Event Registration

Private Lessons with Elise Doucet

Cancellation/Rescheduling: In the event of a change in your schedule, Compass requires 24 hours notice to reschedule the private lessons. Every effort will be made to reschedule the session at a time that is mutually agreeable to the teacher, the student/client, and Compass. In the event of a no-show or change/cancellation occurring less than 24 hours before the scheduled instruction session, pre-paid fees will be forfeited and no refund will be offered.

Go beyond the trail. Learn to see the wild. Curious Naturalists Field School is a guided, small-group exploration led by a senior master naturalist and environmental educator. Meeting bi-weekly, families engage in purposeful field study where every outing is an opportunity to investigate, identify, and understand the natural world in depth.

This is not a casual nature walk. Families learn how to observe like naturalists and think like scientists as they identify native plants, track seasonal changes, study wildlife signs, and examine ecosystems up close. With expert guidance, they explore topics such as botany, ecology, water systems, and habitat relationships, building real knowledge of the environment around them.

Led by a credentialed educator with advanced training in environmental science, stream monitoring, and habitat restoration, each session is grounded in both expertise and experience. The group may assess stream health, recognize invasive species, understand watershed dynamics, and participate in meaningful stewardship practices.

Curious Naturalists Field School offers a deeper, more intentional outdoor experience for families ready to move beyond basic exploration. It cultivates curiosity, sharpens observation, and builds confidence in the field while fostering a lasting connection to the natural world.

This is a family program with parents and children participating together. Each participant in a family must register and pay separately. Children under age 3 are free to tag along, provided they are not a distraction. This is not a drop-off program. Registration and commitment is by single date with the group meeting bi-weekly. For more information on outdoor expectations, see the Compass outdoor class webpage.

Clear the clutter, stop forgetting, and build a personal organization system that works for you.

You have enough stuff to keep track of- schoolwork, activities, deadlines, ideas, files, passwords, papers. It is time to get it together. Being organized does not mean remembering everything or becoming the kind of person who color-codes every notebook. It means creating reliable systems that keep important things from getting lost, forgotten, or buried under everything else. In this two-session workshop, students will begin building a personalized organization system that supports school now and college, work, and independent life later.

Students will explore practical ways to organize physical and digital materials, capture assignments and ideas, use planners and calendars, establish routines, and reduce the mental clutter that can interfere with focus and productivity. Rather than prescribing one perfect system, the workshop introduces a variety of tools and methods so students can determine what actually works for their personality, learning style, and schedule.

Between sessions, students will put their systems to work in real life, then return to troubleshoot what did not work, strengthen what did, and make adjustments. They will leave with a practical organizational framework for managing academics, activities, volunteering, and personal responsibilities with greater independence and less overwhelm.

Note: This is a 2-session workshop that meets for 1.5 hours on 10/19 and 1.5 hours on 10/26.

Roll, slice, and savor. In this hands-on, three-hour workshop, students learn the art of sushi making as they create multiple rolls, sliced and ready to enjoy or share.

Students will learn how to properly prepare and season sushi rice, layer ingredients, and master the technique of hand rolling. Recipes include favorites such as:

• California rolls
• Cucumber rolls
• Coconut shrimp rolls

Along the way, they will work with ingredients like smoked salmon, shrimp, imitation crab, nori, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, coconut wrappers, cucumber, avocado, cream cheese. Each student will leave with a tray of their handmade sushi garnished with pickled ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce. This workshop builds confidence in the kitchen while introducing a fun and creative culinary skill students can continue at home. No raw seafood is used, making this class approachable for beginners while still delivering authentic flavors and techniques. There is a $33.00 supply fee due payable to the instructor on/before the start of the workshop.

Join Compass for a fun, educational morning at Colvin Run Mill Historic Site! Built around 1811, this historic water-powered gristmill offers students a glimpse into 19th-century Virginia life, early engineering, and the simple machines that helped communities thrive.

Date: Friday, October 19

Time: 10:00 am - 11:30 am

Location Name: Colvin Run Mill Historic Site

Address: 10017 Colvin Run Road, Great Falls, VA, 22066

Ages/Grades: Pre-K-1st (4-6 years old) and 2nd-6th (7-12 years old)

Parents & Siblings: Three (3) parent chaperones are needed. Parent chaperones must pay a $12.00 entrance fee and may not have other, younger children accompanying them. Other than the designated chaperones, parents and younger siblings cannot be accommodated on the educational tours. Parents and younger siblings are welcome to explore the beautiful historic grounds, enjoy a leisurely walk, or follow the self-guided walking paths while waiting for the educational programs to conclude.

Cost: $20.00- students, $11.00- chaperones

Program Description: Two programs will run concurrently. In Simple Machines (grades 2-6/ ages 7-12), students will explore the historic mill, barn, and general store while learning about engineering, force, motion, and energy. This interactive program includes opportunities to see and use simple machines. Motion in the Mill (PreK-1st grade/ ages 4-6) is a special tour designed for younger students, exploring motion, sound, Virginia history, and life in the past including a fun Then & Now activity in the general store. A minimum of 15 students is needed for the program to run.

Parking & Arrival: Please plan to arrive by 9:45 am.

Notes:

• • This is a family field trip and parents (or parent proxies) are expected to remain onsite.

• • Students may not be dropped off.

• • Late arrivals cannot be accommodated once programming begins.

• • Families enrolled in the Simple Machines program (7-12 year olds) will receive a Learning Kit by email prior to the program. This educational resource includes a brief history of the mill, vocabulary, simple machine explanations, and worksheets that families can explore before or after the field trip.

• • Pack a lunch and stay after the programs for a casual Compass picnic! Weather permitting, we'll gather at the picnic area. In case of rain, families may bring blankets and enjoy lunch in the historic barn.

• • Participants may not eat snacks during the 90 minute program.

From stage and screen and just in time for Halloween! Learn ghastly special effects make-up tricks from a professional make-up artist. In this two-hour clinic, teens will learn how to create gory wounds to transform themselves to patient or victim of an imaginary attack. Students will learn how to create cuts and gashes, scars and scabs, bruises, burns and bullet holes using professional make-up products on themselves or their friends. A special effects make-up kit of consisting of cream make-up, coagulated blood gel, modelling putty, liquid latex, make-up sponges, and applicators is included in the class fee. Each student must bring a stand-up table top mirror to the class. The clinic is for students ages 13 and up.

From stage and screen and just in time for Halloween! Learn ghoulish special effects make-up tricks from a professional make-up artist. In this two-hour clinic, teens will learn how to create realistic effects that they can apply to transform themselves into a zombie, monster, troll, demon, or other dark creatures. Students will learn how to create hollow, sunken eyes and peeling or ripping skin using professional make-up products on themselves or their friends. A special effects make-up kit of consisting of cream make-up, coagulated blood gel, modelling putty, liquid latex, make-up sponges, and applicators is included in the class fee. Each student must bring a stand-up table top mirror to the class. The clinic is for students ages 13 and up.

This is a complete course in high school Algebra I which will cover fundamental concepts in algebra and provide a solid foundation of mathematical literacy, problem solving, reasoning, and critical thinking skills that are necessary for the exploration of more advanced and rigorous topics in mathematics. This course is designed to emphasize the study of algebraic problem-solving with the incorporation of real-world applications. Topics in Algebra I include number systems, linear systems, rational numbers, complex numbers, exponents, roots, radicals, quadratic equations, polynomials, factoring, absolute values, ratios, and proportions. In addition, the course will cover solving and graphing systems of functions, linear equations, and inequalities. Students will explore these topics through class discussions, practice problems, and open-ended problem-solving.

Prerequisite: Students should have a solid foundation in pre-algebra topics in order to take this class. In addition, students should be capable of copying the sample problems and solutions worked in class on the white board to his/her own notes as examples for completing homework.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-1.5 hours per day on reading, review, and homework on most non-class days. Homework assignments will run on a 7-day cycle, with assignments posted on Thursdays and due the following Thursday. Students are advised to start homework once it is assigned (i.e., not wait until the night before it is due). Weekly homework assignments will be of a length that a student should be able to complete them in two or three at-home work sessions. Solutions will be provided for some homework problems, but students are expected to show all steps of their work.

Assignments: The Canvas online class management system will be used to post assignments and scores. Students should have their own e-mail address in order to be set up as users of the Canvas system. Parents can also be set up as Canvas guests/observers for purposes of tracking the student's progress and workload.

Assessments: Student progress will be assessed by: (1) The instructor checking that weekly homework sets are attempted and complete and (2) detailed grading of periodic take-home tests. Parents will be able to view accumulated points awarded in the class for the purpose of determining a parent-awarded course grade. See the instructor's webpage for detailed homework and test policy, including late work and re-work.

Textbook: Students should purchase the 2024 paperback reprint of: "Algebra I" by Paul A Foerster as sold by Veritas Press (https://store.veritaspress.com/foerster-algebra-i-student-text.html)

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a complete credit in Algebra I for purposes of a high school transcript.

This is a complete course in Pre-Algebra that will provide an introduction to basic algebra concepts and a review of arithmetic algorithms with an emphasis on problem solving. The major topics covered in this course are Numbers and Operations, Expressions and Properties, Equations and Inequalities, Functional Relationships and Ratios, Percent and Proportions. Students will learn to use formulas to solve a variety of math problems encompassing geometry, measurement probability, and statistics. Students will also be applying their learning to real life scenarios to solve problems.

Prerequisites: Students must be fluent in the four basic operations- addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. They will need to show proficiency and have a thorough command of basic computation. In addition, a basic, introductory understanding and ability to work with fractions and decimals is required to solve equations and simplify expressions. If you are unsure about your child's readiness for this class, the instructor will recommend one or more practice platforms and/or assessments to confirm placement.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 3-4 hours per week outside of class to complete practice problems, homework, and assessments.

Assignments: All assignments will be posted on password-protected Canvas classroom management site. There, students access assignments, upload homework, link to quizzes and tests, track grades, and message the instructor and classmates.

Assessments: All chapter tests will be taken outside of class with parental oversight to maximize in-class instructional time. Points will be assigned for completed homework, quizzes, and tests. A letter grade will not be assigned, but parents can use total points earned versus total points offered to assign a grade for purposes of a homeschool transcript. Parents can view total points earned at any time through the Canvas site. See the instructor's webpage for detailed homework and test policy, including late work and re-work.

Textbook: The selected textbook is available free online, and a link will be posted on Canvas. Students who prefer a hard copy textbook may purchase or rent McDougall Littell's Pre-Algebra (ISBN #978-0618250035). As an alternative, for any student who struggles with reading, the textbook can be purchased as an audio CD (ISBN #978-0618478828).

What to Bring: TI-34 calculator

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a full credit in Mathematics for purposes of a high school transcript.

Compass 2 College: Foundations helps high school families of 9th and 10th graders get organized early with college planning, transcripts, GPA calculation, course records, testing options, and advising. Students receive two advising meetings each year, priority access to PSAT preparation workshops, the opportunity to apply for Compass-exclusive internships, and guidance on service, leadership, and student awards. The goal is to help families build a strong, well-documented high school record without waiting until senior year. Read more about Compass 2 College.

Compass 2 College: Scholars provides expanded college-planning support for high school students who want more guidance as they prepare for applications, essays, transcripts, testing, and senior-year milestones. Scholars students receive two annual advising meetings, transcript and GPA support, priority access to SAT preparation and college essay-writing workshops, access to Compass-exclusive internship opportunities, and guidance on service, leadership, awards, and Common App homeschool counselor responses. Senior Scholars may also choose a professional diploma and graduation regalia options for Compass’s graduation or another ceremony. Read more about Compass 2 College.

Compass students can register here to receive a discount code for a FREE membership at the Elite level (a $179 value) in Volunteer Scholars, a Compass affiliate, where you can earn the American Volunteer Service Award (AVSA), the American Citizenship Award (ACA), National Distinguished Student Leadership Award (NDSLA), and/or the Sacred Service Commendation (SSC). Additional information about these awards can be found on the Volunteer Scholars webpage.

Non-Compass homeschooled students from Northern Virginia (Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, Arlington, Stafford, and Fauquier counties, or Alexandria, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park cities) can register here to receive a discount code for a membership in Volunteer Scholars at the Premier level for $39 instead of $99- a $60 savings- or an Elite level membership for $59 instead of $179- a $120 savings.

Additional information about this awards can be found on the Volunteer Scholars webpage. The $39/$59 fee will be collected by Volunteer Scholars rather than Compass.

This is a complete course in high school Algebra I which will cover fundamental concepts in algebra and provide a solid foundation of mathematical literacy, problem solving, reasoning, and critical thinking skills that are necessary for the exploration of more advanced and rigorous topics in mathematics. This course is designed to emphasize the study of algebraic problem-solving with the incorporation of real-world applications. Topics in Algebra I include number systems, linear systems, rational numbers, complex numbers, exponents, roots, radicals, quadratic equations, polynomials, factoring, absolute values, ratios, and proportions. In addition, the course will cover solving and graphing systems of functions, linear equations, and inequalities. Students will explore these topics through class discussions, practice problems, and open-ended problem-solving.

Prerequisite: Students should have a solid foundation in pre-algebra topics in order to take this class. In addition, students should be capable of copying the sample problems and solutions worked in class on the white board to his/her own notes as examples for completing homework.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-1.5 hours per day on reading, review, and homework on most non-class days. Homework assignments will run on a 7-day cycle, with assignments posted on Thursdays and due the following Thursday. Students are advised to start homework once it is assigned (i.e., not wait until the night before it is due). Weekly homework assignments will be of a length that a student should be able to complete them in two or three at-home work sessions. Solutions will be provided for some homework problems, but students are expected to show all steps of their work.

Assignments: The Canvas online class management system will be used to post assignments and scores. Students should have their own e-mail address in order to be set up as users of the Canvas system. Parents can also be set up as Canvas guests/observers for purposes of tracking the student's progress and workload.

Assessments: Student progress will be assessed by: (1) The instructor checking that weekly homework sets are attempted and complete and (2) detailed grading of periodic take-home tests. Parents will be able to view accumulated points awarded in the class for the purpose of determining a parent-awarded course grade. See the instructor's webpage for detailed homework and test policy, including late work and re-work.

Textbook: Students should purchase the 2024 paperback reprint of: "Algebra I" by Paul A Foerster as sold by Veritas Press (https://store.veritaspress.com/foerster-algebra-i-student-text.html)

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a complete credit in Algebra I for purposes of a high school transcript.

FUNctional Fitness is a dynamic PE program for that incorporates well-rounded exercises to get tweens up and moving mid-day! No two workouts are the same, but each day's activities incorporate exercises that target 10 areas: cardio-vascular endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy. FUNctional Fitness focuses on functional movements that are fundamental to all aspects of play and exercise- pulling, pushing, running, throwing, climbing, lifting, and jumping. Work-outs are scalable and adaptable to different individual's own level, and the emphasis is on fun, safety, and personal accomplishment rather than competition among classmates. When the weather permits, some exercises may be taken outdoors. The physical challenges of FUNctional Fitness will foster self-confidence, focus, and help instill a foundation for a lifetime of fitness.

