Compass News & Announcements- April 2026

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Compass has an exciting line-up of special activities and opportunities for homeschoolers this spring. New and prospective families are welcome to schedule drop-ins for tours and Q & A

REMINDERS

1. Spring Break: Compass will be closed from March 30 through April 3 for Spring Break. Compass will re-open the week of April 6. The buildings will be closed, but phone messages and e-mail messages will be checked periodically. Non-urgent inquiries will be answered the week of April 6.

2. Career Panel: The Compass Alpha Rho chapter of the Homeschool National Honor Society will host a career panel on Friday, March 27 at 3:30 pm. Compass teens are invited to stay after class for pizza and to learn about a variety of careers and hear recommendations/advise from industry professionals.

CLASSES & SCHEDULE

3. 4th Quarter Spring Registration: Spaces remain in some classes where mid-quarter enrollment may be possible for the final 6 weeks. Stop by the front desk or contact Compass to inquire about enrolling for the final six weeks of the year.

4. 2026-27 Class Schedule/Registration: Planning is underway for 2026-27 Compass classes. As classes are finalized, they are added to an in-progress “draft” registration page that families can check as details are completed and uploaded. The final schedule will be published no later than May 1, and early registration for fall opens on May 12 at 6:00 am.

WORKSHOPS

5. Magical Mother’s Day Tea Party: In celebration of Mother’s Day, children will prepare scrumptious finger sandwiches, delicate desserts, and strawberry mocktails in a 3-hour cooking/baking workshop on Friday, May 8. Mothers will be invited back to dine with their children at tables decorated with tablecloths and flowers. Register on the Special Events webpage.

6. BLAST (Babysitter Learning and Skills Training): Get ready to be a babysitter with BLAST, a highly interactive, 4-hour national workshop with 13 skill stations on Monday, April 20. Teens ages 11-14 can earn a certification from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Register on the Special Events webpage.

7. Teen Responder First Aid & CPR: Teens can learn these valuable life (and lifesaving) skills for summer jobs, sports, scouts, going off to college, or just being prepared. Teens earn 5 ECSI certifications in: standard first aid, adult CPR/AED, child CPR/AED, infant CPR/AED, and Epinephrine auto injector.” The workshop meets two Mondays for 2 hours on April 27 and May 4. Adults are welcome in the spring session or they may sign up for an adult hybrid certification on September 1 which includes self-paced e-learning and a one-hour in-person skills clinic. Register on the Special Events webpage.

EVENTS/ACTIVITIES

8. Spring Fling Father-Daughter Dance: Compass little girls ages 5-10 and their fathers or special grown-ups are invited to the Spring Fling party and dance on Sunday, April 19. There will be games, music, activities, and dancing. Snacks, sweets, and beverages will be served. Register on the Special Events webpage.

9. High School Prom: Save the date for the Compass High School Prom on Saturday, April 25 at 7:00 pm in the event venue of the Frying Pan Park Visitor’s Center in Herndon. Tickets for the “Moments of Madness- A Mad Hatter’s Prom” will go on sale Monday, April 6.

10. Health Fair: On Monday, April 6 the Compass EMT class will be holding a mini health fair offering blood pressure, heart rate, pulse ox, and blood glucose measurements to fulfill patient contact requirements for their certification.

11.Food Truck Week: The annual Compass Food Truck week will take place on April 27 – May 1. Watch for the schedule of food trucks from 11am-2pm each day with fresh, onsite-prepared street tacos, burritos, kabobs, burgers, kids’ entrees, and more.

12. Teacher Appreciation Week: Please remember to recognize your Compass teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week, May 4 – May 8.

13. Spring Marketplace: The Annual Spring Marketplace will be held on Wednesday, May 6 at Compass! This beloved event is our student entrepreneur market and street fair, where students showcase and sell handcrafted arts, home-baked goods, handmade creations, and homegrown plants. If you’ve never attended, be sure to view the event slideshow to see the fun in action. Selling is limited to currently enrolled students and their families. Please note that this is not a curriculum sale or yard sale. RSVP using the SignUpGenius link.

14. High School Graduation: Details about the annual graduation celebration on Saturday, May 23 have been emailed to known seniors. If your teen is graduating this spring, and you have not received this information, Contact Compass for details.

