Compass Chronicle
Online K-8 Program | November 2019
A Word from the Coordinator!
The rest of our staff have also been working hard, and so have our scholars! Live learning lab attendance has been at an all-time high. We can’t wait to see what the rest of the school year has in store for our amazing scholars in online K-8 program!
Work Samples & Learning Labs
Our teachers had a lot of fun starting the year off by getting to know their scholars during their live learning labs. They continue to work toward building close relationships with the families that they support. Below are some other fun activities that happened so far this year in our online K-8 program:
Ms. Grimes conducted a rice experiment from Dr. Emoto. It shows the effects of what other people's words can do to us. It was a great social-emotional lesson for scholars!
A Family Story!
This month, we’re featuring the Cabral family! Take a moment to get to know their great family and their experience at Compass:
Why did your family choose an online learning program?
We chose to learn at home through an online learning program for a few different reasons but a major factor was that we just weren’t receiving enough support in the brick-and-mortar school for our son, Grayson, who is on the autism spectrum.
What are some of the benefits of learning from home from your scholar?
Learning from home has given Grayson the flexibility he needs to academically succeed and has reduced the stress we would feel almost daily in the traditional school setting.
What is a typical school day like for your scholar and your family?
We try to maintain some daily structure, so each day Grayson will wake up, get dressed, have some breakfast and then get started on his work for the day while I take his younger brother to school. Then, I come back home and check to see what he is working on and what I may need to help him with. Again, the flexibility of him getting to choose which subject he would like to work on depending on how he’s feeling is great. Plus, he’s able to take breaks as needed. (Mostly for snacks!)
As a parent, what is your greatest joy in schooling your child at home?
My greatest joy about having Grayson learn from home is seeing his amazing growth since starting online schooling. He is becoming more responsible for his learning and showing accountability.
What are some of the challenges you faced when first enrolling at Compass and joining an online learning program?
Our very first challenge with online learning was technology. It was a learning curve to navigate the system but now that we have the hang of things it has been great! The second challenge occurred when I needed to separate my role as mom and learning coach. It’s not always easy, but we manage!
Why did your family decide to school from home with Compass?
When I was looking for online schools I looked into all the schools that were available in our area and I did my homework. Compass was rated one of the best and after reading the school’s reviews and hearing how their program could work for our son I was sure this was the right choice for us.
How has Compass supported your scholar?
Compass has been a great support to us from the start, from solving our problems with the technology, to each teacher understanding Grayson’s learning needs. Whenever he needs extra help or has a question, his teachers respond very quickly and make sure that he gets what he needs. Everyone has been so amazing and never made me feel like I was “that parent” that no one wanted to deal with, which has been a huge factor in Grayson’s success.
What do you enjoy most about being part of the Compass family?
The thing we appreciate the most about Compass is that it has so many resources available to scholars and their learning coaches! My favorite is the parent portal, where we learn about upcoming events and support programs. Compass offers so many ways to stay connected and supported.
What advice would you like to share with a parent who may be considering online learning for their child?
The advice I might give to a parent who is considering taking their child out of a traditional setting to learn at home would be, to be prepared to have an adjustment period but once they “learn the ropes” they will get to see how awesome learning with their child at home can be.
What does your family like to do for fun during your free time?
As a family, we enjoy going to museums and antique shops. We love family get-togethers with extended family and we almost never turn down a party!
Staff Spotlight
Katie Hooper, Online Elementary School Teacher
Hi! I am Katie Hooper I am an online elementary school teacher at Compass. I will celebrate my five-year anniversary with Compass this March! I have worked in online education for the past eight years.
Tell us your “why” for doing what you do here at Compass.
I love working for Compass! My roster of families have become friends and I love to work with families as their siblings grow up and come into our online program. It’s so exciting to see the scholars and their families grow up in our program and in their personal lives. I also really enjoy the other teachers and staff that I work with. Our online elementary school team is like family!
What advice would you like to share with learning coaches or scholars?
The best advice I share with each one of my learning coaches is to be sure to take time for themselves at the end of the school day. I believe it’s important for learning coaches to take a moment to read, watch TV or relax before they move into parenting duties for the day.
Share one thing about you that very few people know.
Something not many people know is that I worked for Disneyland for three years while I was in college. I was a third-generation employee because my great-grandfather was an original artist and both my parents and aunts and uncles also worked in the park!
What do you and your family like to do during your free time?
My family loves to do things outside. Both of my girls are swimmers and they also love to go to the beach. I love to take my two golden retrievers to the dog park. Watching my two-legged and four-legged girls do what they love is my greatest joy! I also like to spend time reading a good book.