The color name in the class title refers to the collectable token students will earn each quarter they take the class. Collect all 8! Students may enroll in FUNctional Fitness at any time, regardless of the color name No one color is a prerequisite for any other color, and tokens can be earned in any order.

All equipment is furnished. Students are asked to wear loose, comfortable clothing, such as running pants or sweatpants, and comfortable, supportive athletic shoes. FUNctional Fitness continues each quarter, and students may repeat the class to continue to improve fitness. No two workouts are the same!

Teens will enjoy making delicious recipes and family favorites that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Recipes are selected to be nutritious, fun, and simple to make. Each class will focus on a portion of a meal including appetizer, salad, soup, side dish, main dish, and dessert. The Compass chefs' culinary adventures will include:

• Carrot Hummus
• Zucchini Ribbons with Sunflower Seeds
• Corn Chowder
• Orange Garlic Broccoli
• Creamy Tuscan Chicken
• Mushroom and Bacon Dutch Baby
• Mini Grasshopper Pies

Students will be eating what they make each week and bringing home the recipes and leftovers. These engaging cooking classes will get students excited about helping in the kitchen, experimenting, and trying new foods. Students will be exposed to healthy ingredients they may not regularly eat. They will learn important kitchen skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade. Culinary vocabulary and terms are introduced each week, with no-pressure verbal review of those words the following week.

Notes: Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

Topics in this Series: Fall Fare with Flair (Quarter 1), Festive Fall Flavors (Quarter 2), Winter Warm-Ups (Quarter 3), Savory Spring Specialties (Quarter 4).

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $45.00 is due payable to the instructor via Zelle or Venmo on or before the first day of class.

What to Wear: Students should wear clean clothes and have long hair tied back, braided, or secured under a bandana (male and female).

Cooking Class Requirements: For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

Note: This is a 6-week class

Are we alone in the universe? What did people really see? Where does evidence end and imagination begin?

Students will explore mysterious events that blur the line between science and the unknown, including Area 51, the Nazca Lines, Big Foot, and the Loch Ness Monster.

Students will analyze timelines, examine historical accounts and discoveries, and evaluate evidence to weigh competing theories behind each mystery. Through guided discussion and intriguing lectures, they will use critical thinking to distinguish credible explanations from speculation, determining for themselves what might have happened and why these mysteries continue to endure.

Topics in this series include: Lost Worlds (Quarter 1), UnexplainedEncounters (Quarter 2), Conspiracies & Cover-Ups (Quarter 3), and Gadgets and Guesswork (Quarter 4).

Rovers roam, rockets rise, and researchers reveal remarkable results. Viral videos and bold breakthroughs flood the feed, but what is solid science and what is sensational spin? In this class, students become critics and commentators on science in the news. Each week, they will examine recent discoveries, products, and claims drawn from headlines and social media, digging into the science behind the stories. Is a breakthrough truly groundbreaking, or just overhyped? Who is behind the research- a reputable institution or a questionable source? And what real impact might these ideas have?

From AI-guided Mars rovers to scientists tackling microplastics and next-generation energy, students will investigate fascinating topics while learning to evaluate the strength of scientific evidence. They will consider testing methods, sample sizes, and sources in order to separate solid science from speculation and become thoughtful consumers of scientific information.

This class is especially well suited for students who enjoy reading, discussion, and current events, including those who may not be drawn to traditional lab-based science classes. It also offers a valuable perspective for science-minded students who want to engage more deeply with real-world applications of science. Students should be reading at or above grade level and can expect to spend 30 minutes to one hour each week engaging with assigned articles or videos.

Topics: This is a quarter-long class that examines new claims and scientific announcements in the news. Each quarter is unique, and students can take all four (4) quarters with no repeated information.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a partial credit in science for purposes of a high school transcript.

Mindful Mosaics is run as a studio art class where students create unique compositions and work at their own pace under the guidance of an experienced mosaic artist. Each quarter, students are taught new design, cutting, layout, and finishing techniques and are introduced to new mosaic materials which they can incorporate into inspired, original pieces. The instructor can suggest possible themes for projects based on the featured materials, but most students work on individual projects that reflect their own interests, hobbies, or decor.

Students who are new to mosaics will complete a quick checkerboard project (complete with wooden checkers) to teach pattern, layout, and lines before starting an individual projects. For each project, students will choose from a variety of substrates- rectangular, square, shaped, or circular backboards (typically first-year students), or special forms or 3D objects (experienced students). Each project will expand a student's understanding of color, pattern, rhythm, texture, and spacing as they complete rich, dimensioned compositions. Students will be able to incorporate other glass, ceramic, and porcelain tiles into their projects and may select feature elements such as beautiful glass gems, millefiori, sliced stone, metallic ornaments, mirrored bits, or shells, to serve as focal points in their mosaic piece. The mosaic can be monochromatic, complimentary, or contrasting colors. A broad pallet of colors is always available, and new colors are added each quarter to reflect the season.

Students will develop a skillset for mosaic artistry over multiple quarters or years. As each student demonstrates mastery of basic skills, safety, and artistic expression, that student will be taught advanced techniques, materials, tools, composition, and color theory. A typical progression in mosaics is: (1) Whole tiles in symmetric design on a flat, rectangular substrate with emphasis on proper spacing and adhesion; (2) Tile cut with nippers in themed design and individual color choices on a flat wood substrate; (3) Sheet glass cut with pistol grip, breaking, and/or running pliers with emphasis on composition, color, and design on a flat or curved substrate; (4) Progress to 3D substrate and advanced adhesives; (5) Learn porcelain and ceramic cutting, special adhesives, and advanced design.

Note:There is no prerequisite for this class. The number of projects completed each quarter depends on the student's work speed and attendance in class. Compass parents are welcome to register for the class to work alongside their teens, or to work on their own, while their teen is in another Compass class.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 0-1 hours per week outside of class.

Assessments: will not be given.

Materials Fees: All material fees are due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class by cash, check or electronic payment. Materials used vary depending on a student's experience with mosaic.

Beginner Material Fee: $55.00 for a selection of Beginner Materials, including: vitreous glass, ceramic, mini, eco recycled glass, beach glass, glitter glass, glass gems, ceramic pebble, shells, metallic crystal, subway glass

Adhesive: weld bond

Grout: bone or charcoal color

Cutters: wheeled tile nippers

Substrate: 2D/Flat 12" x 12",10" x 10", 8" X 8", 4" X 4", framed mirrors, ornament shapes

Advanced Material Fee: $65.00 for a selection of Advanced Materials including: All Beginner Materials plus, iridized glass, cathedral sheet glass, opaque sheet glass, color fusion, millefiori, Van Gogh glass, natural stone and minerals, special effects glass, water glass, colored mirror, illumination glass, china plates, rhinestone, ball chain

Adhesives: weld bond, thin-set mortar, silicone

Grout: Custom colors (purple, rose, green, blue, earth, orange)

Cutters: wheeled tile nippers, porcelain hand tool, hand file, pistol grip, beetle bits cutting system

Substrates: All flat shapes plus, 3D forms (egg, sphere, cone, pyramid, etc.), cut out sentiments, trays, glass bottle, mini sleds, flower pot, picture frame, sun catcher.

Additional Fee: There may be additional fees for premium materials such as tesserae (by request and consultation with instructor), mother of pearl, 24 kt gold tiles (market rate), or specially cut substrates.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in Fine Arts for purposes of a high school transcript.

Note: This is a 6-week class

Step into a world of imagination, strategy, and storytelling! In this club, teens will work together to create characters, explore fantasy worlds, and go on epic adventures using the popular tabletop roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons. Through creative problem-solving, teamwork, and storytelling, members will learn the basics of the game while building friendships and having fun. No experience is needed-just a sense of adventure! All games and scenarios will be moderated and facilitated by an experienced Compass instructor and Dungeon Master.

Standardized test scores continue to play an important role in college admissions- especially for homeschooled students. Test scores provide colleges with a trusted, objective measure of academic readiness. Even at test-optional schools, strong PSAT or SAT scores can strengthen an application, open doors to merit scholarships, and help students stand out in a competitive pool.
Students will learn to approach the test strategically, decode challenging questions, and improve both accuracy and confidence. This class is designed to remove the stress and mystery surrounding standardized admissions tests so students feel prepared and capable. Each week, students will build skills for both the math and English sections, gaining a clear understanding of test design, question types, and varying levels of difficulty in reading, grammar, and math. They will learn effective strategies for tackling multiple-choice questions, reading passages for comprehension, and making smart decisions when they are unsure of an answer. Rather than serving as a short-term cram session, this class focuses on teaching lasting techniques that students can apply whenever they choose to take a standardized test. The instructor will also provide a structured study plan for test-ready students and offer guidance on key aspects of the college admissions process. By the end of the course, both students and parents will have a clear understanding of the SAT testing process and feel confident in navigating the challenge of the test experience.
Prerequisites: For this class, students should be reading and have comprehension at or above grade level and have completed Algebra I. While geometry is included on the tests, completion of geometry is not assumed. Geometry formulas are provided within the tests, and the instructor will teach how to find and apply those formulas.
Workload: Students should expect to spend one hour per week on homework for this class. Assignments: Prior to the start of class, each student should have taken a scored, practice PSAT or SAT exam (found on the College Board website). All other assignments will be made in class and e-mailed to parents/students.
Assessments: Students will take a variety of in-class and at-home time, practice test sections. The instructor will not provide additional assessments beyond the practice tests.
Textbook: Students should purchase the
What to Bring: Students should bring their test book, notebook/paper, and a TI-83 or equivalent calculator to class to practice math questions that permit the use of a calculator. Phone calculators cannot be used.

The tantalizing aroma of cookies in the oven. A mouth-watering burst of mint. The silky feel of melted chocolate. The sticky sweet of fresh-made caramel. A subtle hint of lemon. Student bakers will enjoy these delicious sensations- and more- as they explore the world of baking homemade desserts.

Sweet Shop treats are scrumptious, fun, and simple to make. Each week they will prepare a fresh, handmade dessert or sweet such as: pies, cakes, cookies, tarts, trifles, mousses, puddings, candies, fudge, brittle, or chocolate. The class will include some icing, decorating, and garnishing techniques for completed desserts. This quarter, the Compass bakers' culinary adventures will include:

• Mini Mixed Cerry Cornmeal Cobblers
• Mini Apple Pies
• Chocolate Mocha Pie
• Sweet Potato Praline Pie
• Meijer Lemon Shaker Pie
• Maple Pie
• Apricot Almond Pie with Caramel Sauce (contains nuts)

Students will be eating what they make each week and bringing home the recipes and leftovers. This engaging sweets class will get students excited about helping in the kitchen and entertaining. They will learn important baking skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade. Culinary vocabulary is introduced each week.

Notes: Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

Topics in this Series: Piece of Cake (Quarter 1); Easy as Pie (Quarter 2), Chocolate Works (Quarter 3), and Dessert First (Quarter 4).

Assessments: Qualitative Feedback will be given in class. Formal grades/assessment will not be given.

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $45.00 is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class.

What to Bring: None- Disposable aprons and take-home containers provided.

What to Wear: Students should wear clean clothes and have long hair tied back, braided, or secured under a bandana (male and female).

Cooking Class Requirements: For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

Note: This is a 6-week class

Teen weight training is an introduction to strength training in a small group class under the guidance of a seasoned, experienced coach. The primary lifts covered in class will be: back squat, bench press, deadlift, and strict press which are all compound moves that employ multiple muscle groups. These lifts are also "functional" meaning they engage the core and train muscles to work cooperatively in daily activities such as picking up a box or hoisting a parcel to a high shelf. Emphasis will be on correct form, posture, and safety.

The color name in the class title refers to the collectable token students will earn each quarter they take the class. Collect all 8! Teens may enroll in Weight Training at any time, regardless of the color name. No one color is a prerequisite for any other color, and tokens can be earned in any order.
All equipment is furnished. Students are asked to wear loose, comfortable clothing, such as running pants or sweatpants, and comfortable, supportive athletic shoes. Teen Weight Training continues each quarter, and students may repeat the class to continue to improve strength.

Total Training is a dynamic PE program for that incorporates well-rounded exercises to get teens moving mid-day! No two workouts are the same, but each day's activities incorporate exercises that target 10 areas: cardio-vascular endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy. Total Training focuses on functional movements that are fundamental to all aspects of play and exercise- pulling, pushing, running, throwing, climbing, lifting, and jumping. Work-outs are scalable and adaptable to different individual's own level, and the emphasis is on fun, safety, and personal accomplishment rather than competition among classmates. The physical challenges of Total Training will foster self-confidence, focus, and help instill a foundation for a lifetime of fitness.

The color name in the class title refers to the collectable token students will earn each quarter they take the class. Collect all 8! Teens may enroll in Total Training at any time, regardless of the color name No one color is a prerequisite for any other color, and tokens can be earned in any order.

All equipment is furnished. Students are asked to wear loose, comfortable clothing, such as running pants or sweatpants, and comfortable, supportive athletic shoes. Total Training continues each quarter, and students may repeat the class to continue to improve fitness. No two workouts are the same!

Calling crooked criminals who commit creepy crimes! Convening colorful characters who corroborate clues and constables who collaborate to crack the case! Connect with a kooky cast in Detective Drama. Using materials from a commercial mystery role playing game (RPG), students will be guided through the facts of a fictitious case. Student sleuths will be follow clue cards, eclectic evidence, and phony forensics to uncover a crime. Emphasis will be on critical thinking, problem solving skills, and improvisation through the portrayal of unique characters involved in the crime. Students will be encouraged to develop a strong, compelling character, an original costume, a backstory, and of course, an alibi.

Second quarter, students will aid Detective Davis, the sleuth overseeing the case of a crafty computer virus. At a large company, the cranky corporate officer accused an astute accountant of the crime. They discovered that $3 million dollars were disbursed as dubious deposits. Cleve clue-catching Compass crusaders must collaborate to crack the code and capture the cyber culprit.
In this workshop, students will experiment with acting and improvisation and working as a team. This class is best suited for students who are active listeners, are flexible and easily adapt, have a sense of humor, and enjoy working in a collaborative group. Students need to be able to stay in sync with the flow of the class. This is not an "anything goes" or free-for-all class. Because of the age of the students in this class, only capers such as burglaries or kidnappings will be portrayed instead of murders.

Topics in this Series: Missing from the Museum (Quarter 1), The Computer Caper (Quarter 2), Pocketing the Prized Jewels (Quarter 3), and Brazen Bank Robbery (Quarter 4). There is a class supply fee of $20.00 due payable to the instructor on the first day for the class RPG materials, printing, props, and investigation folders.

Kids take to the stage as they collaboratively write and perform their very own play with unique characters and an original storyline. What happens by the light of the midnight moon? What trouble lurks in the twilight? What dangers are disguised in the dark?

