Monday Morning Update
Options Program - March 18, 2019
COMPASS & OPTIONS SCHOOL NEWS
ASSESSMENT
- Only two weeks until our CAASPP testing begins, starting Monday, April 1, 2019! If you have not done so already, please take a moment to register your scholar(s). Visit your scholar’s PSP > Progress > Testing > Registration (located in the upper right corner) to register for our available test sites. Your scholar’s teacher will give you a call this week or next to follow up and help you complete registration if you have not registered by the end of this week.
- Phoenix Achievement Award: Help us reach our testing goal of 95 percent participation! Each scholar will receive the “Phoenix Achievement Award” when they attend and complete all of their required state tests. This is a special “I survived #CAASPP Testing 2019 @CompassCs” vinyl sticker that scholars can display and share on social media! Scholars may even be eligible for a homework pass! Those who attend testing will also be entered into a daily raffle that will be held at each testing location. The raffle winners will receive a Compass Swag Bag with awesome school gear! One lucky winner will get the golden ticket and receive a new tablet (to be shipped to your home).
BLOG ~ Today, children are more social media savvy than ever before. In fact, a reported 81 percent of teens believe that social media helps them stay connected with friends. While growing up in the digital age has its benefits, it also comes with a list of new risks. Here are 5 tips to help keep scholars safe on social media.
COFFEE WITH COMPASS ~ Due to a conflict, our Coffee with Compass, scheduled for this Thursday, March 21, is postponed. We will share a new date soon. Wish our team luck as we participate in the Fresno County Board of Education Public Hearing on our CCS of Fresno charter renewal, which is why this event is being postponed.
ENERGY BUS ~ Energy Bus tip of the week: Have a goal for the week and do your best to achieve it! Also, don’t forget to check out this week’s Make a Difference Monday Message from the Energy Bus!
HANDBOOK HIGHLIGHT ~ Description of Program (found on page 9): Scholars and learning coaches work with their assigned, credentialed Educational Facilitator (EF) to develop a custom educational plan for their scholars. Families communicate with their assigned EF on a regular basis to discuss work and progress and to submit samples and logs. In addition, instructional funds are allocated to each scholar to use towards approved, non-sectarian educational materials, curriculum, and services.
NINTH CIRCUIT CIVICS CONTEST ~ All of our high school scholars are invited to enter the Ninth Circuit Civics Contest! What does the 4th Amendment, the right to be protected against unreasonable searches, mean in the Digital Age? To enter, scholars will need to write an essay or create a short video sharing their views on the significance of the 4th Amendment and how it applies to the use of technology devices. The deadline to submit contest entries is Monday, April 1.
OPTIONS ROUNDTABLE: INVITATION TO SHARE ~ Do you have a gift for accessing free resources for homeschoolers? Have you found some freebies out there that you would love to share with other families? Our topic for the next Options Roundtable on Thursday, March 28 at 8pm is Free Resources, and other Options families would like to hear from you! While all learning coaches are invited to show up and share, it's helpful to have some prepared ahead of time. If interested or if you have questions, please contact your EF or Wendy Sottile at wsottile@compasscharters.org.
RE-ENROLLMENT ~ Don’t forget … our 2019-20 re-enrollment window is open! Those scholars who re-enroll by this Friday, March 22, will receive our 2019 limited-edition Proud Scholar T-Shirt! If you have not done so already, don’t delay aa this special promotion expires this Friday!
NAVIGATORS' NEWS
BOOK CLUB ~ Mrs. Hardy and Ms. Beamish are holding a Book Club meeting next Tuesday, March 26, during lunch. Keep reading and get ready for the fun!
Paper Wishes with Ms. Beamish
Number the Stars with Mrs. Hardy
CLASS PHOTOS ~ We will be taking class photos this Thursday, March 21, for our yearbook. The Yearbook Club is working hard to make a wonderful memory book. Be sure to join us so you can be in the class photo!
