Compass Chronicle
Compass Charter Schools | Options | June 2020
A Word From our Director
We have made it to the end of the 2020-21 school year, and what a year it has been! Without a doubt, the year has brought on its challenges with our enrollment surge, the globe’s pandemic, and our nation’s outcry for racial justice. Still, challenges can be viewed as opportunities for growth and improvement, as we have strived to do this school year.
As we reflect on the scholars’ progress over the course of the school year, we have witnessed them build relationships, connect with their EFs, grow in their learning, and adjust reasonably well to the need to move everything to virtual. We are excited to share this newsletter with you to highlight what has been happening and showcase some of our staff members and scholars with their accomplishments.
On behalf of our entire Options team, we feel honored to partner with you in your scholar’s education this year and look forward to continuing to work with you next year!
What's Been Happening in Options?
Scholars Karis and Analyn's Adventures in Options!
Second grader Karis and Kindergartener Analyn have been enjoying a super fun unit on space, including the planets, sun, stars, constellations, moon, and phases. They did many Magic School Bus Space experiments and activities in their "darkroom" (closet) to better understand orbits, how the moon rotates around the earth (and eclipses), how the earth revolves around the sun, and how telescopes (lenses) help us see farther.
Karis and Analyn are proud of their work on the Kiwi solar system kit and Planetarium. They use the Planetarium every night before bed and are now able to identify and name constellations/stars, including Orion (Rigel and Betelgeuse), Polaris, Ursa Major, Little Dipper, and more! They understand that the constellations in their Planetarium are visible from the Northern Hemisphere and that the constellations we can see are different, or in a different orientation. This has been their favorite unit by far, so far!
For Social Studies, they have been exploring the continent of Africa and its diverse cultures, languages, climate, biomes, and lifestyles. Analyn knows that there are 54 countries in Africa.
Analyn and Karis greatly enjoyed the Nigeria crate by Kiwi Co. They made an Adire Eleko (resist dye) cloth pouch while listening to Nigerian music on Spotify. And, in the last week, they have played many rounds of Derrah, a Nigerian three in a row game that requires more strategy than tic tac toe!
Congratulations to William!
William entered his report in this year’s Virtual Solano County 4-H, 4-H Area Presentation Day, and 4-H State Presentation Day, earning two gold awards and a second-place ribbon! To earn his 4-H Presentation Proficiency Award, he also presented his report virtually to friends and family, including a retirement home and a homeschool co-op! William’s Pokémon collection will be on display at the Virtual Solano County Fair, which can be viewed online on June 18 at http://www.scfair.com/fair-activities!
What's New in Options High School?
Pathways for Success
Options High School is gearing up for the next school year! In our last newsletter, we talked about our new and amazing A-G offerings, leading to many questions about what A-G is, how it benefits our scholars, and why we are developing courses. This month we want to give a brief overview of A-G and introduce our CTE pathways!
A-G is simply a way of organizing courses for scholars who are planning to attend a University of California or California State University immediately after high school. This pathway demonstrates rigor to these universities for scholars who do not necessarily plan to take concurrent enrollment classes at a community college or a private university. Scholars are still allowed and encouraged to register for concurrent enrollment classes (with counselor approval) if desired. Scholars who fall into this category work with their supervising teacher and their counselor to make sure they are on the A-G pathway. Many new A-G course offerings are available for the upcoming school year!
For scholars who are committed to taking community college or other college courses during high school, planning to attend a community college or private university, and/or obtaining career training or other certifications, a non-A-G course of study can be more personalized based upon the needs and wishes of the individual scholar and family. Our CTE pathways are being developed for scholars who are interested in pursuing a career in the fields of Drama or Health Sciences. Presently, we have the freshman course, Introduction to Careers, ready for incoming ninth graders to take. Scholars in the class of 2024 should have at least two CTE pathways and possibly many more!
No matter what your scholar's college or career trajectory is, we are excited to provide support and a variety of choices! Have a fantastic summer! We will see you in the fall!
Meet Sharlie Walker, our Regional Coordinator!
Scholar Story
Meet Narendra, Third Grade Scholar!
Thanks to Narendra’s mom, Heather, for sharing about her son!
Narendra is a third grade scholar in the Options program, and this is Narendra’s first year with Options. We chose to teach from home, to have the flexibility in curriculum and learning style. Learning from home is an excellent fit for Narendra because he enjoys learning from different types of curriculum and platforms. We need to be able to mix up our learning plan and schedule to keep him engaged and interested, and Compass allows us to do this!
Narendra is very musically talented, so we try to incorporate music into our daily routine as much as possible. He uses instructional funds for music appreciation and practices his piano, guitar, and singing as a part of his electives daily. Our whole family is musically talented, and we enjoy spending time together as a family. On school days, we often just stop, rock out, and have fun!
Compass supports us in so many ways by allowing us the flexibility in our school day and support from staff by providing optional academic and fun sessions to attend. Narendra particularly enjoys the Minecraft Club at Compass!
One piece of advice I can share with parents thinking about coming to Compass is to think about how your child learns best and let them explore their passions. Some days it is a struggle for Narendra to complete his work, so this is where the high flexibility of CCS comes in. When he’s having a bad day, we can stop and take a break and pick it up later in the day. If he gets frustrated with a learning activity, we also have many different choices and ways to approach a subject matter thanks to CCS, allowing us to explore new books, workbooks, and even online courses.