Students will begin with improvisational games to get to know each other and start to brainstorm about their original play. Through group activities and guided discussion, the student actors will decide on characters, conflict, and conclusion, and the story they want to tell. The script will be developed and customized for this class with input from the students.

The class will learn the practical aspects of acting, as they work on script read-through, blocking, costume/prop design, and planning the show. Student actors will explore skills such as stage movement, character development, emotional expression, and observation/concentration while learning to portray their original character. Students will develop their own "actor's toolkit" of voice, body, and imagination in this creative process! Actors will grow in confidence and communication skills in preparation for a final sharing with parents on the last day of the quarter.

Once the script is fully developed with everyone's parts, it will be emailed to parents. Parents will be expected to help their children memorize their script/lines/cues and assemble a simple make-at-home costume, ideally from clothing items and accessories you already own and a little creativity.

Note: Students who are emerging readers (not able to read at a 3rd/4th grade level) would be better suited to the Young Actor's Playhouse class, rather than this level.

Topics in this series: Camping Catastrophe (Quarter 1), Mystery After Midnight (Quarter 2), Fractured Fairy Tales (Quarter 3), and Upside-Down Universe (Quarter 4).

Acting is an adventure! Young actors work together to create and perform their very own play with unique characters and an original storyline. G'day mate! What happens when kind kangaroos and devilish dingoes meet in the dry desert of arid Australia?

Students will begin with improvisational games to get to know each other and to begin to brainstorm about their original play. Through group activities and guided discussion, the young actors will decide on characters, conflict, and conclusion, and the story they want to tell. The script will be developed and customized for this class with input from the students.
Young actors will explore skills such as sensory awareness, listening, stage movement, character development, emotional expression, and observation/concentration while learning to portray their original character. Young actors will learn aspects of acting by script read-through, blocking, costume/prop discussion, and planning the show. Through individual and group activities, young actors build confidence in preparation for a final sharing for parents.

Students will work from a simple, written script, but emerging readers can be accommodated. Parents will be emailed the script after the 3rd or 4th class and will be expected to help their children memorize their lines and assemble a simple make-at-home costume, ideally from clothing items and accessories you already own and a little creativity. All actors must be at least age 6 to sign up for this class.

Topics in this series: Pirate's Paradise (Quarter 1), Outback Odyssey (Quarter 2), Suddenly Small (Quarter 3), and Clown College (Quarter 4).

Adventures in Art is an engaging, hands-on creative experience designed for growing artists! Each week, students will explore a new artist or artistic style, learn interesting background facts, study inspiring examples, and create their own artwork inspired by what they observe. Working with a wide variety of materials, students will experiment with color, pattern, texture, and design as they develop their skills and bring their creative ideas to life.

Second quarter, students bring animals to life through art using a wide range of styles, colors, and techniques. Each class explores a fun new way to create, then students jump in to design their own animal artwork, from realistic creatures to bold, imaginative designs. Along the way, they experiment with color, pattern, and texture while building creativity and confidence. Featured artists include Winslow Homer, Paul Gauguin, Franz Marc, and Dean Russo.

A partial list of projects this quarter includes: colorful jungle animal painting, animal in nature watercolor, expressive animal portrait, animal pattern design, habitat scene collage, mythical creature drawing, and animal silhouette at sunset painting using pencils, erasers, black markers, colored pencils, crayons, oil pastels,
watercolor and tempera paints, paintbrushes, white drawing paper, canvases, colored construction paper, cardstock, tissue paper, cardboard, glue sticks, liquid glue, and scissors.

Topics in this series include: Stellar Celestial Subjects (Quarter 1), Creatures in Color (Quarter 2), A Tale of Two Styles (Quarter 3) and Murals, Monuments & Museums (Quarter 4).

More than 70% of the Earth's surface is water! Understanding the planet's oceans and freshwater systems is critical to understanding life on our planet- from beginnings in the seas to the water cycle that supports ongoing life. The study of aquatic and marine biology provides a basis for understanding much of the chemistry, physics, biology, and meteorology on our planet. Budding marine biologists will travel inland to learn about freshwater systems like lakes and ponds, rivers and streams before returning to the coast to study marshes and estuaries followed by extreme marine environments. The focus will be on hands-on, dynamic learning, and students will engage in several demonstrations and experiments in each class.

Second quarter, students will learn the basics of Riparian Biology, the study of aquatic life in rivers and streams. The class will discuss differences in water flow, sedimentation, and hydrodynamics that are used to classify riparian habitats and will learn about the characteristic assemblages of organisms that occur in different flow regimes. Students will compare various major river systems around the world and study the diversity of riverine biomes and organisms.

Topics in this Series: Lakes and Ponds (Quarter 1); Rivers and Streams (Quarter 2); Marshes and Estuaries (Quarter 3); and Extreme Marine (Quarter 4). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $20.00 is due payable to the instructor on/before the first day of class.

Art in Action is a dynamic, hands-on program designed to expand students' artistic skills and creative thinking. Each week, students will study a different artist or artistic movement, explore key concepts and techniques, and analyze examples of notable works before creating their own original pieces inspired by what they have learned. Using a variety of media, students will refine their understanding of color, composition, texture, and design while developing greater confidence and independence in their artistic expression.

Second quarter, students explore the art of watercolor, learning how to control the flow of paint while experimenting with blending, layering, and transparency. Through guided projects, they develop observation skills and discover how light, shadow, and careful technique can bring their work to life. Featured artists include J.M.W. Turner, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Winslow Homer.

A partial list of projects this quarter includes: watercolor techniques sampler, nature study painting, sky & atmosphere study, still life painting, resist art, landscape layers, watercolor texture experiments, and illustrated poetry painting using watercolor paints (pan and liquid), watercolor paper (various weights), brushes
(round, detail, wash), sponges, pencils, erasers, masking fluid, wax crayons, salt, plastic wrap, spray bottles, palettes, drawing boards, reference images, rulers, fine liners, and canvases.

Topics in this series include: Abstract Adventures (Quarter 1), Watercolor Wonders (Quarter 2), Global Gallery (Quarter 3), and Fantasy & Fiction- Harry Potter Inspired Art (Quarter 4)

Art in Action is a dynamic, hands-on program designed to expand students' artistic skills and creative thinking. Each week, students will study a different artist or artistic movement, explore key concepts and techniques, and analyze examples of notable works before creating their own original pieces inspired by what they have learned. Using a variety of media, students will refine their understanding of color, composition, texture, and design while developing greater confidence and independence in their artistic expression.

Second quarter, students explore the art of watercolor, learning how to control the flow of paint while experimenting with blending, layering, and transparency. Through guided projects, they develop observation skills and discover how light, shadow, and careful technique can bring their work to life. Featured artists include J.M.W. Turner, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Winslow Homer.

A partial list of projects this quarter includes: watercolor techniques sampler, nature study painting, sky & atmosphere study, still life painting, resist art, landscape layers, watercolor texture experiments, and illustrated poetry painting using watercolor paints (pan and liquid), watercolor paper (various weights), brushes
(round, detail, wash), sponges, pencils, erasers, masking fluid, wax crayons, salt, plastic wrap, spray bottles, palettes, drawing boards, reference images, rulers, fine liners, and canvases.

Topics in this series include: Abstract Adventures (Quarter 1), Watercolor Wonders (Quarter 2), Global Gallery (Quarter 3), and Fantasy & Fiction- Harry Potter Inspired Art (Quarter 4)

Bee-come a beginner beekeeper! This series introduces students to the fascinating world of honeybees, exploring their behavior, life cycle, and vital role in our ecosystem. Students will discover how a hive functions as a highly organized community and learn about the remarkable process by which bees transform nectar into honey, a natural sweetener prized for thousands of years.

Second quarter, learn the do's and don'ts of hive inspection, why bees swarm and how to manage it, and how to combat the archnemesis of honeybees- the varroamite! After a lively lecture, and under expert supervision, students will construct their very own hive equipment suitable for use in their own wooden apiary using hand tools! To top it off, they will even get elbow-deep in making food for the bees to survive the winter!

Note: Since beekeeping can be a family affair, this is a family style class. Students of all ages and parents may enroll. Children under age 8 must have a parent registered with them.

There is a $25.00 material fee due payable to the instructor on/before the first day of class. Topics in this series: Dive Into the Hive (Quarter 1), Busy as a Bee (Quarter 2), Hello Honey (Quarter 3), and Sweet as Honey (Quarter 4).

Butter, batter, and bold bakes. Step into the rhythm of real baking as students build skill and confidence in the kitchen. In Baker's Batch, students mix, measure, and master the techniques behind favorite desserts while learning to think like true bakers. Each week, they create a fresh batch of treats such as cakes, pies, cookies, bars, breads, and pastries, sharpening skills like precision measuring, timing, and presentation. From first mix to final bite, this class is all about consistency, creativity, and leveling up in the kitchen. This quarter, the Compass bakers' culinary adventures will include:

• Mini Mixed Cerry Cornmeal Cobblers
• Mini Apple Pies
• Chocolate Mocha Pie
• Sweet Potato Praline Pie
• Meijer Lemon Shaker Pie
• Maple Pie
• Apricot Almond Pie with Caramel Sauce (contains nuts)

Students will be eating what they make each week and bringing home the recipes and leftovers. This engaging sweets class will get students excited about helping in the kitchen and entertaining. They will learn important baking skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade. Culinary vocabulary is introduced each week.

Notes: Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

Topics in this Series: Piece of Cake (Quarter 1); Easy as Pie (Quarter 2), Chocolate Works (Quarter 3), and Dessert First (Quarter 4).

Assessments: Qualitative Feedback will be given in class. Formal grades/assessment will not be given.

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $45.00 is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class.

What to Bring: None- Disposable aprons and take-home containers provided.

What to Wear: Students should wear clean clothes and have long hair tied back, braided, or secured under a bandana (male and female).

Cooking Class Requirements: For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

Take command of the battlefield as you design and deploy your own 3D military diorama. After early defeats across the Pacific, the United States halted Japanese expansion at Midway and carried the fight to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. What followed was a grueling campaign on land and sea, where control of a single airfield could determine the fate of the entire region. This class examines the brutal island fighting and the repeated naval battles at Iron Bottom Sound that marked the beginning of the Allied offensive.

Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, and historical maps, students will each form a 10" X 14" shaped, foam diorama with landscape elements (hills, valleys, rivers, ridges, vegetation, airfields, etc) to represent a scene of a famous historical engagement. Students will each receive scale miniature naval ships to populate their scene. Once individual projects are constructed, students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to approximate the larger battlefield terrain. Students will spend the remainder of the quarter learning about the tactics and outcomes of the military engagement while playing a table-top strategy game. Student strategists will use a simplified version of the Axis and Allies gaming rule system for moving troops and equipment. Along with their classmates, students will see how this battle progressed and test different outcome scenarios that might have occurred with different battlefield choices.

The instructor will use maps and visual presentations to explain the historical background and circumstances leading up to the specific battle. Course documents, such as period maps, game rules and all other instructional media will be available via a Google Drive link which will be emailed to parents. There is a $25.00 materials fee payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this year's series include: Pearl Harbor (Quarter 1), Guadalcanal (Quarter 2), D-Day (Quarter 3), and Battle of the Bulge (Quarter 4).

Discover the world of robotics using kids' favorite, interlocking building bricks! Students will build and program 3-4 different whimsical, mechanized projects each quarter using the WeDo 2.0 robotics system by LEGO Education.

Second quarter, students will build, program, and model fun and fantasy flying fliers wonders such as a helicopter, plane, a mythical bird, and a winged dragon.

Their robots will be built using special-shaped LEGO components from the WeDo Educational set, motors, motion sensors, tilt sensors and a programmable, Bluetooth control unit ("brain"). Student will use classroom tablets to program the control units using an intuitive drag-and-drop coding modules.

Prior experience with LEGO or coding is not required. All equipment is furnished.

Topics in this Series: Under the Sea (Quarter 1), Wings and Things (Quarter 2); Perfect Pets (Quarter 3), and Reptiles Robots (Quarter 4).

The best way to understand a biome is to build (a model) one! A biome is a large zone on Earth characterized by its climate, soil, vegetation, and organisms with special adaptations for the unique environment. In modeling biomes, students will learn how they are different than similar ecological concepts like habitats and ecosystems. Students will discover how human activities, such as deforestation and habitat destruction, are transforming biomes.

In this science-themed diorama class, students will be exposed to concepts such as trophic levels, the water cycle, biological competition, geographic isolation, convergent evolution, species diversification, natural vs unnatural climate change, food webs, habitat loss, and ecological niches, while they are working on their models.

Marshlands are dynamic ecosystems found along the edges of lakes, rivers, and coastlines. They are distinguished by their waterlogged soils, which support the growth of diverse, soft-stemmed vegetation such as grasses, rushes, and reeds. These plants play a critical role in stabilizing the shore, filtering water, and providing habitat and food sources for a diverse population of birds, amphibians, insects, and small mammals.

Each student will create an individual diorama. Students will craft and hand-shape their scene on a 10 x 14 inch foam board using artistic, model-making techniques. They will customize their dioramas with landforms, waterways, plant life, and paint. Once individual projects are constructed, students will populate them with miniature figures and combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to create a larger terrain. Students will then compete in a zoology-based survival strategy game. Each student will create one board and receive a set of miniatures to take home with them. Course documents such as maps, game rules and all other instructional media will be available via a Google Drive link which will be emailed to parents. There is a $25.00 materials fee payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this series include: Mangrove Swamps (Quarter 1), Marshlands (Quarter 2), Coral Reefs (Quarter 3) and Deep Sea Trenches (Quarter 4).

Enter the BuildZone and step into a world of endless possibilities, where over 10,000 building components are at your fingertips! From Keva Planks to K'Nex, Magnatiles to Marble Runs, Tubelox, Chaos Tower, and Pipe Builders-this is the ultimate mash-up of all things construction.

Here, you're the architect, the engineer, the mastermind. Stack it, snap it, connect it- then remix it! What happens when you combine pieces from totally different sets? You get taller towers, stronger structures, and mind-blowing mega builds! Build solo masterpieces or team up for cool collaborations. Every session is a chance to dream big, build bigger, and let your imagination break all the rules.

This is a hands-on afternoon lab intended to provide opportunities for kids to socialize and tap into their creative energy in a relaxed club setting. No formal curriculum or lessons are provided. This is a supervised free-build session. All participants are expected to help pick up and to follow all Compass rules on indoor behavior including respecting materials, supplies, and furnishings.

Welcome to the Compass Crochet Club- where creativity loops us together! Kids, tweens, and teens enjoy crochet because it's relaxing, hands-on, and lets them turn yarn into something uniquely their own. Whether they're stitching up scrunchies or crafting colorful creatures, it's even more fun when shared with friends in relaxing afternoon club.

For new beginners, Crochet Club is run as a facilitated, quarter long workshop that teaches the fundamentals needed to get crafting. Second quarter, beginners will select from two projects: a big, bulky scarf using the single crochet and chain stitches plus a fringe stitch OR, a holiday garland that uses the Bubble Stitch to look like popcorn and cranberries.

