals- Monday, March 11, 4:00-5:00 pm (Gym)
• Compass Cares Service Club- Monday, March 11, 4:00-5:00 pm (Rm. 142)
• ILLINOIS SCIENCE ASSESSMENT (ALL JUNIORS)- TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 9:30 am (Rooms as assigned- see email)
• Block E (Academic Support)- Tuesday, March 12, 3:55-5:55 pm (Rm. 140)
  
• Parent Advisory Committee (CPAC) Meeting- Tuesday, March 12, 6:00-7:00 pm (Rm. 140)
• Mythology, Geography, & Folklore Field Trip- Wednesday, March 13, 9:00 am
• Quarter 3 Course Defense- Wednesday, March 13 - Registration required (see below)
• Culinary Club- Thursday, March 14, 3:55-4:55 pm (Rm. 143)
• Block E (Academic Support)- Thursday, March 14, 3:55-5:55 pm (Rm. 142)
• COMPASS SPRING DANCE- FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 5:00-7:00 pm (Gym)
• 3RD QUARTER NAVIGATION CELEBRATION- WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2:00 pm (Rm. 140)

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

In compliance with federal testing requirements, Illinois will administer a science assessment to students enrolled in a public school district in grades 5, 8 and 11. The assessment will be administered in an online format and is aligned to the Illinois Learning Standards for Science incorporating the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), which were adopted in 2014. The ISA is a comprehensive exam that includes life, physical, Earth and space sciences with engineering and technological design features embedded in the other science domains. The assessment is divided into three tests of approximately 40 minutes each.

Compass Academy will be administering the exam on 3/12/24 during Blocks A/B (9:30-12:00). AN EMAIL CONTAINING SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT TESTING FOR JUNIORS WAS SENT INDIVIDUALLY TO STUDENTS AND PARENTS.

We are proud of the work our students are doing and want to commend those who have been working to meet their goals and contribute to the school and community. Starting this year, each quarter, Compass Academy staff will nominate one student (per staff member) for recognition 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.

In order to accommodate students' varied schedules on Wednesdays, including those who have classes at East or North and those who participate in athletics or other extra-curriculars at the comprehensive high schools, this celebration will be held at the end of each quarter on a Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. Parents will be invited to attend a brief ceremony with light refreshments where students will be celebrated for their success.

The 3rd Quarter "Navigation Celebration" will take place on Wednesday, March 20th, at 2:00 p.m. in the community room (Rm. 140). The third quarter awardees and their parents will be notified this Monday when invitations to the event are sent out.

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
  

Parents, if you haven't completed the 5 Essentials survey for Compass Academy yet, please take a few minutes to complete it now. The Parent Survey is open through March 29, 2024. All responses are confidential and will never be connected to you or your child. To take the survey, visit survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois and select the parent survey. A supplement report will also be generated if at least 20 percent of a school’s parents complete the survey.

We sincerely appreciate your feedback, which will be used to guide improvement at Compass Academy and in District 303.

Compass Academy students enrolled in Civics & Debate had the option this year to participate in the Illinois YMCA Youth & Government program, a state-wide leadership development program for high school students. Participants immerse themselves in all aspects of Illinois government by assuming the roles of legislators, attorneys, executive officials, lobbyists, press members, and more. The culmination of each program year is a 3-day conference in which students debate issues using the actual Illinois Capitol and Supreme Court facilities. The 2024 conference took place this weekend in Springfield, and the featured speaker was Justice David Overstreet of the Illinois Supreme Court.

Attention graduating students:

The State of Illinois requires all Illinois public high school students to complete either the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma. FAFSA opened on December 31. We recommend all students who are planning on, or even thinking about, attending either a two-year or four-year college in the fall complete this sooner rather than later. Even if you don't qualify for federal aid, many schools use this information to provide institutional aid.

FAFSA 24/25 Walkthrough Video with Tips

For students who choose not to file an application, a waiver may be completed by their parent. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) makes this available through their website. This is also available through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) Student Portal.

• Nonparticipation Form Instructions

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.

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.

Boys and Girls State is a simulation patterned after the State of Illinois; it follows Illinois governmental procedure as closely as possible. It is a practical application of Americanism and good citizenship which attempts to teach and instill in our youth a love of America and a sense of individual obligation to community, state, and nation. It is a powerful, intense learning experience.

Hundreds of boys and girls from various communities throughout the State of Illinois will attend in June. They will learn the way a two-party system works. We have two fictitious political parties, the Nationalists and the Federalists. They will caucus, have Primary and General elections, and participate in a party Convention.

They will elect city, county, and state officials. They will learn the duties of various public offices their functions, limitations, and powers. They will have their own legislature where they introduce, debate, and pass their own bills. They regulate their own cities, enforce their laws, and prepare county projects.

Each boy and girl has a chance to learn for himself or herself that the government is just what he or she makes of it. They learn the duties, privileges, rights and responsibilities that will help them participate as American citizens.

• FREE to interested Juniors
• Boys' State: June 8-14, Girls' State: June 16-22
• Located at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, IL
  
• Participating students compete for nearly $20,000 in scholarships
• Email mtfoulkes@yahoo.com for more information or to register

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