Monday Morning Update
Online Program ~ June 1, 2020
Compass Community - we realize this continues to be a difficult time with the current protests, and as the world continues to address COVID-19. We hope that all our Compass family is safe and that we move forward in love and support. Compass continues to monitor and follow guidance from national, state, and local government entities as it relates to COVID, and we are working on our reopening plan for in-person events and services for the upcoming school year. The safety and well-being of all of our Compass family will always be our top priority.
We recognize that we are ALL impacted by this difficult time -- scholars, parents, and staff -- all in very different ways. We ask that we continue to live our ARTIC values of achievement, respect, trust, integrity, and communication, and recognize we are all here to support our scholars and each other while dealing with the variety of ways our lives have been impacted. We encourage you to review our Counseling Resources in the Parents & Scholars section of our website (password is loveCCS) for helpful resources and visit the San Diego County Office of Education’s page on Equity Resources.
We appreciate your understanding that it may take our team a little longer to communicate, and we know it may take you a little longer to respond to us. What is most important to know is that we are in this together, as a Compass community. Thank you for being part of our Compass family, and for your support of our entire community during this time!
COMPASS SCHOOL NEWS
ASSESSMENTS ~ A BIG Thank You to our scholars who completed end-of-year benchmark assessments! If you haven’t yet taken the benchmark assessments, please contact your homeroom teacher for assistance.
Istation and Edgenuity will be available until Saturday, August 1, for scholars that wish to supplement their summer learning. Both programs can be used to prevent ‘Summer Slide’ and prepare for fall courses. If you need assistance in drafting a summer plan, please reach out to your homeroom teacher.
AVID ~ To ALL learning coaches and scholars, our AVID program needs to hear from you! Please take a minute or two to complete this form and provide your valuable feedback concerning our AVID program. Your voice is very important as we continue to develop and grow AVID at Compass.
BLOG ~ In celebration of College Signing Day last Tuesday, May 26, and our Virtual Commencement Ceremony on Wednesday, June 17, we are sharing this blog for scholars who are contemplating their next steps after high school. If you are a high school senior or even younger, this is a critical time to analyze your skills and life goals and determine what path is the best for you. Check out this week’s blog: During These Challenging Times - Discover if You are Truly Career or College Bound.
CLASS OF 2020 ~ Please join us all month as we celebrate our graduating class of 2020! Each day this month, we will be featuring our seniors on our social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter) and highlighting the next stop on their journey. Congratulations, Class of 2020!
ENERGY BUS TIP OF THE WEEK ~ Champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall. - Serena Williams
NEW ONLINE CURRICULUM ~ Join us monthly to learn what’s to come for the 2020-21 school year with the new Accelerate Education program! Our fourth and final session, an open Q&A, is next Wednesday, June 10 at 1 pm for scholars in grades K-5, and 7 pm for scholars in grades 6-12. Visit ParentSquare to learn more and to RSVP!
ONLINE HANDBOOK HIGHLIGHT ~ In the next few MMU’s, we will be highlighting “Learning Coach Expectations” as reminders of how our Learning Coaches can best support their scholars to ensure a strong finish for the school year!
- Learning Coach Expectations: (page 20) Check email and phone messages daily (including any automated messages) about scholar attendance and/or progress as well as all CCS communication including Monday Morning Updates and the quarterly newsletter and respond promptly if a response is required.
READERS CHOICE ~ Every year, the Los Angeles Daily News compiles a list of the city’s best places, services, people, goods, and more. It’s time to nominate Compass Charter Schools as the best charter school in Los Angeles County! Click here to register and follow the few simple steps to nominate our wonderful school for this special annual award.
RE-ENROLLMENT ~ Our 2020-21 re-enrollment window is open! If you have not done so already, please be sure to complete our re-enrollment process through Reg Online (link is in your inbox from enrollment@compasscharters.org), which asks if your scholar(s) will be returning to continue their educational journey with us next year (and we do hope you are!). The deadline to re-enroll is Tuesday, June 30!
VIRTUAL YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ~ The San Diego County Office of Education is hosting a FREE Youth Leadership Conference this week for scholars in grades 6-12! There are daily events this week at 3 pm, and the conference concludes with a movie night this Friday, June 5, at 5 pm.
K-8 SCHOOL NEWS
ELEMENTARY UPDATES ~ Exciting news! We’ll be offering art learning labs these last few weeks of school! For more details on our art labs and more elementary happenings this week, check out our Online K-5 Website!
MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATES ~ The school year is coming to an end, and our middle school teachers are here to help! Attend all of your learning labs this week, so you don’t miss up on important study sessions and additional help in your courses!