New students are welcome to join the club at any point during the year and will begin with foundational stitches and starter projects. Intermediate and advanced crocheters are encouraged to refine their skills, share tips and techniques, and serve as peer role models for newer members. More experienced participants may bring their own works in progress or contribute to meaningful service projects, such as crocheting NICU infant hats, caps for the homeless, or blankets for Project Linus. Parents are welcome to join the club and may register to learn and crochet alongside their children.

There is a $30.00 supply fee is due payable to the instructor on/before the first week of the club.

Note: This is a 6-week club.

Everyone can learn to sing! This quarter, children will sing classics that shine such as "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz,
"Edelweiss" from The Sound of Music, "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong, or "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers. Once the group is formed and their musicality is evaluated, the instructor will offer a selection of pieces tailored to the ensemble.

The quarter's repertoire will include at least one group choral number. Students will work on other music as solos, duets, or small group numbers. This introduction to vocal development and performance includes posture, breathing, intonation, and the principles of blending vocal harmonies. Basic musical notation will be introduced as well as melodic and harmonic intervals. No previous musical experience is required- just the joy of singing! Singers will be expected to memorize pieces and participate in a showcase for parents at the end of the quarter.

Topics in this series include: Broadway Beats (Quarter 1), Classic Chorals (Quarter 2), Screen Sensations (Quarter 3), and Hollywood Hits (Quarter 4).

Kids will enjoy making delicious recipes and family favorites that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Recipes are selected to be nutritious, fun, and simple to make. Each class will focus on a portion of a meal including appetizer, salad, soup, side dish, main dish, and dessert. The Compass chefs' culinary adventures will include:

• Carrot Hummus
• Zucchini Ribbons with Sunflower Seeds
• Corn Chowder
• Orange Garlic Broccoli
• Creamy Tuscan Chicken
• Mushroom and Bacon Dutch Baby
• Mini Grasshopper Pies

Students will be eating what they make each week and bringing home the recipes and leftovers. These engaging cooking classes will get students excited about helping in the kitchen, experimenting, and trying new foods. Students will be exposed to healthy ingredients they may not regularly eat. They will learn important kitchen skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade. Culinary vocabulary and terms are introduced each week, with no-pressure verbal review of those words the following week.

Notes: Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

Topics in this Series: Fall Fare with Flair (Quarter 1), Festive Fall Flavors (Quarter 2), Winter Warm-Ups (Quarter 3), Savory Spring Specialties (Quarter 4).

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $45.00 is due payable to the instructor via Zelle or Venmo on or before the first day of class.

What to Wear: Students should wear clean clothes and have long hair tied back, braided, or secured under a bandana (male and female).

Cooking Class Requirements: For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

Note: This is a 6-week class.

Little Kids will enjoy making delicious recipes and family favorites that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Recipes are selected to be nutritious, fun, and simple to make. Each class will focus on a portion of a meal including appetizer, salad, soup, side dish, main dish, and dessert. The Compass chefs' culinary adventures will include:

• Carrot Hummus
• Zucchini Ribbons with Sunflower Seeds
• Corn Chowder
• Orange Garlic Broccoli
• Creamy Tuscan Chicken
• Mushroom and Bacon Dutch Baby
• Mini Grasshopper Pies

Students will be eating what they make each week and bringing home the recipes and leftovers. These engaging cooking classes will get students excited about helping in the kitchen, experimenting, and trying new foods. Students will be exposed to healthy ingredients they may not regularly eat. They will learn important kitchen skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade. Culinary vocabulary and terms are introduced each week, with no-pressure verbal review of those words the following week.

(1) Notes: Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics. (2) Children must be minimum age 6 for this class and be able to listen to and follow instructions.

Topics in this Series: Fall Fare with Flair (Quarter 1), Festive Fall Flavors (Quarter 2), Winter Warm-Ups (Quarter 3), Savory Spring Specialties (Quarter 4).

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $45.00 is due payable to the instructor via Zelle or Venmo on or before the first day of class.

What to Wear: Students should wear clean clothes and have long hair tied back, braided, or secured under a bandana (male and female).

Cooking Class Requirements: For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

Note: This is a 6-week class.

Tweens will enjoy making delicious recipes and family favorites that feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients. Recipes are selected to be nutritious, fun, and simple to make. Each class will focus on a portion of a meal including appetizer, salad, soup, side dish, main dish, and dessert. The Compass chefs' culinary adventures will include:

• Carrot Hummus
• Zucchini Ribbons with Sunflower Seeds
• Corn Chowder
• Orange Garlic Broccoli
• Creamy Tuscan Chicken
• Mushroom and Bacon Dutch Baby
• Mini Grasshopper Pies

Students will be eating what they make each week and bringing home the recipes and leftovers. These engaging cooking classes will get students excited about helping in the kitchen, experimenting, and trying new foods. Students will be exposed to healthy ingredients they may not regularly eat. They will learn important kitchen skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade. Culinary vocabulary and terms are introduced each week, with no-pressure verbal review of those words the following week.

Notes: Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

Topics in this Series: Fall Fare with Flair (Quarter 1), Festive Fall Flavors (Quarter 2), Winter Warm-Ups (Quarter 3), Savory Spring Specialties (Quarter 4).

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $45.00 is due payable to the instructor via Zelle or Venmo on or before the first day of class.

What to Wear: Students should wear clean clothes and have long hair tied back, braided, or secured under a bandana (male and female).

Cooking Class Requirements: For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

Note: This is a 6-week class.

In Cover-to-Cover, middle school-aged students will read renowned classics and award-winning young adult literature. This book discussion group will examine a different theme each quarter to introduce students to literary analysis. Students will read, examine, and compare two full-length novels that share similar themes through facilitated discussions and extension activities which encourage students to make personal connections to what is read. The group will evaluate themes, characters, setting, and writing style.

Second quarter, students will study the genre of Animal Tales with Animal Farm by George Orwell and The Call of the Wild by Jack London.

Assigned chapters are expected to be read at home, either as read-aloud, individual silent reading, or listening to the unabridged audiobook. Students should come to class prepared to discuss the reading. Classroom discussions will emphasize the use of textual evidence when explaining thoughts and opinions. Students will be assigned creative, short assignments to enhance and demonstrate their understanding of each novel such as quote explications, thematic questions, or imagining a conversation between characters from different books.

Topics in this Series: Science Fiction (Quarter 1); Animal Tales (Quarter 2); Dystopian (Quarter 3); and Mystery & Detective (Quarter 4).

Textbook/Materials: The cost of new, mass market paperback editions are included in class tuition because students need clean copies for annotation and must be able to reference identical page numbering.

Supply Fee: Included
What to Bring: Students should bring the current novel, paper, pen or pencil and highlighter to class each week. Some students may wish to bring paper clips, adhesive flags or post-it notes for marking pages.

In Cover-to-Cover, middle school-aged students will read renowned classics and award-winning young adult literature. This book discussion group will examine a different theme each quarter to introduce students to literary analysis. Students will read, examine, and compare two full-length novels that share similar themes through facilitated discussions and extension activities which encourage students to make personal connections to what is read. The group will evaluate themes, characters, setting, and writing style.

Second quarter, students will study the genre of Animal Tales with Animal Farm by George Orwell and The Call of the Wild by Jack London.

Assigned chapters are expected to be read at home, either as read-aloud, individual silent reading, or listening to the unabridged audiobook. Students should come to class prepared to discuss the reading. Classroom discussions will emphasize the use of textual evidence when explaining thoughts and opinions. Students will be assigned creative, short assignments to enhance and demonstrate their understanding of each novel such as quote explications, thematic questions, or imagining a conversation between characters from different books.

Topics in this Series: Science Fiction (Quarter 1); Animal Tales (Quarter 2); Dystopian (Quarter 3); and Mystery & Detective (Quarter 4).

Textbook/Materials: The cost of new, mass market paperback editions are included in class tuition because students need clean copies for annotation and must be able to reference identical page numbering.

Supply Fee: Included
What to Bring: Students should bring the current novel, paper, pen or pencil and highlighter to class each week. Some students may wish to bring paper clips, adhesive flags or post-it notes for marking pages.

Student artists will enjoy working hands-on, in 3-dimensions with clay and mosaics to create original decorative arts. Clay sculpture and mosaics are multi-sensory, and students enjoy the tactile experience of shaping, sculpting, cutting, arranging, layering, texturing, and finishing a variety of materials. Decorative art engages a different artistic skillset than coloring, drawing, and writing, and encourages creativity to represent objects in three dimensions. In this studio environment, students will create original hand-made pieces using a range of artistic techniques and a myriad of materials.

Second quarter, students will work hands-on with natural clay, exploring the many forms and possibilities of this versatile medium. Projects will be sculpted in weeks one, three, and five, with painting and finishing in weeks two, four, and six. In week seven, students will complete a make-and-take multimedia project using air-dry clay. Throughout the quarter, they will experiment with texture and pattern using a variety of tools, as well as explore different painting techniques and color applications. With each new lesson and project, students will continue to develop their hand-building techniques and finishing skills.

Projects this quarter include: a pinch-pot acorn bowl, a fall leaf plate (slab building with imprints), and a coil-build harvest pumpkin.

A supply fee of $40.00 per student is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class. Topics in this Series: Mosaic Makers (Quarters 1, 3) and Clay Crafters (Quarters 2, 4)

Student artists will enjoy working hands-on, in 3-dimensions with clay and mosaics to create original decorative arts. Clay sculpture and mosaics are multi-sensory, and students enjoy the tactile experience of shaping, sculpting, cutting, arranging, layering, texturing, and finishing a variety of materials. Decorative art engages a different artistic skillset than coloring, drawing, and writing, and encourages creativity to represent objects in three dimensions. In this studio environment, students will create original hand-made pieces using a range of artistic techniques and a myriad of materials.

Second quarter, students will work hands-on with natural clay, exploring the many forms and possibilities of this versatile medium. Projects will be sculpted in weeks one, three, and five, with painting and finishing in weeks two, four, and six. In week seven, students will complete a make-and-take multimedia project using air-dry clay. Throughout the quarter, they will experiment with texture and pattern using a variety of tools, as well as explore different painting techniques and color applications. With each new lesson and project, students will continue to develop their hand-building techniques and finishing skills.

Projects this quarter include: a pinch-pot acorn bowl, a fall leaf plate (slab building with imprints), and a coil-build harvest pumpkin.

A supply fee of $40.00 per student is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class. Topics in this Series: Mosaic Makers (Quarters 1, 3) and Clay Crafters (Quarters 2, 4)

Meet Stegosaurus, Allosaurus, and Brachiosaurus! Travel millions of years back in time to the Jurassic period, when towering giants dominated the landscape.

Second quarter, students will dive into the environments these dinosaurs ruled and learn how paleontologists uncover their stories. Each class will feature a dynamic lesson and hands-on activities like creating imaginary dinosaurs, a dinosaur egg hunt, or fossil digs. Students will continue their "field explorer" journal, sketching each dinosaur and noting fun facts to expand their bestiary.

There is a $25.00 supply fee payable to the instructor on/before the first day of class. Topics in this series include: Triassic Time Travel (Quarter 1), Jurassic Jam (Quarter 2), Cretaceous Creatures (Quarter 3), and Museum Makers (Quarter 4)

Discover the fight for Texas independence at the Alamo, from a legendary last stand against overwhelming odds to the bold push that helped stretch the United States all the way to the Pacific.

Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, and historical maps, students will create a 10 X 14 diorama board of a famous battle from American History. They will customize their dioramas with landforms, waterways, plant life, and paint and populate it with 1:72 scale invading armies and their adversaries for historical re-enactments. Once individual projects are constructed, students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to approximate a larger battlefield terrain. Students will spend the remainder of the quarter learning about the tactics and outcomes of the conquest while playing a table-top strategy game. Student strategists will use a custom historical wargaming rule system for moving troops and siege equipment. Along with their classmates, students will see how battles progressed and test different scenarios that might have occurred with different battlefield choices.

Course documents such as maps, game rules and all other instructional media will be available via a Google Drive link which will be emailed to parents. Topics in this series include: Lexington & Concord (American Revolution)- Quarter 1; The Alamo (Mexican-American War)- Quarter 2; Gettysburg (Civil War)- Quarter 3; and The Battle of San Juan Hill (Spanish-American War)- Quarter 4. There is a $25.00 materials fee payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Become a world-traveling eco adventurer and earth scientist without leaving Compass! Study the world's most exciting and diverse ecosystems and learn about the incredible biologic and geologic phenomena that shape them. Venture into caves and coasts, tundra and taiga, and forests and fjords. Each week, student scientists will begin by locating the fascinating features on a map before learning about these incredible habitats from the ground-up, starting with the geology of a place, then working their way through the climate, biome, flora, and fauna. Hands-on labs and in-class activities will reinforce regional and ecological diversity by examining rock types, classifying plants, observing insects, or modelling weather phenomena.

Bundle up! Second quarter, students will journey to the northern latitudes. The class begin in the frozen north of the Arctic Circle, then travel south through Greenland, Russia, and Europe. Students will see how some animal and human populations deal with environmental extremes through seasonal migrations. Along the way, the class will learn about cold weather phenomena, polar ice, tundra and taiga (coniferous forest) biomes, inland seas, and the seasonal effects of polar nights and midnight sun.

Topics in this Series: The Americas and Antarctica (Quarter 1); Northern Latitudes (Quarter 2); Africa and Asia (Quarter 3); and All About Islands (Quarter 4). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $20.00 is due payable to the instructor on/before the first day of class.

This British Literature course focuses on developing critical reading and writing skills through the study of both canonical and postcolonial texts written in English. Drawing from a range of genres, time periods, and geographical regions, students will encounter diverse voices and perspectives.

Literature: Second quarter will explore Elizabethan England through MacBeth by Shakespeare and other writings of the period.

Writing Lab: An essential component of this course will be an in-class Writing Lab. Students in this class should have mastered the basics of academic writing, such as constructing a thesis statement, organizing their thoughts with effective topic sentences and transition statements. Students will learn to write critical response papers and a complete literary analysis essay including how to support their ideas with textual evidence, organize a logical argument, and cite sources in MLA format. Over the course of the year, students will develop familiarity with a variety of writing styles and forms including rhetorical analysis, literary analysis, critical response, close reading, opinion essay, and personal essay.

Prerequisites: Students taking this class should have an understanding of the types of literature (from Intro to Genres). Students are expected to take an active role in discussion and complete all writing assignments.

Topics in this Series: Anglo-Saxon (Quarter 1), Elizabethan (Quarter 2), Roamticism (Quarter 3), and Regency (Quarter 4).

Class Meetings: There will be two weekly, in-person class meetings: Tuesdays and Fridays.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 2-3 hours per week outside of class.

Assignments: All assignments will be posted in a Google Classroom management site. Students will need their own gmail accounts to access Google Classroom.

Assessments: Students' written assignments will be graded using a rubric and assigned points that the homeschool parent can use when assigning an overall class grade.

