Monday Morning Update
Online Program ~ October 21, 2019
COMPASS SCHOOL NEWS
ASSESSMENTS: THE INITIAL ELPAC ~ What happens after a scholar takes the Initial ELPAC and is classified as an English Learner?
Scholars in grades K-12 who are classified as English learners will take the ELPAC Summative Assessment every year until they are reclassified as proficient in English (RFEP).
Scholars are tested on their skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The window for this testing begins on Saturday, February 1 and ends on Sunday, May 31.
For more information about ELPAC, please read the Parent Guide to Understanding the ELPAC in English or Español. Parents can also look at sample test questions for the ELPAC practice tests. Please contact Beth Sneyd, Assessment Coordinator, if you have any questions.
AVID: THE ART OF CHUNKING ~ Chunking the text is a strategy that can help scholars learn how to critically read complex texts. Encourage your scholar to follow these steps:
First, chunk the text by breaking it up into smaller sections (or chunks) this will make the reading more manageable. There is no right or wrong way to chunk the text, as long as your scholar can rationally group certain paragraphs together.
Next, use the left and right margins, in the left margin, summarize each chunk, try to do this in 10 words or less. Then, in the right margin, use verbs to describe what the author is doing or add questions to ask your teacher later.
BLOG: SUPPORTING SCHOLARS WITH DYSLEXIA ~ October is Dyslexia Awareness Month and to recognize this important campaign we’re sharing a few meaningful ways parents can support a child living with dyslexia.
COMPASS CLOSED ~ Compass will be closed this Friday, October 25 for In-Service Day. This is a great day for scholars to catch-up on work or get ahead in classes while our staff spends the day learning.
#DIGCITCOMMIT CHALLENGE ~ Compass has joined the #DigCitCommitt initiative to redefine digital citizenship with five key competencies: inclusive, informed, engaged, balanced, and alert. All of our scholars are invited to enter the #DigCitCommit challenge to show how they use technology to be a force for good online! Final submissions to the challenge are due by 11:59 pm on Sunday, December 1.
ENERGY BUS TIP OF THE WEEK ~ Your positive energy must be greater than all negativity! Negative energy is all around us, but we have the power to ensure our positive energy outweighs any negativity around us.
ONLINE HANDBOOK HIGHLIGHT ~ Are you wondering, as a learning coach, what you can do to help support your scholar(s)? Please revisit “Learning Coach Responsibilities” on page 11 for some helpful tips! Be sure to “Work in partnership with our teachers and counselors to support your scholar.” We are here to help!
PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES ~ This is the last week of our Parent/Teacher Conferences. If you haven’t scheduled a meeting, please reach out to your scholar’s teacher as soon as possible!
WRITER’S WORKSHOP ~ We are having great success learning about personal narrative writing in our Writer’s Workshop sessions! The next session will be next Monday, October 28 at 11am for grades 3-5 and next Wednesday, October 30 at 11am for grades 6-8.
Weekly Photo Gallery
Parts of a Cell
The Ancient Mayans
Elementary Math
K-8 SCHOOL NEWS
8TH GRADE COSTUME CONTEST ~ Our 8-grade scholars are invited to join Mrs. Tatum’s ELA Learning Lab next Thursday, October 31 at 1:00 pm wearing their Halloween costume to participate in a costume contest at the end of class!
ELEMENTARY LEARNING LABS ~ Our learning coaches are invited to check out the CCS K-5 Website for exciting information on this week’s live learning labs!
ELEMENTARY HALLOWEEN PARADE ~ Our third annual CCS Elementary Virtual Costume Parade will be next Thursday, October 31 at 10:00 am in our Virtual Classroom. All scholars who attend will be given microphone and camera privileges so they can share their Halloween costumes with everyone!
ONLINE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS
ATTENDANCE COMPETITION ~ Are you attending our learning labs? So far, Ms. Woodley’s chemistry learning lab is in the lead! Which learning lab class will be our ultimate winner next week?
COURSE PARTICIPATION ~ There are three major attributes that contribute to scholar success in an online learning environment: staying on pace, communicating frequently with teachers, and participating in learning labs. Our high school staff have included a class participation grade that is weighted up to 10 percent of the total grade. For more information on how to earn the full participation grade, please reach out to your scholar’s teachers.
COUNSELING SERVICES
FEATURED COUNSELING SERVICES LESSON
CCS Cafe: How to Create a Resume ~ Our high school scholars are invited to join Ms. Olson and Ms. Bateman next Tuesday, October 29 from 12-1 pm to discover tips and tricks about the resume-building process. They will share examples of resumes and provide strategies to create a scholar resume.
COLLEGE CAREER READINESS INDUSTRY UPDATE
Scholars will be able to retake sections of the ACT next year without repeating the entire exam! Next September, scholars dissatisfied with their ACT scores will be able to retake a selected portion of the test without having to repeat the entire exam. The policy change is a major development for a high-stakes testing ritual. It means that a scholar who aced three of the ACT's four sections could choose to focus solely on raising the score of that troublesome fourth section without fear of getting lower results on the other three. Never in the 60-year history of the ACT has there been an option for a partial retake.
Enjoy a detailed list of Fall 2019 helpful college and career planning resources for middle and high school scholars.
EXCEPTIONAL SCHOLAR SERVICES
FEATURED ARTICLE ~ 12 Tips to Help Kids With Dyslexia Learn Sight Words: Kids with dyslexia can have extra trouble learning sight words. Some of these words don’t follow standard spelling rules, so they’re not decodable. Others appear so often that kids have to recognize them quickly to be fluent readers. These tips can make learning sight words easier.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Visit our ParentSquare Calendar for more information on our upcoming events.
Compass Charter Schools
- Ashley Daugherty, Online K-8 Coordinator, at adaugherty@compasscharters.org.
- Janae Smith, Online High School Coordinator, at jsmith@compasscharters.org.
- Erin Smith, Director of Online Learning, at esmith@compasscharters.org.
Email: info@compasscharters.org
Website: www.compasscharters.org
Location: 850 Hampshire Road, Suite P, Thousand Oaks, CA, United States
Phone: 855-937-4227
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CompassCS/
Twitter: @CompassCS