COMPETITIONS

15. 3rd Annual NOVA Scholastic Chess Championship: Compass’s own chess instructor Grand Master Rashad Babaev will be hosting his 3rd Annual Nova Scholastic Chess Championship, a US Chess-rated event at Compass on at 10:00 am on Saturday, April 18. Sign up through GMChess Prep online.

16. Annual Quads Chess Tournament: Compass will host our 14th annual Homeschool Quads Chess Tournaments on Wednesday, May 20. Homeschooled chess players from age 5-18 can register for a morning or afternoon session or both. Sign up online on the Special Events Registration

AFTERNOON ACTIVITIES/CLUBS

17. TGIF Teen Game Night: For Compass students only, ages 13+. Meets weekly on Fridays from 3:00 pm- 5:00 pm

18. Middle School Social Club: For Compass students only, 6th-8th grade (min. age 11), Meets bi-weekly on Wednesdays from 3:00 pm- 4:00 pm.

19. Alpha Rho Chapter- National Homeschool Honor Society: The Alpha Rho chapter of Eta Sigma Alpha is hosting a bake sale fundraiser on Friday, March 27 before its career panel. Applications are now being accepted for next year for students in 9th-12th grade and 8th graders who take high school classes.

EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT

20. Year End Evidence of Progress- Testing: Compass will offer the Basic Achievement Skills Inventory (BASI) Survey test on 3 dates: May 12, May 13, and May 14. The BASI is “short and sweet” and consists of a 25-minute verbal subtest and a 25-minute math subtest that meet Virginia’s Evidence of Progress requirement. It is a progressive test for grades 3-12 where all students are tested together. Register for a test date on the Special Events webpage.

21. Year End Evidence of Progress- Evaluations: Families can schedule an in-person evaluation of their homeschooled child by a Compass administrator to meet Virginia’s Evidence of Progress requirement. Sign-up and pay for an evaluation on the Special Events webpage and you will be contacted to schedule time/date.

22. Tutoring: Some Compass teachers are available to work 1:1, with pairs, or small groups in:

Individual instruction is also available in sewing, cooking, drawing, or painting. Privates lessons are available in piano, guitar, voice, ukulele, drums, violin, and more. Let us know what your needs are. Contact Compass for available time slots and fees.

23. Educational Assessments/Support: Heidi Conradt, offers functional educational assessments to identify educational strengths, weaknesses, and general academic performance and suggest grade-level placement. She is available on an hourly basis to consult with parents on educational topics like curriculum selection, special needs, social and behavioral issues, making/reviewing student goals, and designing individualized student programs. Contact Compass for more information on Heidi’s services. 

24. Educational Consultant: Compass partners with Todd Lanier, Ed.S. who performs educational evaluations such as complete psychoeducational testing, screenings, IQ batteries, and provides individualized academic coaching and counseling. He works with students who have a range of learning differences including ADHD, 2e, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ASD, processing disorders, anxiety, and executive functioning challenges. Mr. Lanier can meet homeschool families at Compass. Contact him directly through his practice, Lanier Education Group, or stop by the Compass front desk or office for his contact information.

MISCELLANEOUS

25. Private Cooking Lessons: From pasta-making and pastries to birthday parties and allergen-friendly cooking classes, private cooking lessons are fun and delicious. Compass culinary instructor Chef Mimi teaches private cooking lessons for individuals and small groups before or after her scheduled weekday classes. 1-hour sessions are appropriate for a specific technique or single recipe. 3-hour long sessions are available on Fridays and Saturdays for a menu of 3-4 recipes or more complicated techniques. Contact Compass for more information.

26. Student Service Awards: Compass students can earn the American Volunteer Service Award (AVSA), the American Citizenship Award (ACA), and/or the National Distinguished Student Leadership Award (NDSLA) with a FREE Elite Membership to partner organization Volunteer Scholars (regularly $179). Non-Compass homeschooled students from northern Virginia can pursue the AVSA with a discounted, $29.00 Premier Membership (regularly $99.00). Sign up on the Special Events Registration Page.

28. Lost & Found: Please check for items your family might have left behind this semester. Items not picked up by the end of the quarter will be donated.

29. Illness: Compass families are asked to refrain from attending classes, activities, or events if they have had any signs of contagious or communicable illness- such as vomiting, diarrhea, fever, aches, persistent cough, sore throat, or runny nose- within the last 48 hours.

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