Textbooks/Materials: Students will use clean, inexpensive copies of each novel for annotation and must be able to reference passages using consistent page numbers. Copies of the mass market paperback edition(s) is included in the class tuition.

Supply Fee: Included

What to Bring: Students should bring the current literature, paper, pen or pencil and highlighter to class each week. Some students may wish to bring paper clips, adhesive flags or post-it notes for marking passages/pages. Students should also bring a laptop to class one day per week for in-class writing.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a partial credit (one quarter) or full credit (all four quarters) in English for purposes of a high school transcript.

This American Literature course is designed to prepare students for college-level academic writing. Students will strengthen their critical reading and textual analysis skills by examining the concept of the American Dream and exploring what it means to be American through texts spanning the 18th century to the present. Throughout the course, students will read and respond in writing to both fiction and nonfiction works. Written assignments will emphasize rhetorical analysis, with a focus on subject, purpose, and audience.

Literature: Second quarter will explore the themes of Promise and Illusion in The Jazz Age through The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald and other selections from the period.

Writing Lab: An essential component of this course will be an in-class Writing Lab. Students in this class should have mastered the basics of academic writing, such as constructing a thesis statement, organizing their thoughts with effective topic sentences and transition statements. This class will strengthen students' textual analysis skills with an emphasis on rhetorical analysis- the study of how a text creates meaning. Over the course of the year, students will develop familiarity with a variety of writing styles and forms including rhetorical analysis, literary analysis, critical response, close reading, opinion essay, and personal essay.

Prerequisites: Students taking this class should have an understanding of the types of literature (from Intro to Genres) and successful completion of British Literature (or equivalent). Students are expected to take an active role in discussion and complete all writing assignments.

Topics in this Series: Freedoms & Foundations (Quarter 10), Promise & Illusion (Quarter 2), Voice & Identity (Quarter 3), and War & Memory (Quarter 4).

Class Meetings: There will be two weekly, in-person class meetings: Tuesdays and Fridays.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 2-3 hours per week outside of class.

Assignments: All assignments will be posted in a Google Classroom management site. Students will need their own gmail accounts to access Google Classroom.

Assessments: Students' written assignments will be graded using a rubric and assigned points that the homeschool parent can use when assigning an overall class grade.

Textbooks/Materials: The cost of new, mass market paperback editions are included in class tuition because students need clean copies for annotation and must be able to reference identical page numbering.

Supply Fee: Included

What to Bring: Students should bring the current literature, paper, pen or pencil and highlighter to class each week. Some students may wish to bring paper clips, adhesive flags or post-it notes for marking passages/pages. Students should also bring a laptop to class one day per week for in-class writing.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a partial credit (one quarter) or full credit (all four quarters) in English for purposes of a high school transcript.

In this Senior English course, students will engage deeply with World Literature while developing advanced literary analysis skills. Students will read a diverse body of global literature to identify symbolism, imagery, recurring themes and to develop an understanding of the narrative perspectives used. Through these works, the class will also examine the cultural, social, and historical contexts that shaped literature across different regions and time periods.

This course can be taken-on level or at the Advanced Placement (AP) level which will introduce college-level analytical writing and prepare the student for the AP Literature and Composition exam. AP students must also register for the Extended Coursework option.

Literature: Second quarter will examine the theme of Culture and Conflict through works such as Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, The Stranger by Albert Camus, and other selections.

Composition: An essential component of this course will be an in-class Writing Lab. Students in this class should have mastered the basics of academic writing, such as constructing a thesis statement, organizing their thoughts with effective topic sentences and transition statements. This class will strengthen students' textual analysis skills with an emphasis on rhetorical analysis- the study of how a text creates meaning. Over the course of the year, students will develop familiarity with a variety of writing styles and forms including rhetorical analysis, literary analysis, critical response, close reading, opinion essay, and personal essay.

Topics in this Series: Fate & Free Will (Quarter 1), Culture & Conflict (Quater 2), Conformity & Courage (Quarter 3), Power & Prejudice (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: Successful completion of year-long coursework in British and American Literature or the equivalent.

Class Meetings: There will be two weekly, in-person class meetings: Tuesdays and Fridays.

Levels: Two levels meet together: On-Level and Advanced Placement (AP). AP requires additional reading, writing, and AP skills practice. All students register online for the same course. AP students are required to also register for the AP World Literature: Extended Coursework activity which covers differentiated assignments, additional instruction, and feedback on AP-style writing and test preparation. Once the course begins, students may move down a level (from AP to On-Level) at any time, but may not "bump up." Students taking the AP level may designate the course as SP on their transcript and add one quality point when calculating their GPA.

Workload: On-level students should expect to spend 2-3 hours per week outside of class. AP students should expect to spend 4-5 hours per week.

Assignments: All assignments will be posted in a Google Classroom management site. Students will need their own gmail accounts to access Google Classroom.

Assessments: Students' written assignments will be graded using a rubric and assigned points that the homeschool parent can use when assigning an overall class grade.

AP Testing: The AP English Literature and Composition exam fee (May 2027) is not included in tuition. Families are responsible for registering and paying for their student's AP exam at their local public high school by the end of October 2026.

Textbooks/Materials: The cost of new, mass market paperback editions are included in class tuition because students need clean copies for annotation and must be able to reference identical page numbering.

Supply Fee: Included

What to Bring: Students should bring the current literature, paper, pen or pencil and highlighter to class each week. Some students may wish to bring paper clips, adhesive flags or post-it notes for marking passages/pages. Students should also bring a laptop to class one day per week for in-class writing.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a partial credit (one quarter) or full credit (all four quarters) in English for purposes of a high school transcript.

Be part of a team! Join the Compass Collaborative newspaper staff. The staff is a mixed-age team with students from 6th to 12th grade.

Students will learn about journalism and develop writing skills. They will craft effective articles, conduct interviews, and write reviews. Each quarter, writing assignments and responsibilities will be divided based on individual interests. Students will each contribute at least 2-3 items to the Collaborative edition each quarter including articles of their chosing (book critiques, movie reviews, field trip recommendations, short fiction, poetry, comics, jokes, tc) and assigned articles about happenings at Compass.

While research and data collection will occur outside of class, a portion of staff meetings will be dedicated to writing and editing. The newspaper advisor will use these sessions to demonstrate what constitutes 'good' writing. All staff members will practice editing skills to improve grammar, punctuation, and overall clarity and accuracy in their writing. Students will be informally paired for peer review and feedback on their writing.

All students register for the same class, and roles and responsibilities will be reviewed and delegated during the first meetings. Students should expect to work on assignments outside of class and will be expected to bring a laptop, notebook, and pen/pencil to each class meeting.

Fun Fit PE encourages young elementary schoolers to move and play during the day! Kids will enjoy games such as flag tag, tug-of-war, soft dodge ball, relays, and silly obstacle courses with challenges such as crab crawl, log roll, or bunny hop. Activities will engage hand-eye coordination, gross motor skills and improve accuracy, endurance, speed, agility, and flexibility.

Fun Fit PE is a fun, supportive, small-group experience with a dedicated coach where the emphasis is on doing one's best and individual improvement rather than competition or comparison with classmates. Equally as important, young athletes get to practice valuable life skills such as working with teammates, good sportsmanship, taking turns, cooperation, and communicating with the coach.

All activities will take place on the thick mats of Compass's new physical fitness center. Children will play in socks or bare feet as shoes cannot be worn on the mats. They should wear loose, comfortable clothing and bring a reusable water bottle.

The color name in the class title refers to the collectable token students will earn each quarter they take the class. Collect all 8! Children may enroll in Fun Fit PE at any time, regardless of the color name No one color is a prerequisite for any other color, and tokens can be earned in any order.

FUNctional Fitness is a dynamic PE program for that incorporates well-rounded exercises to get tweens up and moving mid-day! No two workouts are the same, but each day's activities incorporate exercises that target 10 areas: cardio-vascular endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy. FUNctional Fitness focuses on functional movements that are fundamental to all aspects of play and exercise- pulling, pushing, running, throwing, climbing, lifting, and jumping. Work-outs are scalable and adaptable to different individual's own level, and the emphasis is on fun, safety, and personal accomplishment rather than competition among classmates. When the weather permits, some exercises may be taken outdoors. The physical challenges of FUNctional Fitness will foster self-confidence, focus, and help instill a foundation for a lifetime of fitness.

The color name in the class title refers to the collectable token students will earn each quarter they take the class. Collect all 8! Students may enroll in FUNctional Fitness at any time, regardless of the color name No one color is a prerequisite for any other color, and tokens can be earned in any order.

All equipment is furnished. Students are asked to wear loose, comfortable clothing, such as running pants or sweatpants, and comfortable, supportive athletic shoes. FUNctional Fitness continues each quarter, and students may repeat the class to continue to improve fitness. No two workouts are the same!

FUNctional Fitness is a dynamic PE program for that incorporates well-rounded exercises to get tweens up and moving mid-day! No two workouts are the same, but each day's activities incorporate exercises that target 10 areas: cardio-vascular endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy. FUNctional Fitness focuses on functional movements that are fundamental to all aspects of play and exercise- pulling, pushing, running, throwing, climbing, lifting, and jumping. Work-outs are scalable and adaptable to different individual's own level, and the emphasis is on fun, safety, and personal accomplishment rather than competition among classmates. When the weather permits, some exercises may be taken outdoors. The physical challenges of FUNctional Fitness will foster self-confidence, focus, and help instill a foundation for a lifetime of fitness.

The color name in the class title refers to the collectable token students will earn each quarter they take the class. Collect all 8! Students may enroll in FUNctional Fitness at any time, regardless of the color name No one color is a prerequisite for any other color, and tokens can be earned in any order.

All equipment is furnished. Students are asked to wear loose, comfortable clothing, such as running pants or sweatpants, and comfortable, supportive athletic shoes. FUNctional Fitness continues each quarter, and students may repeat the class to continue to improve fitness. No two workouts are the same!

FUNctional Fitness is a dynamic PE program for that incorporates well-rounded exercises to get tweens up and moving mid-day! No two workouts are the same, but each day's activities incorporate exercises that target 10 areas: cardio-vascular endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy. FUNctional Fitness focuses on functional movements that are fundamental to all aspects of play and exercise- pulling, pushing, running, throwing, climbing, lifting, and jumping. Work-outs are scalable and adaptable to different individual's own level, and the emphasis is on fun, safety, and personal accomplishment rather than competition among classmates. When the weather permits, some exercises may be taken outdoors. The physical challenges of FUNctional Fitness will foster self-confidence, focus, and help instill a foundation for a lifetime of fitness.

The color name in the class title refers to the collectable token students will earn each quarter they take the class. Collect all 8! Students may enroll in FUNctional Fitness at any time, regardless of the color name No one color is a prerequisite for any other color, and tokens can be earned in any order.

All equipment is furnished. Students are asked to wear loose, comfortable clothing, such as running pants or sweatpants, and comfortable, supportive athletic shoes. FUNctional Fitness continues each quarter, and students may repeat the class to continue to improve fitness. No two workouts are the same!

Geo-Detectives discover the many mysteries of Earth Science. From large-scale disasters that come from inside the planet to microscopic contaminants in the water and soil, Geo-Detectives look high and low to understand the forces, systems, and cycles that continue to shape the Earth, its climates and ecosystems. Geo-Detectives will explore concepts as diverse as fossils to fault lines, ozone to ocean trenches, and trade winds to tundra. Hands-on labs and in-class activities will reinforce geological phenomena such as examining fossils, classifying rocks, reading the seismographic charts, or modeling the water cycle.

Second quarter, students will learn the physics behind air and water circulation, and how they combine to form wacky weather phenomena such as hurricanes, tornados, hail, fog, and even regular old rain showers. The class will see how air and water systems on earth govern global climate systems as well as local and regional weather patterns. Kids will learn how meteorologists and climatologists examine data from a variety of sources, such as ice cores, sediment cores, the fossil record, and historic records to trace large-scale changes in climate and sea level over geologic time.

Topics in this Series: Between A Rock & A Hard Place! -Geology (Quarter 1); When It Rains, It Pours! -Wacky Weather (Quarter 2); What a Disaster! Volcanoes, Tsunamis & Earthquakes (Quarter 3); and What Goes Around Comes Around!- Cycles & Seasons (Quarter 4). Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $20.00 is due payable to the instructor on/before the first day of class.

Can the government take your stuff? Can you say whatever you want? Are you protected from hateful speech?

Students will receive their own copy of the Bill of Rights and analyze the freedoms it guarantees. Through discussion, current events, and historical examples, they will examine how rights are protected and when they may be challenged. Students will debate real-world scenarios and consider the balance between individual freedom and societal rules.

Students will continue participating in the mock government introduced in Quarter 1. They will hold new elections, form committees, and propose amendments as they explore how rights are defined and protected.

Inside the Music is a fun, interactive guide to understanding how music really works. Designed for both instrumentalists and singers, this year-long program builds essential musicianship through games, movement, listening, and creative activities that make learning feel engaging, not overwhelming.

Students explore the fundamentals of music theory- from reading notes on the staff to understanding rhythm, pitch, scales, and chords through hands-on experiences and interactive classroom activities that reinforce each concept. Whether a student is just beginning or wanting to strengthen existing skills, this class provides a clear, structured path to deeper musical understanding and greater confidence.

Second quarter, students will learn to read music with confidence by recognizing notes, understanding pitch relationships, and identifying patterns in music. They develop skills in reading treble and bass clef, understanding steps, skips, and basic intervals, and beginning to read simple melodies. Activities include note-reading games, visual pattern exercises, and playing or singing short melodic examples.

Each quarter focuses on a different core skill and stands on its own, so students can join at any time and still gain meaningful, complete learning. This class is an excellent complement to private lessons, ensembles, or independent study, helping students move beyond simply playing music to truly understanding it.

Topics in this series include Rock the Rhythm (Quarter 1), Practice Pitch & Pattern (Quarter 2), Engage Your Ear (Quarter 3), and Compose & Create (Quarter 4).

Junior Art Studio is a colorful, hands-on art adventure designed especially for our youngest artists! Each week, students will discover a new artist or art style, learn a few fun facts, explore inspiring examples, and then create their own masterpiece inspired by what they have seen. Using a wide variety of materials, students will experiment with colors, patterns, textures, and embellishments as they bring their ideas to life.

Second quarter, students explore how environments and locations around the world inspire artistic expression.
Each lesson will explore the use of texture, layering, and visual storytelling while exploring the world. Featured topics and locations include: the Redwood Forests, Lascaux Caves, Grand Canyon, Mount Fuji, Great Barrier Reef, the Statue of Liberty, and the Sahara Desert.

A partial list of projects this quarter includes: tree bark rubbings, forest drawings, cave-style animal paintings, layered canyon landscapes, mountain paintings, underwater collage, paper sculpture, desert silhouettes, and a travel postcard using chalk pastels, crayons, watercolor paint, brown craft paper, tissue paper, glue, scissors,
sponges, acrylics, oil pastels, canvases, and specialty papers.