Many interactive kits incorporate hands-on learning with technology and YouTube videos. Scholars can create an interactive science notebook where they can record what they have learned. If they love computers and online classes, they can choose a variety of these types of courses. If one day they love doing their work, and the next day they do not, do not stress; life is a learning adventure! Remember that there are so many ways to cover the state standards, so get creative, have fun!
Compass is an excellent fit for our family; we love that we don’t have to get out to drive and can meet his teachers virtually. We have so much flexibility and so many learning styles available that are supported by Compass. The positivity and communications they send out truly make it feel like you are a part of something special. We are grateful for our time here with Compass!
Forever Loud and Proud!
Scholar Spotlight Videos!
Amy R., Third Grade
Camila C., Seventh Grade
Amberly Y., Second Grade
Evelyn C., Eleventh Grade
Alexander R., Eighth Grade
Scholar Spotlights!
Amberly Y., Second Grade, Dance Studio Brochure
Jayden R., Kindergarten, Mystery Pizza Brochure
Pedro L., Seventh Grade, Huatulco Tourist Brochure
Final Projects Brochures!
Hanna O., Ninth Grade, Hair Salon
Victor R., Third Grade, Diverti Planet
Nathan R., 10th Grade, Ancient Egypt Travel Brochure
Alex F., Fifth Grade, Space Land
Ian F., Sixth Grade, Camp Adventures
Jimena 0., 10th Grade, Visit Bora Bora
Zoe F., Second Grade, Princessland Hotel
Scholar Projects!
AJ C., Pre-School, Roman Aqueduct Activity
Brielle S., Third Grade, Sugar Cube Colosseum
Brixen G. TK, Volcano Eruption
Capri, Sixth Grade & Luxe P., Second Grade, Rainforest Diorama
Jordan T., Pre-School, Social Studies Project
Capri P., Sixth Grade, Sheep Heart Dissection
Luxe P., Second Grade, Chinese New Year
Mae W., First Grade Microscope a Flower Petal
Naomi S., Second Grade, Skeletal System
Raymond B., 12th Grade, Clay Model Plant Cell
Ruby O., Third Grade, Flip Grid Fun
Ruby O., Third Grade, Butterfly Diagram
Ryan M., Fifth Grade, Fungi Science Project
Scarlett O., Fourth Grade, The Life Cycle of the Plant
Talia S., Fifth Grade Bacterial Skin Science Experiment
Tessa, First Grade & Grant F., Pre-School, Edible Roman Road
Venizio M., Sixth Grade, The Digestive System
Zeiva S., First Grade, Owl Pellets Dissection
Papers!
Isaiah A., Sixth Grade, Ocean Paper
Ayden Smith, Sixth Grade, Athens Paper
Phoenix F., Pre-K, Writing Assignment
Artwork!
Colin M., Second Grade, Designing with Tesellations
Diego G., Ninth Grade, Artwork
Adriana S., Seventh Grade, Still-Life Artwork
Staff Spotlight
Meet Yoli Wiederrich, Educational Facilitator!
What are your job title and job responsibilities at Compass? How long have you worked for Compass?
I am an Educational Facilitator (Supervising Teacher). Some of my responsibilities are communicating and supporting learning coaches and scholars, collecting work samples, keeping records of attendance, and submitting purchase orders. I have had the pleasure of being here at Compass for almost two years.
What is your background in education?
I started as a substitute teacher while I finished my credential. I worked as a classroom teacher for four years and then took a break after having my first child. My break was extended as our family grew. I began the homeschooling journey when my oldest was set to start kindergarten and have been homeschooling ever since (eight years)!
Can you share a bit about yourself/family?
I have been married for 22 years, and we have three children, ages 13, 11, and nine. We live in Orange County, close to our grandparents and extended family. We enjoy camping, hiking, soccer, and baseball.
Tell us your “why” for doing what you do here at Compass.
As a bilingual EF, I do my best to support my English Learners and the learning coach by providing them extra support, whether it’s longer connections meetings or providing them resources in their first language.
I am also a believer in personalized learning, and Compass does this so well. We are a team here and share many great resources. We genuinely want all our scholars to grow, learn, and to be successful.
What is one of your favorite parts about working at CCS?
I enjoy the connections with my families. I look forward to chatting and getting to see their work samples, pictures, and videos. In regards to my colleagues, the collaboration that happens behind the scenes is impressive. We have so many gifted and talented staff here, and I love how we are all willing to share ideas to make our jobs a little easier.
What are some of your favorite things to do during your free time?
I love to spend time with my family. Yes, I am with my children all day, but I also know one day they will become adults and move out. I cherish our time together. I also enjoy reading and listening to music.
What is (or was) your favorite subject to study?
Physical Education. I struggled in the classroom, but I was always good at most sports. It wasn’t until I was in college that I found a real joy for reading. My Children’s Literature class was my favorite.
As an educator, is there a piece of advice you’d like to share with learning coaches or scholars?
Don’t be afraid to admit that you have struggles and ask for help. A favorite quote is, “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” Nelson Mandela
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
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CompassCS/
Twitter: @CompassCS
Copyright © 2017, All rights reserved.