Welcome Back, Compass Family!
I hope you enjoyed a relaxing summer and are ready for the 2019-20 school year! Our summer was well spent developing new and exciting ways to enrich our personalized learning experience for our scholars and their families. We are looking forward to a brand new year filled with academic growth, opportunity, engagement, friendships, and of course, a little bit of fun!
Our goal is to continue connecting with those who matter most — our scholars! There are so many ways to get involved with both staff and fellow scholars. We’re bringing our virtual community to life with more scholar clubs, virtual and in-person field trips, the Scholar Leadership Council, the Parent Advisory Council, and so much more. Parents will also have access to resources and advice developed by our staff to ensure a smooth and successful at-home learning experience.
We want to encourage our scholars and families to use their voices to connect with us as well. Learning Coaches can utilize our Parent Advisory Council to provide feedback and recommendations for our teachers and staff. Have a suggestion or a new way to enhance the Compass Experience? Let us know by leaving a note in our virtual Parent or Scholar Suggestion Box! These suggestions are reviewed by our Parent Advisory Council, Scholar Leadership Council, Staff Advisory Committee, and Cabinet on an on-going basis, and we strive to implement suggestions when we can, either immediately, within the next semester, or for the next school year. Your voice truly matters at Compass, and I would like to encourage you to use it!
In addition to making connections this year, our staff has spent the summer finalizing plans to go above and beyond to enhance the personalized learning experience that CCS offers. We are dedicated to The Energy Bus for Schools Leadership Journey, which promotes a positive school culture and leadership within each individual. This means that we are each empowered to be the “drivers” of our own bus, on a road to promote positivity and take full responsibility for our thoughts and actions. We want to share this leadership experience with our scholars, as well! Parents and scholars can expect to hear the Energy Bus referenced throughout the year. Elementary-age scholars (grades TK-5), please take a few minutes to learn about Principle #1 – You’re the Driver; secondary-age scholars (grades 6-12), please also take a few minutes to learn and practice Principle #1 – You’re the Driver. Listen for the phrase “yes, yes, yes!” and you’ll know you, too, are on the Energy Bus for a positive Compass experience!
This year, we will continue to demonstrate our commitment to the CCS core values of achievement, respect, teamwork, integrity and communication. Our teachers, staff and leaders will continue to exemplify these core values throughout their work and decision-making processes. We will also encourage our scholars to embrace these core values by recognizing and celebrating scholars who exceptionally demonstrate these values through awards like our Scholar of the Month, Core Values, Firebird of the Year, Excellent Participation awards, and a few others throughout the year.
We are truly dedicated to helping every scholar achieve success. We are proud to offer scholars and their families flexible academic programs that best fit their individualized needs. We continue to provide support with our committed Special Education Team to guide scholars’ day-to-day learning and assist learning coaches throughout their child’s academic journey. We are also proud to offer scholars a devoted Counseling Services Team that helps scholar’s plan their educational path, succeed in their classes, and prepare for life after graduation through a college and career readiness program.
Last week, we held Back to School Nights for our Online and Options programs to share important information, such as what to expect this first week of school, resources and supports, and updates we’ve made to our program for the upcoming year. I encourage all of our scholars and their families to review these sessions so that everyone is aware of the important changes and exciting plans that we are launching this year.
As we reflect on the new year and our first week, what are you most excited about for this upcoming school year? Why did you #ChooseCompass? Share with us on social media by tagging @CompassCS on Instagram and Twitter, and include the hashtag #ChooseCompass!
I encourage all of our scholars and their families to make connections with us this year and to take advantage of all the resources and unique learning opportunities that CCS has to offer. I look forward to sharing a successful 2019-20 school year with you!
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Compass Charter Schools (CCS) is a WASC-accredited virtual charter school that serves families throughout California. Have a question about our Compass Experience? Explore our website, or feel free to contact me directly at jlewis@compasscharters.org or (818) 824-6233.
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