Monday Morning Update
Online Program ~ March 30, 2020
Compass Community - we realize this continues to be a difficult time as the world works to address COVID-19. We are in this together, and our entire team is working on ways to support our scholars, learning coaches, and each other during this time. As we have shared in our COVID-19 Update I, COVID-19 Update II, and COVID-19 Update III, Compass continues to monitor and follow guidance from national, state and local government entities and is offering some great programming for our scholars such as a special Counseling Learning Lab (details below) and Virtual Scholar Workshops (details below). The safety and well-being of all of our stakeholders is our top priority.
We recognize that we are ALL impacted by COVID-19 -- 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. Although we are used to virtual learning and learning from home, our environments have all changed. Some have additional distractions and feelings of anxiety, kids (and adults) home more than usual, or even family members or friends who have fallen ill. Knowing these changes, 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.
In the spirit of well-being, we would like to share a great resource which has been shared with us:
From PBS SoCal, At-Home Learning (a California education partnership program), which provides a number of PBS programming and digital resources.
COMPASS SCHOOL NEWS
ASSESSMENTS ~ Istation and Edgenuity are more than just diagnostic assessments. Both programs offer supporting instruction! Supplemental use of these programs, in addition to your regular curriculum, can support scholars’ academic progress and help close achievement gaps. In response to feedback from our Parent Advisory Council, the timer function from Istation has been removed (except for one area in the reading assessment, which is based on a timed response)! Please contact your homeroom teacher if you have any questions.
AVID ~ As we need to distance ourselves, we can’t lose sight of the importance of scholar collaboration, an essential component of our academic approach at CCS. When scholars engage in academic collaboration, they gain experience developing relational capacity or the degree of trust and level of safety between members of a group. A robust relational position is often associated with risk-taking, leadership, and resiliency.
Scholars, learning coaches, and instructors are invited to join this week’s AVID Academic Support Sessions at 1 pm. We will be reviewing AVID’s Digital Learning Framework (4As) and how online tools can promote remote collaboration. AVID for Secondary (grades 6-12), today, Monday, March 30, and AVID for Elementary (grades K-5) this Wednesday, April 1.
BLOG ~ In our latest blog, hear about scholar Elijah and how AVID is helping him succeed!
CCS NEWS ~ The March issue of the Compass Chronicle has been published! Check out the quarterly newsletter to see what exciting things scholars are up to, meet wonderful staff members, and learn about the upcoming field trips, clubs, and activities happening at CCS!
ENERGY BUS TIP OF THE WEEK ~ Be purposeful in your interactions with others. Also, don’t forget to check out this week’s Make a Difference Monday Message from the Energy Bus!
ONLINE HANDBOOK HIGHLIGHT ~ School-based Counseling Services – Your scholar is encouraged to directly contact a CCS counselor by making an appointment to speak with a one. You can reach the Counseling Services Department through our Parents & Scholars webpage (password is loveCCS). Our counselors support scholars by providing individual sessions, group or parent consultations, when a scholar is having a difficult time due to academic stress, a transition to changes in their environment, or social concerns, including isolation.
K-8 SCHOOL NEWS
ELEMENTARY UPDATES ~ Spring is here, and our elementary teachers have created some fun, interactive spring-themed learning labs! Check out our Online K-5 Website for all the details!
ENERGY BUS RALLY ~ Join us this Friday, April 3, at 9 am as we participate in The Energy Bus’ Virtual Rally for Elementary Scholars!
VIRTUAL PE WITH MS. T. ~ Getting tired of being inside all day and ready to get moving? Ms. Talcott will be doing virtual P.E. classes daily at noon in her Virtual Classroom! Don’t miss out on the fun!
7 GRADE ENGLISH ~ Join Ms. Noller’s Virtual Classroom this Thursday, April 2, at 10 am to learn all about poetry and write your own poems!
ONLINE HIGH SCHOOL NEWS
NEW SCHOLARS~ Today, Monday, March 30, at 3:30 pm, Ms. Amari is hosting a New Scholar Support Party! We are encouraging our new high school scholars to attend and learn the ins and outs of the StrongMind system, how to stay organized, and the expectations for completing courses. You can join the session here.
