Compass News & Announcements- March 2026

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Spring is around the corner! Compass is wrapping up a very exciting winter which featured many events, competitions, club, and programs despite the winter weather. We have a vibrant 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 during our make-up week of March 9-13, 2026.

CLASSES & SCHEDULE

1. 4th Quarter Spring Registration: Registration for spring classes is open and ongoing. The 10% early registration discount ends on March 6, and classes begin the week of March 16. Spaces remain in many classes. Pick up a paper copy of the schedule at the front desk and invite other homeschool friends. New families are welcome!

2. Make-Up Classes: All Monday and all Tuesday classes have make-up sessions due to snow cancellations, while several other classes have make-ups due to instructor absences. See the Compass calendar online for classes with make-up sessions and watch your email for details from your teacher and reminders sent by Compass. All make-ups will be held on the same day, at the same time and in the same room during the week of March 9-13. Please let the instructors know if your student will not attend the make-up classes so they can plan activities and supplies accordingly.

3. Calendar/Holidays: Compass will be closed from March 30 through April 3 for Spring Break.

4. 2026-27 Class Schedule/Registration: Planning is underway for 2026-27 Compass classes. Homeschool families are encouraged to participate in a survey to share their input and ideas on classes, clubs, activities, and events they would like to see at Compass next year. As classes are finalized, they will be added to an in-progress “draft” registration page that families can check as details are finalized. The completed schedule will be published no later than May 1, and early registration for fall opens on May 12.

WORKSHOPS

5. Electronic Music Production: Compass is offering two, 2-day workshops where kids and teens are introduced to the art of Electronic Music Production. Bold Beats Electronic Music Production for Kids/Tweens will be held from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm on Wednesday, March 18 and 25. Bold Beats for Teens will be held from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm on Tuesday, March 17 and 24. For those who want a deeper, more detailed introduction, Mix Major’s “DJ Inferno” Eric Jao will be offering his Music Production Summer Camps at Compass over the summer. There is an early registration discount on his camps through March 15, and he is offering Compass students an additional discount of $25 with the code: 2026COMPASSVIP. See Mix Major’s summer camp webpage.

6. Buttercream Easter Egg Workshops: Prepare beautiful molded, chocolate-dipped buttercream Easter eggs with an array of spring fillings. 3-hour workshops will be held on Friday, March 27 for kids in 3rd-6th grade (9:00 am) and tweens/teens in 7th-12th (1:00 pm). Register on the Special Events webpage.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

EVENTS/ACTIVITIES

10. 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 to learn about a variety of careers and hear recommendations/advise from industry professionals.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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. Prom theme and ticket sales coming soon.

14. 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.

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

16. 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.

17. 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

18. National Mythology Exam: Students in grades 3-8 who love mythology can register to take the National Mythology Exam (Pegasus Level) as a group on Monday, March 16. This year’s theme is “The Underworld.” Registrants can stop by the front desk to receive a hard copy of the study materials. Sign up online on the Special Events Registration

19. Math Kangaroo: Compass will host the annual international Math Kangaroo competition on Thursday, March 19. MK is a 75-minute math quiz with fun challenge problems. Compass offers two test sessions: 10:00 am and 1:00 pm. Sign up through Math Kangaroo.

20. 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.

21. 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

22. RunFit Kidz Club: RunFit Kidz Club returns for spring! This is an 8-week co-ed, all ages fitness and running club led by an experienced athlete/coach. It is a 75-minute weekly program that meets on Wednesdays from 3:15 pm – 4:20 pm at nearby Haley M Smith Park starting March 18. RFK helps emerging runners build incremental endurance and prepare for a 5K (3 mile) celebration fun run/walk with RFK participants all over NoVA. Adults are welcome to register and run alongside their kids. Register for RunFit Kidz Club online.

23. Pickleball Club: Dink! Pickleball Club is back for the spring. Pickleball is a fun mash-up of tennis, ping-pong, and badminton for kids in 1st-6th grade who love to move, play, and laugh! The 8-week Pickleball Club meets in the Compass parking lot on Tuesdays starting March 17. Register for Pickleball Club online.

24. Build Zone: Enter a construction-themed lab with dozens of building sets and more than 10,000 building componets. Mix and match sets or collaborate with a classmate. Meets Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday (pick one) from 3:00 pm- 4:00. Register for an 8-week session online or purchase a one-day pass on the Special Events webpage.

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

26. 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.

27. Other Clubs: See the Clubs Registration Page for more information:

  • Alpha Rho Chapter, Homeschool National Honor Society
  • Checkmate Champs Chess Club
  • Crafty Kids Club
  • Creative Journaling Club
  • Crochet Club
  • Cryptids Club
  • RolePlayers Realm D & D Club
  • Teen Party Planning Committee

EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT

28. Homeschooling High School Roundtable Discussions: Compass is hosting 3 roundtable discussions on homeschooling high school to discuss common questions regarding transcripts, coursework, grades, GPA, dual enrollment, and college preparation: Friday, March 6 (11:00 am- 1:00 pm), Monday, March 9 (11:00 am- 1:00 pm), or Wednesday March 11 (1:00 pm- 3:00 pm). Sign up online. 

29. 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.

30. 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.

31. Reading Rally: Close the language arts gaps over the summer! Compass will offer a 12-week Summer Reading Rally program. Reading Rally is a complete language arts program lead by Reading Specialist Catherine Vanlandingham which incorporates reading, phonics, comprehension, spelling, grammar, and writing. New students must take a brief skills assessment to determine placement prior to registering. Sign-up and pay for assessment on the Special Events webpage and you will be contacted to schedule time/date.

32. 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. Let us know what your needs are. Contact Compass for available time slots and fees.

33. 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. 

34. 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

35. Music Lessons: Learn a new instrument! Compass music teachers have weekday openings for private lessons in:

Contact Compass about music lessons!

36. 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.

37. Student 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.

38. Lost & Found: Please check the photos for items your family might have left behind fall semester. Items not picked up by Friday, March 6 will be donated.

39. Winter Weather: As a reminder, in the event of inclement weather, Compass makes an independent decision by 7:00 am about closures or delays. Follow Compass on Facebook for these announcements and many more: https://www.facebook.com/CompassClasses

40. Illness: With flu and viral illness season lingering, 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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