Counseling Services Department
Meet the Director!
Counseling News
Can you believe it’s already November? We have much to be thankful for during this time of year. The counseling team has definitely been enjoying this school year and the many new families that have joined Compass. During the first few months of the school year, we have experienced some new additions to our team, introduced a counseling learning lab, and attended counseling conferences to support the professional development of our team and the services we provide to scholars. We look forward to continuing the momentum throughout the next few months as we near the end of the first semester of the school year!
We had two new additions to our team this year. We are excited to introduce our new counselor, Michelle Bateman! Ms. Bateman is the academic counselor for scholars in middle and high school grades. In addition, Mrs. Schwartzberg, also one of our school counselors, welcomed a baby boy to her family and will be returning to support her scholars after winter break.
In October, we introduced our Counseling Learning Lab. Every Tuesday during these virtual sessions various topics are discussed including academic achievement, social-emotional development, and college/career readiness to provide all scholars with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills appropriate for their developmental level. These learning labs are open to scholars and their learning coaches!
Fall is a busy time of year for school counselors, but we committed sometime away during the month of October for professional growth to better serve our scholar population by attending the California Association of School Counselors Conference, the University of California Counselor Conference, and the California State University Counselor Conference.
Counselor Spotlight
Meet Michelle Bateman, Counselor
What is your job title and job responsibilities at Compass? How long have you worked for this organization?
In my role as a Counselor, I am an advocate and a resource for scholar academic, social, and emotional development. Our team collaboratively supports scholars’ achievement and preparation for post-secondary life through comprehensive school counseling services. I strive to empower lifelong learners with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed for success while highlighting the unique strengths already present in each scholar. In addition, I collaborate and consult with staff in other departments to increase our combined capacity to serve scholars and families. I've been a proud member of the Compass family for the past three months!
Tell us your “why” for doing what you do here at Compass.
I believe all scholars deserve a caring adult in their life and support with developing their sense of awareness, belonging, confidence, and direction. I'm passionate about education and equity. By focusing on finding solutions and working together, I believe we can overcome any obstacle and foster success.
Is there a piece of advice you’d like to share with learning coaches or scholars?
No matter how experienced or knowledgeable you are, there is always something more to learn. It is OK to not know it all! Learning is a lifelong process.
Share one thing about you that very few people know.
Few people know that I worked as a professional scare-actor for six years. Some of my favorite characters to portray were clowns, dolls, and zombies!
What do you and your family like to do during your free time?
My family and I love to travel, play games, watch Netflix, and eat! I also enjoy art, yoga, and cuddles with my dog, Savannah.
Special Education Department
Meet the Director!
Hello! My name is Gabi Golan and I am proud to share that this is my third year as the Director of Special Education at Compass Charter Schools. We have experienced record growth at Compass this year and this is reflected in our Special Education Department as well. We currently have ten hard working and dedicated Special Education/Case Managers with the addition of a Special Education Coordinator. We have all embraced change and learned many new systems and programs to best support our scholars like the Read Naturally program, Ascend Math, and the Starfall program, which are all very exciting to us. Most valuable to me, however, continues to be the collaboration and relationships we share with our families and our providers daily to ensure that we are providing the highest level of support for our scholars.
Special Education Teacher Spotlight
How long have you been part of the #CompassFam?
Hello! My name is Dawn and I am a Special Education Instructor at Compass. I have been working for Compass since August 2019.
Tell us your “why” for doing what you do here at CCS.
I love teaching in a virtual environment. It allows me to work closely with my scholars and their families to develop goals and educational plans tailored to their unique needs. My favorite part of my job is celebrating all the victories and progress my scholars make and watching their confidence grow with their abilities.
As an educator, is there a piece of advice you’d like to share with learning coaches or scholars?
Think outside the box! Sometimes you have to stand back and look at the problem in a new light to find another approach to teaching a concept.
Share one thing about you very few people know?
I am a huge Harry Potter fan! I have read the books and watched the movies numerous times. My children and I have traveled to see the Wonderful World of Wizarding at Universal City and Orlando and were mesmerized the entire time!
What do you and your family like to do during your free time?
My kids and I are very active. They both play soccer and basketball so their practice schedules take up a lot of our free time. When we are not at practices, we like to run together. We recently ran our first 5K and we can't wait to do another! We also love to read and play board games.
SHARE YOUR STORY
Compass Charter Schools
Email: info@compasscharters.org
Website: www.compasscharters.org
Location: 850 Hampshire Road, Suite P, Thousand Oaks, CA, United States
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Twitter: @CompassCS
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