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A Fabulous Start to the New School Year

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My baby boy turns 24 years old today. He is nothing like a baby, of course, but in my heart, he will always be my precious little boy. You know what I mean. As parents, we are all struck with moments of wonder as our children grow and transform.

Compass, too, is growing and transforming before my very eyes. Just like parents who work tirelessly for the good of their children, we have worked tirelessly to make good on our vision of a truly student-centered school. Thanks to the persistence of our incredible staff, loyal families and community partners, we are seeing the fruits of our labor grow and ripen.

I don’t think I have the words to express what a wonderful start we have had to the school year! Our goals for the first week included:

  1. Bonding and inclusion (circles, whole school meetings, review of the SEL charter, introducing staff, new students to No Barriers camp, lots of work as Advisory groups)
  2. Getting students ready to learn in the Compass model (Foundry use and practice, Inquiry projects, mini-exhibitions, MAP testing, 6th-grade excursion into the community on the MAX)
  3. Giving our upper school students a launching pad for their role as mentors and role models in the school

I am confident that we exceeded our goals; I saw evidence of it everyday and everywhere. I noticed Compass veterans reaching out to talk to new students, I saw teachers running powerful circles, I witnessed students who had never talked to each other last year working closely together over the course of the week, I noted students helping each other when something was dropped or spilled, I saw students working hard on their Inquiry projects, I saw thoughtful, deep, work being displayed in the mini-exhibition, I heard cheers and laughter and had more reports than I can count from students, staff, and parents about how much we are all LOVING Compass!

The pride I feel when I am with my son is rightly mine to feel, but it is not the whole story. My husband and many other wonderful peers and adults and experiences have shaped him into the fine young man he is today. The same is true of Compass. I feel a deep pride for what Compass is becoming, but I have no illusions that we could be where we are without you, our families, sharing your beautiful children with us and without the thousands of hours our staff and board members have dedicated to its success. I am grateful to my core for all of it—for all of you.

And now the structured learning starts in earnest. We have “gone slow to go fast”, building a foundation that is rock solid and that will carry us through a fabulous year of growth and learning!

Yours,
Jan

Some snapshots from an amazing first week!

Outdoor yoga as part of our wellness experience

Outdoor yoga as part of our wellness experience

Team building games!

Team building games!

Soren taking initiative and showing the younger boys how it’s done!

Soren taking initiative and showing the younger boys how it’s done!

6th grade design challenge

6th grade design challenge

Upper school mentors hard at work!

Upper school mentors hard at work!

More 6th graders embracing the challenge

More 6th graders embracing the challenge

11th grade students discussing their independent Inquiries

11th grade students discussing their independent Inquiries

6th grade Bridge Building design challenge underway

6th grade Bridge Building design challenge underway

Our Upper School students worked with 6th graders to teach them the Compass culture

Our Upper School students worked with 6th graders to teach them the Compass culture