VENDOR RELATIONS
Snapology of the High Desert is offering a new series of classes starting next Monday, March 25! These classes are great for scholars who love to use their hands and engage in interactive STEM curriculum. They offer fun programs for a wide variety of ages and interests. With an emphasis on play, children achieve academic enrichment and social development objectives. At Snapology there is something for everyone with everything from LEGO-themed programs, robotics, engineering, animation, and more! Don’t delay if you are wanting to take classes with Snapology! Check out this flyer for information on their upcoming 7-week session.
Molly’s Music is a singing school based in Orange County which aims to teach the styles and techniques their students want to learn. They shape well-rounded musicians out of all sorts of people: young, not-so-young, pre-professional, and casual. While vocal coaching is their specialty, they are more than happy to also provide scholars with top-notch guitar and piano lessons. Instruction can take place in your home or in their studio. Molly serves Costa Mesa, Irvine, and Orange. Check out this flyer for more information!
COUNSELING SERVICES
FEATURED COUNSELING SERVICES WORKSHOPS/PRESENTATIONS ~
High School March Madness Series, "Jump Shot to your future: PSAT" This Wednesday, March 20 at 12 pm our 9 and 10-grade scholars are invited to a presentation to learn about the PSAT/NMSQT tests and how they can qualify for scholarship funds as well as prepare for the SAT (college entrance exam).
Middle and High School Presentation, "Coping: Your Personal Toolbox" In recognition of self-injury awareness month, our middle and high school scholars are invited to join a presentation this Thursday, March 21 at 1 pm to learn about the different healthy ways to cope with emotions that can lead to some form of self-injury. Scholars will walk away from this experience with several important tools, not only for themselves but to help others as well. (Note: Please be advised that sensitive information will be shared and discussed. Parental Informed Consent will be required to attend.)
Middle and High School Presentation, "Overcoming Testing Anxiety" This Friday, March 22 at 12:30 pm our middle and high school scholars are invited to join a presentation about coping with test anxiety. Test anxiety is a prevalent and normal experience that scholars often face when asked to perform well on a test. The good news is that there are techniques to help identify test anxiety triggers and potentially alleviate those uncomfortable feelings. With state testing around the corner, scholars are strongly encouraged to attend this workshop.
MULTI -TIERED SYSTEMS OF SUPPORTS (MTSS)
This week we’re focused on parental support within the MTSS framework. Here are a few academic strategies that learning coaches can incorporate during the school day:
Communicate with your scholar’s EF and counselor on a regular basis
Review and assist with homework assignments
Ask for regular progress monitoring reports
Learn more about the curriculum, assessments, and interventions that we use
SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) SPOTLIGHT
Expressing opinions is one of the many ways to expose scholars to the importance of self-expression and the sharing of ideas with others. Going against the grain can sometimes appear as being disrespectful, but the good news is that it doesn't have to be that way! Watch this SEL video spotlight to learn more about expressing opinions constructively, even in a disagreement.
Enjoy a detailed list of Spring 2019 helpful college and career planning resources for middle and high school scholars.
EXCEPTIONAL SCHOLAR SERVICES
FEATURED ARTICLE ~ The Revision Process: How Technology Can Help Struggling Writers. After prewriting and drafting, scholars move on to reviewing and revising their work where they learn about the 'craft' of writing, reviewing content, and making deliberate changes to improve their work. Learning coaches are encouraged to read this article to learn how one teacher uses technology to help her scholars edit text, improve flow, and clarify meaning.
FEATURED WEBINAR ~ Scholars Can LEAD: Building Executive Function Skills for Learning. Executive function skills are what we use to get things done on a daily basis. Often referred to as the brain’s “air traffic controller,” they allow us to set a goal, create a plan, stay focused, and make adjustments until we’ve reached the goal. Our learning coaches are invited to join an edWebinar tomorrow, Tuesday, March 19 at 1 pm to deepen their understanding of executive function skills and how they can help their scholars learn and apply them to meet their goals.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Visit our ParentSquare Calendar for more information on our upcoming events.
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