Compass Chronicle
Online Elementary School | Fall 2017
Greetings Elementary School Families!
We are already a few months into the school year and it has been a pleasure to work with your scholars! September and October were exciting months. Our scholars had the opportunity to participate in several art contests, our School Spirit Song Contest, our Second Annual Virtual Talent Show, and our School Spirit Shirt Design Contest. We also recognized our core values of achievement and respect by celebrating our scholars' accomplishments and sharing the importance of respect. We held our first Virtual Halloween Parade that went great! In addition, we held a Thankful Rally to learn more about Thanksgiving and to allow our scholars to express what they are thankful for. Our scholars are learning that being thankful for what they have is a great display of respect. We have plenty more exciting opportunities planned this year as each and every day we continue to guide and inspire our scholars to become innovative, creative and self-directed learners.
Sincerely,
Steven Thompson, Elementary School Coordinator
Table of Contents
- What's New in Elementary School
- Scholar & Family Spotlight
- Scholar Projects
- Staff Spotlight
- Curriculum Updates
- Helpful Resources
- Share Your Story
WHAT'S NEW IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?
We have held a few Lunch Bunch sessions to connect with our scholars. During our Lunch Bunch sessions in October, the scholars were able to learn how to code using the website Hour of Code. In November, our Lunch Bunch sessions focused on Virtual Reality. This year our scholars also took virtual field trips to see New York and participated in live reading assessments with their teachers. We've been having a lot of fun!
Our learning coaches also engaged with our teachers and with each other. As a reminder, our learning coaches are still welcome to join our Growth Mindset Book Club to learn even more about supporting their scholars! Contact Mr. Thompson for more information.
SCHOLAR & FAMILY SPOTLIGHT
We are also featuring the Harvey Family.
Second-grade scholar Lily Harvey is a talented scholar in Mrs. Fisher’s class. She is a hard-working scholar who gives her best effort on all of her classwork. She strives to do her best every day! In addition to completing classwork, Lily attends all of her Learning Labs each week and is always eager to learn with her peers. She goes above and beyond and adds great joy to our class!
SCHOLAR PROJECTS & ASSIGNMENTS
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Crystal Villegas, an elementary school teacher at CCS.
CSS: Can you share a little bit about your background in education?
Crystal: I was a founding educator at Aspire Public Schools in Los Angeles where in five short years we received state recognition as a California Distinguished School. I have always been drawn to working with youth in underprivileged settings, fostering a growth mindset and providing inspiration to help them change the odds. This is my eleventh year working as a teacher and my twenty year working with children.
CCS: Where did you attend college?
Crystal: I attended California State University at Long Beach where I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies. I worked with children all through my undergraduate college experience and I held various positions as Director of a tutoring center and Branch Director of a Boys and Girls Club before returning to school to complete my Masters Degree and Teaching Credential at Loyola Marymount University.
CCS: What is your favorite song to listen to while working?
Crystal: My favorite song to listen to while I work is "Roar" by Katy Perry!
CCS: Have you recently read any good books? If so, what did you read?
Crystal: I recently read "The Whole Brain Child" by Dan Siegel and it really made an impact on my parenting approach.
CCS: What is one of your favorite movies?
Crystal: I really enjoy watching the movie "Trolls!" with my children.
CCS: What do you enjoy most about teaching at CCS?
Crystal: Teaching at CCS allows me to continue to pursue my passion for teaching while balancing my life at home with my children. I also enjoy supporting our parents in their own growth as educators in their homes with unique strategies and skills. My passions lie in overall wellbeing and emotional wellness as a means to provide a foundation to live happy, fulfilling lives that contribute to the overall wellbeing of our world. Mindfulness and Yoga in education is an area I am very passionate about spreading throughout education. Here at Compass, I started Mindfulness and Movement weekly sessions for my scholars.
CCS: What activities do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
Crystal: I enjoy creating art, doing yoga, hiking, going to L.A. Dodger's games and taking mini "staycations" with my family.
Kim Love, an elementary school teacher at CCS.
CCS: Tell us your “why” for doing what you do here at CCS?
Kim: Being a teacher at Compass allows me to do what I love most, help inspire and develop young scholars while caring for my family at home. There is truly no other school I would rather be teaching for...CCS is the best!
CCS: What advice can you share with our learning coaches and scholars?
Kim: Communication is so important! Learning coaches and scholars should be communicating with their teachers on a regular basis. Communication allows for stronger relationships to be built between the teacher, learning coach, and scholar. More importantly, the more communication, the more likely each scholar will achieve success!
CCS: What is one thing about you that very few people know?
Kim: I thought I wanted to be a pediatrician, until becoming a swim instructor at the Jan Thomas Swim School. After spending one summer working with children and seeing their joy from learning something new, I quickly decided that I wanted to be an elementary school teacher.
CCS: What college did you attend?
Kim: I attended and graduated from Fresno State University.
CCS: What do you like to do in your free time?
Kim: I enjoy spending time with my four girls and my husband, especially when we are able to travel to the beach for vacation.
CURRICULUM UPDATES
HELPFUL RESOURCES
Our learning coaches are encouraged to read "Braving the Wilderness" by Brene Brown. It's a New York Times Best Seller that challenges everything we know about cultivating true belonging in our communities, organizations, and culture.
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
Phone: 855-937-4227
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CompassCS/
Twitter: @CompassCS
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