MARCH MADNESS ~ Congratulations to Myers’ algebra class for winning our 2020 March Madness! Their total attendance percentage for March was 38%. Way to go! Please reach out to Ms. Myers to receive your March Madness prize.
COUNSELING NEWS
FEATURED COUNSELING SERVICES LESSONS ~ Keep Calm and Focus on...the Facts! - tomorrow, Tuesday, March 31, from noon -1 pm - Join our counselors to discuss the new normal in the wake of COVID-19 and social distancing. We will support scholars to talk about their concerns and connect with others virtually, break down the facts versus popular fiction appearing online, provide resources and coping strategies, as well as, practice a few of the techniques together. Join Ms. Bateman and Mrs. Schwartzberg for this session from 12 pm-1 pm in the Counseling Learning Lab.
SAT/ACT TESTING UPDATES ~ ACT and the College Board are canceling and rescheduling some spring test dates. ACT has rescheduled the April 4 national test day to June 13. ACT will be notifying scholars with instructions for free rescheduling and available future test dates. The College Board has canceled the May 2 SAT and SAT Subject Test Administration. The June 5 test date is currently still on the schedule; however, the College Board continues to assess and provide updates on an ongoing basis. Scholars should check for updates regularly.
During this time of uncertainty, counselors are available to support you and your family’s social-emotional health. Please reach out to your counselor today!
A-F | Gabriela Ayala
G-L | Jacob Samples
M-R | Mandy Schwartzberg
S-Z | Michelle Bateman
Enjoy a detailed list of Spring 2020 helpful college and career planning resources for middle and high school scholars.
SPECIAL EDUCATION NEWS
FEATURED ARTICLE ~ Teaching Reading Skills to Children With Down Syndrome: Research supports the view that all children with Down Syndrome will benefit from being read to and from being in reading instruction from an early age as these activities will improve their spoken language and memory skills. Children with Down Syndrome learn to read in the same way as typically developing children.
FEATURED ARTICLE ~ Helpful Hints for Teaching a Scholar with Down Syndrome: Children with Down Syndrome are helped by teaching methods that take account of research into their strengths and weaknesses.
ENGAGEMENT NEWS
VIRTUAL EVENT SPOTLIGHT ~ Join us tomorrow, Tuesday, March 31, at 1 pm for a Virtual Scholar Workshop that will take our scholars to Mars! Scholars will travel to space in this exciting virtual field trip where they get to “visit” Mars! Scholars will experience the surface of the planet through the use of 360-degree panoramic images and learn more about the Mars rover! Click here to learn more and sign up!
THE NAT AT HOME ~ Explore The Nat, San Diego’s Natural History Museum, from home! Take a tour of San Diego, view lesson plans, ways to explore in your backyard, and more! Click here to learn more about what is offered from The Nat!
CLUB SPOTLIGHT ~ The Video Production Club is an excellent place for scholars who like or are interested in producing videos. Scholars will independently make their videos with support from our club advisor. The club advisor will introduce scholars to the video production stages - emphasizing scholars’ creativity and taking advantage of the many ways that technology has provided a student-based approach to shoot a video. To learn more about this club or any of our other Scholar Clubs, please visit the Parents & Scholars section of our CCS website.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Upcoming Virtual Engagement Events ~ *In response to COVID-19 and the cancellation of in-person field trips in March, we have added exciting virtual engagement opportunities until we can resume our in-person field trips.
*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, March 31 - Virtual Scholar Workshop - The Solar System: Mars
Wednesday, April 1 – Virtual Scholar Workshop – Scholar Social Hour
Thursday, April 2 - Virtual Scholar Workshop - Aerospace Innovation
Wednesday, April 7 – Virtual Scholar Workshop - Disney Series Part 1: Creating Worlds
Thursday, April 8 – Virtual Scholar Workshop - Disney Series Part 2: Designing Attractions
Friday, April 9 – Virtual Scholar Workshop - Disney Series Part 3: Bringing Characters to Life
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