ONLINE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS
END OF THE YEAR AWARDS ASSEMBLY ~ Our End of the Year Awards Assembly will take place this Friday, June 5, at noon. Please use this link to join in the celebration. Password is #Awards
COUNSELING NEWS
DECISION DAY 2020 ~ Congratulations, Class of 2020! Your adventure awaits! If you were not able to attend the celebration, please click here for the recording.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - CHANGES TO STANDARDIZED TEST REQUIREMENT (SAT/ACT) ~ On Thursday, May 21, the UC Board of Regents unanimously approved the suspension of the requirement for all California freshman applicants until fall 2024. The suspension will allow the university to create a new test that better aligns with the content the university expects students to have mastered for college readiness. Also, the university will eliminate the SAT Essay/ACT Writing Test as a requirement for UC undergraduate admissions, starting with fall 2021 applicants.
The following outlines the Regents’ actions:
Test-optional for fall 2021 and fall 2022: Campuses will have the option to use ACT/SAT scores in selection consideration if applicants choose to submit them, and will develop appropriate policies and procedures to implement the Board’s decision.
Test-blind for fall 2023 and fall 2024: Campuses will not consider test scores for California public and independent high school applicants in admissions selection, a practice known as “test-blind” admissions. Test scores could still be considered for other purposes such as course placement, certain scholarships, and eligibility for the statewide admissions guarantee.
New standardized test: Starting in summer 2020 and ending by January 2021, UC will undertake a process to identify or create a new test that aligns with the content UC expects students to have mastered to demonstrate college readiness for California freshmen.
Elimination of the SAT/ACT requirement: By 2025, any use of the ACT/SAT would be eliminated for California students, and a new UC-endorsed test to measure UC-readiness would be required. However, if by 2025, the new test is either unfeasible or not ready, consideration of the ACT/SAT for freshman admissions would still be eliminated for California students.
The suspension allows UC to address concerns about equitable treatment for all students regardless of whether they submit a standardized test score. The Regents’ vote also acknowledges the likely ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students, families, and schools. If you have questions about standardized test requirements, please book an appointment with Ms. Olson, College & Career Readiness Counselor, or reach out by email.
Coast to Coast Information Session ~ Thursday, June 11 at 5 pm ~ The Coast to Coast College Tour is a joint partnership bringing together admissions representatives from Dartmouth College, Northwestern University, Princeton University, the University of California-Berkeley, and Vanderbilt University. Each of the institutions practices a holistic admissions process in a highly selective environment. This program will provide you with the opportunity to learn about each institution and receive insight on navigating the selective admissions process. Please register here.
Enjoy a detailed list of Spring 2020 helpful college and career planning resources for middle and high school scholars.
SPECIAL EDUCATION NEWS
FEATURED WEBINAR ~ Academic Language: Unlocking the Language Advantage for All Students: The truth is, all scholars are language learners, and all teachers are language teachers. Even those students whose first language is English must continue to learn the specific registers of language required in academic settings, in science, social studies, and mathematics. In this edWebinar, we will shine a spotlight on research around the critical role language plays in all learning and explore high leverage practices that aim to accelerate language development for all students, across all subject areas. Participants will leave this edWebinar with concrete ideas and classroom-tested strategies for accelerating the development of discipline-specific and high-leverage academic language for all scholars. Watch Anytime Webinar.
FEATURED ARTICLE ~ How Spelling Supports Reading: Research has shown that learning to spell and learning to read rely on much of the same underlying knowledge — such as the relationships between letters and sounds — and, not surprisingly, that spelling instruction can be designed to help children better understand that key knowledge, resulting in better reading.
ENGAGEMENT NEWS
VIRTUAL EVENT SPOTLIGHT ~ What makes a story great? What makes someone a good storyteller? Storytelling is something we all do naturally, starting at a young age, but there’s a difference between good storytelling and great storytelling. Join us tomorrow, Tuesday, June 2, for Pixar in a Box Part 1 to learn all about storytelling! This will be our first of three virtual scholar workshops from Pixar that we will have this week. You’ll hear from Pixar directors and story artists about how they got their start and what stories inspire them, and you’ll begin to think about what kinds of stories you might want to tell. Click here to learn more and register!
CLUB SPOTLIGHT ~ The Dance Club is an inclusive group that shares the joy of dancing and allows collaboration via webcam. They meet once a month online, and the club is open to all grade levels. The club’s goals are to learn more about different styles of dance, watch and encourage others as they perform, and to build friendships. To learn more about this club or any of our other scholar clubs, please visit the Parents & Scholars section of our CCS website.
FIELD TRIP AND EVENTS
*In response to COVID-19, we continue to add exciting live virtual engagement opportunities & have also compiled a list of resources for you to use while at home
*Please view the details at the links below and fill out the virtual event registration for each event that your scholar(s) would like to attend
Tuesday, June 2 - Virtual Scholar Workshop - Pixar in a Box Part 1: The Art of Storytelling
Wednesday, June 3 - Virtual Scholar Workshop - Pixar in a Box Part 2: Story Structure
Thursday, June 4 - Virtual Scholar Workshop - Pixar in a Box Part 3: Pitching Your Story
Tuesday, June 9 - Virtual Scholar Workshop - Cheerleading Workshop #ParksFromHome
Wednesday, June 10 - Virtual Scholar Workshop - Scholar Social Hour
Thursday, June 11 - Virtual Scholar Workshop - End of School Year Celebration
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