Topics in this series include: Color Quest (Quarter 1), Destination Discoveries (Quarter 2), Native Nations (Quarter 3), and Multi-Media Mix (Quarter 4). There is a $25.00 supply fee due payable to the instructor on/before the first day.

Students will use LEGO to design and build simple engineering projects out of everyone's favorite building toy! In this 90 minute class, students will explore concepts and vocabulary in physics, mechanical engineering, structural engineering, aerospace engineering, and architecture while playing with their creations.

Second quarter, junior engineers will get "wild" and build a zoo of articulated animals! Using mechanical concepts like rachet, linkage, and levers, and the fantastic diversity in the animal kingdom, our creators will build leaping dolphins, towering giraffes, swinging monkeys, jumping grasshoppers, and more!

Each class begins with 10-minutes of free build from tubs of LEGO components followed by a short discussion and demonstration of the day's project and concepts. Students build individually or in groups. Instructors will provide individual assistance, facilitate challenges, performance testing, competitions, and modifications to projects. Some projects may have been introduced in prior year's sessions, but each new build is unique, and student's building skills and understanding will have grown.

Notes:(1)Students must be minimum age 5 and able to separate from their parents for this class. (2) Projects are built from shared, Compass-owned components, so students will not bring completed projects home. Parents, however, can step into class 15 minutes before the end of each session to photograph their child's construction.

Topics in this Series: Fantastic Fliers & Space Racers (Quarter 1); Articulated Aniamls (Quarter 2); Winter Wonders (Quarter 3); Construct a Carnival (Quarter 4)

Toffee. Taffy. Truffles... End the day on a sweet note! Kids will enjoy making and eating delicious confections. Each week they will prepare a fresh, handmade dessert or sweet such as: pies, cakes, cookies, tarts, trifles, mousses, puddings, candies, fudge, brittle, or chocolates. The class will include some icing, decorating, and garnishing techniques for completed desserts. This quarter, the Compass bakers treats include:

• Mini Mixed Cerry Cornmeal Cobblers
• Mini Apple Pies
• Chocolate Mocha Pie
• Sweet Potato Praline Pie
• Meijer Lemon Shaker Pie
• Maple Pie
• Apricot Almond Pie with Caramel Sauce (contains nuts)

Students will be eating what they make each week and bringing home the recipes and leftovers. This engaging sweets class will get students excited about helping in the kitchen and entertaining. They will learn important baking skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade. Culinary vocabulary is introduced each week.

Notes: Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

Topics in this Series: Piece of Cake (Quarter 1); Easy as Pie (Quarter 2), Choco Works (Quarter 3), and Dessert First (Quarter 4).

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $45.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

What to Bring: None- Disposable aprons and take-home containers provided.

What to Wear: Students should wear clean clothes and have long hair tied back, braided, or secured under a bandana (male and female).

Cooking Class Requirements: For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

Note: This is a 6-week class.

A powerful hurricane season forecasted. Polar ice caps receding. Hydraulic fracking. Solar power. Everywhere we look, environmental science is in the news! Living Planet is a middle school environmental science class which merges the fields of geology, biology, chemistry, and meteorology to explain the earth as an interconnected system with both natural and human-made influences. This year middle schoolers will sample environmental science topics in a lab-based investigation.

Second quarter, students will embark on the study of our atmosphere, including global weather patterns, climate studies, and air pollution. The group will learn about the methods scientists use to study these phenomena, including satellite monitoring, air sampling, and chemical analyses. Students will do in-class labs to make predictions, collect and graph data, draw conclusions, and develop models of key Environmental Science processes.

Topics in this series include: Geology & Soils Lab (first quarter); Atmosphere Lab (second quarter); Water Lab (third quarter); and Climate Patterns Lab (fourth quarter). There is a $20.00 lab fee due payable to the instructor on/before the first day of class for consumable materials.

LEGO Mindstorms components and motors are not just for building robots! These interconnecting pieces can be constructed into an infinite number of unique, mechanized machines- much like an erector set!

Each quarter, students will build three unique inventions like forklift, walking robot, and flapping wings. Students will incorporate simple machines, complex machines, and small motors into their projects. They will work with wheels, axles, beams, pulleys, tracks, gears, and specialty components used only in these classes.

Topics in this Series: Inventions (Quarter 1); Creations (Quarter 2): Innovations (Quarter 3); and Apparatus (Quarter 4).

Explore the world of gargantuan gods, humble heroes, and malevolent monsters! Some ancient myths have plots that rival today's comics and blockbuster movies. Many myths still have millennia-old appeal because of their timeless tales of good versus evil, life and death, creation and the afterlife. This class explores the origins of early mythology, from the Egyptians to the Greeks, Romans, Celts, Aztecs, and more through epics, plays and poetry. Readers will explore the realm of mythology through short stories, class discussion, analyses, extension activities and projects that will boost comprehension and the understanding of myths as the basis for many other forms of modern media. Students will enjoy reading and discussing battles, romance, treachery, larger than life heroes and characters, intricate gods and goddesses, and all sorts of fantastical creatures!

Second quarter, the class will explore Monsters and Mythical Creatures, the strange and sometimes terrifying beings that tested heroes and guarded hidden knowledge. As examples, students will read about Perseus facing Medusa, the deadly Minotaur in its labyrinth, and the Sphinx, who challenged travelers with riddles. They will also encounter mysterious creatures from around the world, including Japanese yokai, Celtic selkies, and the legendary Wendigo.

Topics in this Series include: Heroes (Quarter 1); Monsters (Quarter 2); Gods and Goddesses (Quarter 3), and Origin Tales (Quarter 4).

Embark on a imaginative afternoon journey with "Misunderstood Minions!" This engaging club is for middle school students who adore fiction tales, creative adventures, and the thrill of tabletop role-playing games. During each club meeting, the group will weave a captivating story where each participant takes on the roles of villains, heroes, and "henchmen"- the mad minions who carry out an evil plot. Each meeting presents a new chapter, filled with challenges, mysteries, and opportunities for mischief. Tweens will unleash their creativity and collaborate with others to shape the adventure, solve puzzles, and make decisions to advance the story.

The club is facilitated by an experienced game master Judith Harmon, author of the "Misunderstood Minions" gaming framework, who will guide students through the art of role-playing. Tweens will connect and form friendships with other middle schoolers who share a love of exaggerated stories and imaginative play- in person! This class is best suited for students who are active listeners, flexible, and easily adapt, have a sense of humor, and can work collaboratively in a group. Students need to be able to stay in sync with the flow of the class. This is not an "anything goes" or free-for-all class. Previous role-playing experience is not required, but this club serves as a great introduction for tweens and teens who might be interested in embarking on Dungeons and Dragons.

Can you crack the case before time runs out? Each week, students are presented with a new medical mystery. Armed with clues like a patient's age, symptoms, and history, they must ask the right diagnostic questions to uncover what is really going on. Has this patient traveled out of the country? Has he eaten a new food? Does she have a fever, rash, or weight loss? As they narrow down the possibilities, students will determine whether the illness is bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic while learning how diseases spread, how they are treated, and how they can be prevented.

Second quarter, the mystery patients will be suffering from fungal infections. A partial list of featured diseases includes: Ringworm (Tinea), Candidiasis (Candida albicans), Valley Fever (Coccidioidomycosis).Lab activities will utilize safe, lab-friendly organisms (e.g., non-pathogenic bacteria, yeast, and prepared slides).

Topics in this series include: Baffling Bacteria (Quarter 1), Foul Fungus (Quarter 2), Vile Viruses (Quarter 3), and Pesky Parasites (Quarter 4). There is a $25.00 lab fee due payable to the instructor on/before the start of class.

Step outdoors and into nature's living laboratory! This outdoor science class immerses students in real-world field study where the woods, streams, and wetlands become the classroom. Each week, explorers will practice the methods of natural scientists as they investigate ecology, geology, zoology (local wildlife), botany (plants), ornithology (birds), mycology (fungi), and entomology (insects), in our own suburban ecosystem.

Students will observe natural systems in action as they examine life cycles, the water cycle, and the local watershed; explore suburban wetlands; and uncover the balance between producers, consumers, and decomposers, as well as predator- prey relationships and food webs. Seasonal cycles will guide discoveries as young naturalists watch habitats transform and learn how plants and animals adapt throughout the year.

Each week, students will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon with a senior naturalist and outdoor educator. This program offers a refreshing break from sit-down, indoor, and screen-based learning,encouraging movement, fresh air, curiosity, and hands-on discovery. Students will learn to stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn things over, and peek beneath the surface to uncover nature's hidden wonders. A portion of every session will focus on developing confidence and comfort in the outdoors. Emphasis will be placed on safe, respectful, and responsible exploration, environmental stewardship, and appreciating what we find in nature. Students will also enjoy nature-based games that reinforce teamwork and exploration skills.

See Compass's Outdoor Classes webpage for more information on meeting location, what to bring, what to wear, inclement weather, and more.

Step outdoors and into nature's living laboratory! This outdoor science class immerses students in real-world field study where the woods, streams, and wetlands become the classroom. Each week, explorers will practice the methods of natural scientists as they investigate ecology, geology, zoology (local wildlife), botany (plants), ornithology (birds), mycology (fungi), and entomology (insects), in our own suburban ecosystem.

Students will observe natural systems in action as they examine life cycles, the water cycle, and the local watershed; explore suburban wetlands; and uncover the balance between producers, consumers, and decomposers, as well as predator- prey relationships and food webs. Seasonal cycles will guide discoveries as young naturalists watch habitats transform and learn how plants and animals adapt throughout the year.

Each week, students will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon with a senior naturalist and outdoor educator. This program offers a refreshing break from sit-down, indoor, and screen-based learning,encouraging movement, fresh air, curiosity, and hands-on discovery. Students will learn to stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn things over, and peek beneath the surface to uncover nature's hidden wonders. A portion of every session will focus on developing confidence and comfort in the outdoors. Emphasis will be placed on safe, respectful, and responsible exploration, environmental stewardship, and appreciating what we find in nature. Students will also enjoy nature-based games that reinforce teamwork and exploration skills.

See Compass's Outdoor Classes webpage for more information on meeting location, what to bring, what to wear, inclement weather, and more.

Venture outdoors each week to explore the woods with a senior naturalist and mentor while learning valuable survival skills. Students will learn how to construct a temporary shelter, make cordage, craft a bow and arrow, identify edible plants, track animals, and purify water. The group will learn knife safety and skills like whittling a spoon and spatula; how to use maps and compass (orienteering), and basic first aid. Students will practice animal and plant identification and will catch and identify macro-invertebrates to determine stream health (outdoor temperatures permitting.)

Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things you encounter outdoors, safe exploration of the woods, how to be a good steward of nature, and what to do if you ever became lost or injured in the woods. Skills will be reintroduced and adapted each each quarter because the available plants, animals, materials, and water sources change with each season. Students will have a blast, develop greater self-confidence, and build a strong connection to nature and to the real world! Explorations in the woods is for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated. For information on where the class meets, what to wear, and inclement weather, see the webpage for Compass's Outdoor Classes.

See Compass's Outdoor Classes webpage for more information on meeting location, what to bring, what to wear, inclement weather, and more.

Student engineers will be challenged to design, build, and program a Sumo robot to compete in compete in table-top combat. Will the robotic sumo wrestler be able to shove a full can or topple an opponent with the use of motors, sensors, and articulated components?

Student engineers will be challenged to design, build, and program a robot to complete several unique mazes in the fastest possible time. Students will learn to program their robots to make "decisions" when exploring an unfamiliar maze such as "go straight until you encounter a wall" and "turn to the right if you run into an obstacle."

Students will use the LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 robotics sets. They will build with motors, wheels/axles, gears, levers, and special components. Students will have to install touch, sound, color, gyro, ultrasonic, and/or infrared sensors while also learning to program sequences and commands that use input/output devices for controlled movements and precise turns. Using the drag-and-drop EV3 programming menu, students will learn to program their robots while experimenting with key concepts such as fixed values, variables, loops, and logic constructs.

This course integrates science, engineering and computational thinking while introducing physical constraints, units of measurement, and coordinate systems. But, don't worry, this is a beginning robotics class. Prior experience is not expected, but returning students are welcome. Each student will build his/her own robotic project, so students can progress and customize at their own pace. In general, in this class, students will spend two weeks assembling, three weeks programming, and two weeks testing and re-designing. Topics in this Series: Maze Runner (Quarter 1), Sumo Bots (Quarter 2), Mars Rover (Quarter 3), and Explore Atlantis (Quarter 4).

What does it really mean to think like a scientist? In this hands-on, curiosity-driven series, students explore the world through observation, experimentation, and discovery as they build real scientific understanding. Each quarter focuses on a different branch of science giving students the chance to investigate living systems, microscopic organisms, chemical reactions, and the natural world while developing critical thinking, lab skills, and scientific confidence.

What invisible organisms are all around us, and how do they affect our health? This quarter introduces students to bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protists, along with how germs spread, how the immune system responds, and how diseases can be prevented. Example labs include agar plate experiments to test handwashing, yeast fermentation investigations, microscope observations, and case studies where students diagnose a "mystery illness."

Topics in this series include: Biology & Genetics (Quarter 1), Microbiology (Quarter 2), Chemistry (Quarter 3), and Environmental Science (Quarter 4). There is a $25.00 lab fee due payable to the instructor on/before the start of clas

In this joyful, play-based class designed for young children ages 4 - 5, children will explore the building blocks of reading through fun and engaging phonological awareness activities. Using research-backed strategies inspired by the work of David Kilpatrick and the Zgonc Phonological Awareness Skills Program (Z-PASP), this course will help children develop key pre-reading skills through movement, music, rhythm, and interactive games.

Children will develop awareness of syllables, rhyming, alliteration, and the individual sounds in words (phonemes) through playful exercises. Activities include clapping syllables, sound matching scavenger hunts, oral blending and segmenting games, and rhyming songs. The class is designed to meet children where they are developmentally and nurture their language skills in a supportive, social environment.

Buenos dias! Spanish Amigos (Friends) is a fun, play-based, Spanish immersion class for young students. Much like learning their native language, students will be exposed to the sounds, vocabulary, and phrases in Spanish through songs, games, stories, interactive and hands-on activities. The teacher will bring toys and objects each week to give kids tangible, hands-on examples of the vocabulary being introduced.

Each quarter introduces new themes and new vocabulary in Spanish, so children can continue to build their language basics. Themes and units are non-sequential, so students may enroll in this level in any quarter.

Limited cues in English will be used to prompt students in the first few weeks. Instruction will be predominantly verbal, but key vocabulary words may be written down for students to begin a sense of spelling. A limited amount of writing, spelling, and reading will be expected to emphasize new vocabulary and complete workbook/handout exercises, but note-taking from the board will not be required.

The goal of this introductory course is to lay foundations in sounds, vocabulary, and simple phrases while having fun and building confidence in a foreign language. Fluency should not be expected at this level.

Recommendations: Students should be at grade level for reading in English. Some homework will be assigned.

Textbook: Students will be working from Viva el Espanol- System A (ISBN #978-0076029525) from McGraw-Hill. Compass pre-purchases copies of this book from the publisher. A supply fee of $26.00 is due payable to Compass on/before the first day. Students will only need to purchase this book the first quarter they are enrolled.

Buenas tardes! Spanish Exploradores (Explorers) is a fun, immersive introductory Spanish class for older elementary students. Much like learning their native language, students will be exposed to the sounds, vocabulary, and phrases in Spanish through songs, games, stories, and hands-on activities. The teacher will bring objects each week to give students tangible, hands-on examples of the vocabulary being introduced. In this level, students will be encouraged to begin to combine adjectives with nouns and nouns with verbs.

Each quarter introduces new themes and new vocabulary in Spanish, so children can continue to build their language basics. However, themes and units are non-sequential, so students may enroll in this level in any quarter. While the theme might be the same as that of a younger level of instruction, more vocabulary will be introduced at the older level.

Limited cues in English will be used to prompt students in the first few weeks. The goal of this introductory course is to lay foundations in sounds, vocabulary, and simple phrases while having fun and building confidence in a foreign language. Fluency should not be expected at this level.

Recommendations/Workload: Students should be at grade level for reading in English and should be able to copy words from the board. Students will be expected to take notes, write new words, and complete activities with new vocabulary and short readings. Some homework will be assigned.

Textbook: Students will be working from Viva el Espanol- System B (ISBN #978-0076029648) from McGraw-Hill. Compass pre-purchases copies of this book from the publisher. A supply fee of $26.00 is due payable to Compass on/before the first day. Students will only need to purchase this book the first quarter they are enrolled.

Hola! Spanish Para Pequenos (Spanish for Little Ones) is a fun, play-based, Spanish immersion class for young children. Following the native language-learning process, children will be exposed to the sounds, letters, and high-frequency words in Spanish through songs, games, stories, puppets, and other interactive activities.

The instructor will provide all necessary toys and objects to give young children tangible, and hands-on ways to apply new concepts in practical real-life situations. The instructor uses some Montessori-style activities that create a high-energy, playful environment, engaging tactile and kinesthetic learners alike while appealing to children's natural curiosities.

The vocabulary and language structures presented in each session follow a new letter of the alphabet each week that will include greetings, simple phrases, foods, colors, numbers, animals, common action verbs, calendar phrases, articles of clothing and seasonal topics. Vocabulary will be repeated and reviewed often to aid in the retention of the language, and will primarily develop listening and speaking skills.

The goal of this introductory course is to lay foundations in sounds, vocabulary, and simple phrases while having fun and building confidence in a foreign language. Fluency should not be expected at this level. Who knows, your child might just come home singing their new favorite Spanish nursery rhyme!

Successful social skills help children navigate nearly every aspect of their lives. Building confidence in social settings can improve self-esteem and increase comfort in group environments- whether at school, in sports, trying new activities, spending time with family, or connecting with friends.

While all children benefit from strengthening social skills, some need additional guidance and practice. In this class, students will work with an educational specialist and former school counselor to develop practical strategies for common social challenges. Topics include conversation skills, recognizing and expressing emotions, perspective-taking, managing stress, communicating with parents, building friendships, and navigating sibling relationships.

This small-group class is highly interactive and engaging, incorporating games, role-playing, video examples, modeled behavior, and hands-on activities to reinforce learning.

Students benefit most from participating for multiple quarters. While some activities are repeated for reinforcement, new content is introduced regularly. As new students join, the group dynamic evolves, providing opportunities to practice skills in varied, real-life scenarios. Over time, children build greater confidence and comfort in their social interactions.

Note: This class is designed for neurotypical children. It is not intended as a therapeutic or clinical intervention for children who may require more specialized support.

Successful social skills help children navigate nearly every aspect of their lives. Building confidence in social settings can improve self-esteem and increase comfort in group environments- whether at school, in sports, trying new activities, spending time with family, or connecting with friends.

While all children benefit from strengthening social skills, some need additional guidance and practice. In this class, students will work with an educational specialist and former school counselor to develop practical strategies for common social challenges. Topics include conversation skills, recognizing and expressing emotions, perspective-taking, managing stress, communicating with parents, building friendships, and navigating sibling relationships.

This small-group class is highly interactive and engaging, incorporating games, role-playing, video examples, modeled behavior, and hands-on activities to reinforce learning.

Students benefit most from participating for multiple quarters. While some activities are repeated for reinforcement, new content is introduced regularly. As new students join, the group dynamic evolves, providing opportunities to practice skills in varied, real-life scenarios. Over time, children build greater confidence and comfort in their social interactions.

Note: This class is designed for neurotypical children. It is not intended as a therapeutic or clinical intervention for children who may require more specialized support.

Homeschool Swim Lessons are taught at the Reston YMCA located 0.9 miles/ 3 minute drive from Compass's classroom facility. For more information on swimming lessons, see the program webpage.

During the first lesson, students will be observed and determined to be Beginner or Advanced Beginner level, and the class will be divided accordingly among two instructors. Beginners level is for students with little to no swim experience and will cover YMCA Level 1 skills such as water acclimation, floatation, water movement, putting face in the water, swimming 5 feet without a floatation device, and becoming comfortable on back in water. Advanced Beginners level will review all skills in beginner-level class and add YMCA Level 2 skills such as stamina, swimming one length of the pool (25 yards), performing elementary backstroke, rotary breathing, becoming comfortable in deep water, and stroke introduction to include: front crawl, backstroke, and elementary breaststroke.

Please note that these skills will be introduced and progress at different rates depending on the comfortable level and experience of enrolled students and may take more than one quarter to complete. At times, students might be moved to a different swimming group (same day, same time, different instructor) to better match the experience level of enrolled children.

Lessons are 40 minutes long, running from 0:05 until 0:45 after the hour, leaving enough time to towel dry, change clothes, and return to Compass for your next class. Students should bring a swimsuit, towel, and change of clothes. Googles and swim caps are optional.

A parent (or parent proxy) is required to remain on site. Parents may wait on poolside benches or lobby seating. YMCA waivers must be signed and returned for each swimmer. All registration is completed through Compass. All YMCA swimming classes are taught by certified, experienced, background-checked adult instructors with experience teaching children.

Consider enrolling your child in both Tuesday and Thursday classes to improve their rate of learning.

Homeschool Swim Lessons are taught at the Reston YMCA located 0.9 miles/ 3 minute drive from Compass's classroom facility. For more information on swimming lessons, see the program webpage.

During the first lesson, students will be observed and determined to be Beginner or Advanced Beginner level, and the class will be divided accordingly among two instructors. Beginners level is for students with little to no swim experience and will cover YMCA Level 1 skills such as water acclimation, floatation, water movement, putting face in the water, swimming 5 feet without a floatation device, and becoming comfortable on back in water. Advanced Beginners level will review all skills in beginner-level class and add YMCA Level 2 skills such as stamina, swimming one length of the pool (25 yards), performing elementary backstroke, rotary breathing, becoming comfortable in deep water, and stroke introduction to include: front crawl, backstroke, and elementary breaststroke.

Please note that these skills will be introduced and progress at different rates depending on the comfortable level and experience of enrolled students and may take more than one quarter to complete. At times, students might be moved to a different swimming group (same day, same time, different instructor) to better match the experience level of enrolled children.

Lessons are 40 minutes long, running from 0:05 until 0:45 after the hour, leaving enough time to towel dry, change clothes, and return to Compass for your next class. Students should bring a swimsuit, towel, and change of clothes. Googles and swim caps are optional.

A parent (or parent proxy) is required to remain on site. Parents may wait on poolside benches or lobby seating. YMCA waivers must be signed and returned for each swimmer. All registration is completed through Compass. All YMCA swimming classes are taught by certified, experienced, background-checked adult instructors with experience teaching children.

Consider enrolling your child in both Tuesday and Thursday classes to improve their rate of learning.

Homeschool Swim Lessons are taught at the Reston YMCA located 0.9 miles/ 3 minute drive from Compass's classroom facility. For more information on swimming lessons, see the program webpage.

Intermediate level is for students who are proficient in Advanced Beginner level skills such as swimming one length of the pool (25 yards), performing elementary backstroke, and becoming comfortable in deep water. Intermediate swimmers will cover Levels 3 of the YMCA program including elementary breaststroke, backstroke, front crawl with rotary breathing all at 25 yards, with work towards Level 4 skills including stamina and increasing all swimming to 50 yards or more, plus breast stroke, elementary butterfly stroke and kick, elementary dives, and turns.

Please note that these skills will be introduced and progress at different rates depending on the comfortable level and experience of enrolled students and may take more than one quarter to complete. At times, students might be moved to a different swimming group (same day, same time, different instructor) to better match the experience level of enrolled children.

Lessons are 40 minutes long, running from 0:05 until 0:45 after the hour, leaving enough time to towel dry, change clothes, and return to Compass for your next class. Students should bring a swimsuit, towel, and change of clothes. Googles and swim caps are optional.

A parent (or parent proxy) is required to remain on site. Parents may wait on poolside benches or lobby seating. YMCA waivers must be signed and returned for each swimmer. All registration is completed through Compass. All YMCA swimming classes are taught by certified, experienced, background-checked adult instructors with experience teaching children.

Consider enrolling your child in both Tuesday and Thursday classes to improve their rate of learning.

The Science of Stuff takes students beyond observation and into understanding the powerful chemical and physical laws that govern the world around them. Through engaging, hands-on investigations, students will explore the field of physical science covering matter, molecules, forces, motion, chemical reactions, waves, electricity, and magnetism in ways that make complex ideas clear and tangible. Each quarter- CLICK!, CRASH!, FIZZ!, and SPARK!- builds a deeper understanding of how and why objects move, interact, and change. Students will test ideas, analyze results, and discover physics and chemistry at work.

Second Quarter, students will investigate how matter moves and interacts. The class will explore forces, inertia, Newton's laws of motion, momentum, energy transfer, collisions, friction, and gravity. Students will see how the physical properties of matter explored in quarter one connect directly to how objects accelerate, collide, and come to rest. Labs include inertia demonstrations and experiments with momentum and energy transfer.

Topics in this Series: CLICK! (Matter & Molecules)- Quarter 1; CRASH! (Forces & Motion)- Quarter 2 ; FIZZ! (Chemical Reactions)- Quarter 3; and SPARK! (Waves, Electricity & Magnetism)- Quarter 4. There is a $20.00 lab fee due payable to the instructor on/before the first day of class.

Tweens take over as they collectively brainstorm and collaboratively write their own play. Find out what happens when tweens "act out" the unique characters and an original storyline they created. Disorder in the court! What causes a trial to turn tumultuous? Loud-mouth lawyers, a jokester judge, a wily witness, or a delirious defendant? What pandemonium plagues the prosecution in this hectic hearing?

Students will begin with improvisational games to get to know each other and to begin to brainstorm about their original play. Through group activities and guided discussion, the actors will decide on characters, conflict, and conclusion, and the story they want to tell. The script will be developed and customized for this class with the students' input.

The class will learn the practical aspects of acting, as they work on script read-through, blocking, costume/prop design, and planning the show. Students will develop their own "actor's toolkit" of voice, body, and imagination in this creative process! Actors will grow in confidence and communication skills in preparation for a final sharing with parents on the final day of the quarter.

Once the script is fully developed, it will be emailed to parents. Parents will be expected make sure their tweens memorize their script/lines/cues and assemble a simple make-at-home costume, ideally from clothing items and accessories they already own and a little creativity.

Topics in this Series: Haunted House of Horrors (Quarter 1), Chaos in the Courtroom (Quarter 2), No Exit Escape Room (Quarter 3) and Rock Start Rivalry (Quarter 4).

Wannabe Writers is a beginning writing class for first and second graders. Students will use creative journaling and illustrations to respond to simple writing prompts. The class will explore the use of various punctuation for simple sentences and will use new vocabulary words to express an idea. Each week, students will share their completed writing and drawings with their classmates. For this level, students must be able to read a Level 1 reader independently and possess the readiness skills outlined below. Children may repeat this class each quarter as new prompts and writing techniques will be introduced each session, and assignments will not be repeated.

Note: This class is designed for students to enjoy a fun, new dimension of writing with peers and a teacher, but this will not take the place of a comprehensive language arts curriculum and regular writing practice.

Writing Readiness: Enrolling students must be able to (1) recognize, spell and write his/her first and last name; (2) recognize and write all upper case and lower case letters and know the corresponding sounds; (3) spell and pronounce simple blends, (4) recognize the following sight words: all, am, are, at, ate, be, black, brown, but, came, day, did, do, eat, four, get, go, good, have, he, in, into, is, like, must, new, no, now, on, our, out, please, pretty, ran, ride, saw, say, she, so, soon, that, the, there, they, this, to, too, under, want, was, well, went, what, white, who, will, with, yes; (5) spell and write all 2-letter sight words unaided; (6) be familiar with simple sentence structure; and (7) hold and use a pencil correctly.

Wee Writers is a simple journaling class for emergent kindergarten writers ages 5 and 6. Beginning writers will use basic sight words and phonetics while writing about feelings and experiences. Students will learn basic sentence structure with noun-verb construction, initial capital letter, and ending punctuation. Beginning sentences such as, "I lik cak." or "I drnk wtr." would be typical of emergent writers. Students will illustrate their journal entries and have opportunities to share and discuss their writing with peers. Children may repeat this class each quarter as new writing activities will be introduced each session.

Note: This class is designed for students to enjoy a fun, new dimension of writing with peers and a teacher, but this will not take the place of a comprehensive language arts curriculum and regular writing practice.

Writing Readiness Enrolling students must be able to (1) recognize and write his/her first name; (2) recognize and write each letter of the alphabet and know the corresponding sounds; and (3) hold and use crayons and scissors correctly.

Social Readiness: Students must be age five (5) by the start of the class. To be successful in this program, kindergartners must be able to do the following preschool-level skills: (1) be able to separate from parents with little discomfort; (2) be able to sit and stay on a task for 10 minutes; (3) be able to follow simple, age-appropriate directions from the teacher or another adult; (4) be completely self-sufficient in a public restroom (wiping, flushing, washing hands, etc.)

In Write at Night, middle school students will expand essential communication skills- reading, retaining, discussing, composing, revising, and even listening and speaking- by reviewing short selections of renowned literature and putting pen to paper! Each quarter, students will write about a popular theme using the elements they observe in the example classics.

Dragons, elves, wizards, or new, never-before-seen creatures with special powers. Imagine yourself in another world where magic and fantasy abound. What do you see? The class will overview select science fiction to understand the differences from the fantasy genre and will read excerpts from Jules Verne, Kenneth Grahame, Lewis Carroll, and J.M Barrie. They will discuss fantasy fiction and use listing and mapping activities to identify the unique characteristics of the genre. Students will brainstorm the elements of a story such as location, timeframe, characters, and conflict for their own, unique fantasy piece. They will also discuss conventions- both social and magical- for their unique characters. An anthology of student stories will be published at the end of the quarter.

Imagination and creativity come easily to most young writers, but acquiring technical skills is also important. Each quarter, students will focus on specific skills. The skills are a part of the Writer's Tool Kit that includes: understanding parts and kinds of sentences, plurals, possessives, and punctuation. Across the four quarters of this class, students will also learn how to use a dictionary and a thesaurus, as well as higher-level, middle school level skills such as summarizing, outlining, note taking, writing a book report, or citing sources. In class, students will share drafts and in-progress works to receive peer feedback and promote revising and editing skills.

Homework: Students are expected to write in a journal for a minimum of four minutes per day and respond to prompts that are sent home on an assignment bookmark. They will also be asked to read short assignments such as a chapter or excerpt in preparation for class discussions.

Topics in this Series: Create Colorful Characters (Quarter 1), Forge Fantasy Fun (Quarter 2), Chronical Castle Life (Quarter 3) and Pen Passport Pages (Quarter 4).

Writing is not only a critical skill for school and life, it gives kids a voice! In this class, fifth and sixth graders will gain confidence, increase writing fluency, and learn how to incorporate writing into everyday work and play. The objective of this class is for each student to progress and improve his/her own writing. This class does not have a fixed curriculum trying to achieve the same outcome and same skillset for each child, because each student comes to class with different writing experience and varying needs. Instead, through personalized feedback from the instructor and peer feedback exercises, student writers will improve their writing skills from where they started.

Students will learn the steps of the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing. Key skills practiced at this level include organizing one's thoughts, defining a purpose and audience for the paper, formulating a topic sentence or main idea, developing supporting details, using correct sentence structure (for example, initial capitalization and end punctuation). Students will always be encouraged to write about what interests them. They will write for a few minutes in class each week and will be expected to write short assignments at home and submit their work to the instructor for feedback. Each week, the instructor will share brief lessons on grammar (such as correct capitalization, agreement, tenses, parts of speech, use of adjectives/adverbs), and/or style (for example, using metaphors, adding details, building tension). Examples and exercises will be presented from a variety of styles and genres with the instructor using models from fiction, poetry, and non-fiction.

Students should be on or near grade level for reading. Writing Well is offered each quarter under the same class name, but students may take it each quarter to continue to improve their writing skills.

Writing is not only a critical skill for school and life, it gives kids a voice! In this class, third and fourth graders will gain confidence, increase writing fluency, and learn how to incorporate writing into everyday work and play. The objective of this class is for each student to progress and improve his/her own writing. This class does not have a fixed curriculum trying to achieve the same outcome and same skillset for each child, because each student comes to class with different writing experience and varying needs. Instead, through personalized feedback from the instructor and peer feedback exercises, student writers will improve their writing skills from where they started.

Students will learn the steps of the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing. Key skills practiced at this level include organizing one's thoughts, defining a purpose and audience for the paper, formulating a topic sentence or main idea, developing supporting details, using correct sentence structure (for example, initial capitalization and end punctuation). Students will always be encouraged to write about what interests them. They will write for a few minutes in class each week and will be expected to write short assignments at home and submit their work to the instructor for feedback. Each week, the instructor will share brief lessons on grammar (such as correct capitalization, agreement, tenses, parts of speech, use of adjectives/adverbs), and/or style (for example, using metaphors, adding details, building tension). Examples and exercises will be presented from a variety of styles and genres with the instructor using models from fiction, poetry, and non-fiction.

Students should be on or near grade level for reading. Writing Wonders is offered each quarter under the same class name, but students may take it each quarter to continue to improve their writing skills.

Who doesn't love a good "Whodunnit" mystery? In this workshop, tween actors will work together to bring a cast of characters to life through creative adaptations and interpretive improvisation. Using materials from a commercial murder mystery role playing game (RPG), students will assume the personas of outrageous and offbeat characters. As the drama unfolds in rounds guided by clue cards, eclectic evidence, and fictitious forensics, a victim, a motive, and eventually the guilty party will be revealed.

Step softly into the stately halls of the National Archaeological Museum, where history hums and horrors hide. Tonight's tantalizing treasure? The Guardian of Atzul- a cursed curiosity cloaked in chilling legend. Guests gather, gossip grows, and the atmosphere thickens with tension. Then, tragedy strikes. Is it the curse? Or cunning conspirators crafting chaos behind closed cases? Schemes swirl, scandals simmer, and suspicion stalks every shadow. Stay sharp! This mystery is more menacing than myth.

Student actors will be guided through the development of a strong, compelling character, complete with unique ways of speaking, gesturing, and moving, an original costume, a backstory, and of course, an alibi. In this workshop, students benefit from experimenting with acting and improvisation and working as a team. This class is best suited for students who are active listeners, are flexible and easily adapt, have a sense of humor, and enjoy working in a collaborative group. Students need to be able to stay in sync with the flow of the class. This is not an "anything goes" or free-for-all class.

Supply Fee: A class fee of $25.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class for a script and costs related to props and performance license fee.

Topics in this series: Faireground Foul Play (Quarter 1), Murder in the Museum (Quarter 2), Grisly Golden Gala (Quarter 3), and Highlands Homicide (Quarter 4).

Adventures in Art is an engaging, hands-on creative experience designed for growing artists! Each week, students will explore a new artist or artistic style, learn interesting background facts, study inspiring examples, and create their own artwork inspired by what they observe. Working with a wide variety of materials, students will experiment with color, pattern, texture, and design as they develop their skills and bring their creative ideas to life.

Second quarter, students bring animals to life through art using a wide range of styles, colors, and techniques. Each class explores a fun new way to create, then students jump in to design their own animal artwork, from realistic creatures to bold, imaginative designs. Along the way, they experiment with color, pattern, and texture while building creativity and confidence. Featured artists include Winslow Homer, Paul Gauguin, Franz Marc, and Dean Russo.

A partial list of projects this quarter includes: colorful jungle animal painting, animal in nature watercolor, expressive animal portrait, animal pattern design, habitat scene collage, mythical creature drawing, and animal silhouette at sunset painting using pencils, erasers, black markers, colored pencils, crayons, oil pastels,
watercolor and tempera paints, paintbrushes, white drawing paper, canvases, colored construction paper, cardstock, tissue paper, cardboard, glue sticks, liquid glue, and scissors.

Topics in this series include: Stellar Celestial Subjects (Quarter 1), Creatures in Color (Quarter 2), A Tale of Two Styles (Quarter 3) and Murals, Monuments & Museums (Quarter 4).

In this course, middle schoolers will expand their understanding of how AI works and begin to evaluate its role in the real world. They will explore core concepts behind AI systems, improve their ability to communicate with AI tools, and examine important topics such as fairness, bias, and ethical use.

How do you move from basic questions to powerful, precise control of AI? Second quarter, students take their skills to the next level by learning advanced prompting techniques and how to evaluate and refine outputs. They will design multi-step prompts, experiment with different approaches, and optimize results for clarity, accuracy, and creativity. Through prompt engineering challenges and hands-on workshops, students will test what works, improve what doesn't, and create original content using AI.

Technology access in this class will include both instructor-led demonstrations with classroom projections, and hands-on individual laptop use with safety constraints and limited distractions.

Topics in this series include: Inside the System (Quarter 1), Ask, Refine, Realize (Quarter 2), Truth or Manipulated? (Quarter 3), and Build for Impact (Quarter 4).

This class moves students beyond basic understanding and into actively using AI as a tool for learning, problem-solving, and creativity. Students will explore how AI systems work, practice writing more precise prompts to improve results, and learn to identify errors and bias in AI responses. Through hands-on activities, students will strengthen their critical thinking while gaining practical experience.

How can you get better results from AI? Second quarter, students learn how to communicate clearly and effectively with AI by crafting strong prompts. They will explore how small changes in wording can lead to big differences in output and begin to understand the cause-and-effect relationship between input and results. Through engaging activities like prompt battles, rewriting challenges, output comparisons, and an AI-themed escape room, students will practice refining their questions to guide AI more successfully.

The focus is on helping students become thoughtful, confident users who can direct and evaluate AI effectively, rather than simply relying on it. Technology access in this class is instructor-led demonstrations with classroom projections, supported by small group stations with one laptops per 2 to 3 students.

Topics in this series include: How It's Built (Quarter 1), Ask Perfect Prompts (Quarter 2), Fair or Flawed (Quarter 3), and Real-World Solitions (Quarter 4).

What is the Great Red Spot? Which moons of Jupiter and Saturn could harbor life? Why is Pluto no longer a planet? Could there be a large ninth planet at the edge of our Solar System? Find out the answers to these mysteries and other great discoveries about our Outer Solar System comprised of the four gaseous planets- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune-, their rings and moons, dwarf planets, Kuiper Belt, and more. Astronomy enthusiasts will enjoy exploring details about the outrageous workings of outer space with an amateur astronomer and engineer.

Each class will explore concepts relevant to our corner of the universe- the outer solar system- with supporting activities such as modeling to understand relative distance and sizes. Other activities will examine ring formation, atmospheres, magnetic fields, and comets. The class will debate the possible existence of Planet 9. Finally, students will discuss the exploration of our outer solar system through probe fly-bys, orbiters, landers, and telescopes.

Future themes in this series include: Inner Solar System (Quarter 1); Outer Solar System (Quarter 2); Stars, Galaxies, and the Cosmos (Quarter 3); and Exoplanets and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life (Quarter 4).

Students will draw in a relaxed, informal studio setting where they will learn the fundamentals of drawing through character design.

Students will create original characters inspired by animation, comics, and games, focusing on facial expressions, poses, and personality. Students will practice breaking the human figure and animal forms into simple shapes to construct believable and expressive characters. Emphasis will be on proportion, gesture, and movement, helping students bring their drawings to life.

Student artists will learn techniques such as creating a "good line," outlining, patterning, and introductory shading. Elements of art will include line, shape, and pattern, along with principles such as contrast and emphasis.

The instructor will demonstrate techniques through sample drawings, and students may follow along or apply the skills to their own ideas. This class is ideal for beginners and helps build confidence by showing students that drawing does not have to be "perfect" to be powerful.

There is a suppy fee of $18.00 due payable to the instructor for new students only. Topics in this series include: Style & Self (Quarter 1), Characters & Creatures (Quarter 2), Stuff to Sketch (Quarter 3), and Fantasy Figures (Quarter 4).

Art in Action is a dynamic, hands-on program designed to expand students' artistic skills and creative thinking. Each week, students will study a different artist or artistic movement, explore key concepts and techniques, and analyze examples of notable works before creating their own original pieces inspired by what they have learned. Using a variety of media, students will refine their understanding of color, composition, texture, and design while developing greater confidence and independence in their artistic expression.

Second quarter, students explore the art of watercolor, learning how to control the flow of paint while experimenting with blending, layering, and transparency. Through guided projects, they develop observation skills and discover how light, shadow, and careful technique can bring their work to life. Featured artists include J.M.W. Turner, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Winslow Homer.

A partial list of projects this quarter includes: watercolor techniques sampler, nature study painting, sky & atmosphere study, still life painting, resist art, landscape layers, watercolor texture experiments, and illustrated poetry painting using watercolor paints (pan and liquid), watercolor paper (various weights), brushes
(round, detail, wash), sponges, pencils, erasers, masking fluid, wax crayons, salt, plastic wrap, spray bottles, palettes, drawing boards, reference images, rulers, fine liners, and canvases.

Topics in this series include: Abstract Adventures (Quarter 1), Watercolor Wonders (Quarter 2), Global Gallery (Quarter 3), and Fantasy & Fiction- Harry Potter Inspired Art (Quarter 4)

Artist's Academy is a hands-on course designed to develop technical skill, creative expression, and artistic perspective. Each week, students will examine a range of artists and movements, discussing historical context, stylistic elements, and artistic intent before creating original works informed by their studies. Through work in multiple media, students will strengthen their understanding of composition, color theory, texture, and design while learning to make thoughtful artistic choices and articulate their creative process.

Second quarter, students will explore the unpredictable and imaginative world of collage and mixed media as they discover how artists transform materials, images, and ideas in unexpected ways. Through hands-on projects, students will experiment with cutting, layering, combining, and reworking a wide range of materials to create original compositions. As they work, students will consider how artists turn everyday objects into meaningful works and how changing materials can shift both message and interpretation. Featured artists include Pablo Picasso, Romare Bearden, El Anatsui, Marcel Duchamp, Bansky, and Louise Nevelson.

A partial list of projects this quarter includes: collage, mixed media, layering, creative problem-solving, a surreal object mash up, and typography portrait using construction paper, magazines, newspapers, cardboard, fabric, foil, yarn, wire, recycled materials, glue, tape, scissors, paint, markers, oil pastels, ink, brushes, sponges, and stencils.

Topics in this series include: Reframing Reality (Quarter 1), Creative Chaos (Quarter 2), Highlights of the Harlem Renaissance (Quarter 3), and Studio Studies(Quarter 4). There is a $25.00 supply fee due payable to the instructor on/before the first day.

Young dancers will practice skills in musicality, balance, flexibility, and coordination as they learn to dance as a group. Each quarter, a different musical fairytale ballet will provide the inspiration and the music for the class. Dancers will become familiar with the story of the ballet and the orchestral music as they go through their own routine. The music, story, and characters will serve as an inspiration for creative movement.

Second quarter, young dancers will learn the story of The Nutcracker, composed by Tchaikovsky and performed as a ballet since 1892. In class, dancers will learn to recognize, understand, and apply techniques from the Vaganova ballet method such as: 1st - 6th positions, marching and skipping, demi plie, grand plie, saute, bourree, grand jete, and tendu. Students will also develop their physical conditioning and learn teamwork. A demonstration of skills learned will be showcased for parents on the last class each quarter.

Ballet students are expected to wear appropriate attire. Young ladies must wear a leotard with skirt (attached or detached), pink tights, and soft pink ballet shoes in canvas or leather. Young men must wear a slim-fitting white t-shirt, black shorts, white socks, and soft black ballet shoes in canvas or leather. Students must be age 4 by the start of class.

Topics in this series: The Little Humpbacked Horse (Quarter 1); The Nutcracker (Quarter 2); Swan Lake (Quarter 3); and Don Quixote (Quarter 4).

Take command of the battlefield as you design and deploy your own 3D military diorama. After early defeats across the Pacific, the United States halted Japanese expansion at Midway and carried the fight to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. What followed was a grueling campaign on land and sea, where control of a single airfield could determine the fate of the entire region. This class examines the brutal island fighting and the repeated naval battles at Iron Bottom Sound that marked the beginning of the Allied offensive.

Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, and historical maps, students will each form a 10" X 14" shaped, foam diorama with landscape elements (hills, valleys, rivers, ridges, vegetation, airfields, etc) to represent a scene of a famous historical engagement. Students will each receive scale miniature naval ships to populate their scene. Once individual projects are constructed, students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to approximate the larger battlefield terrain. Students will spend the remainder of the quarter learning about the tactics and outcomes of the military engagement while playing a table-top strategy game. Student strategists will use a simplified version of the Axis and Allies gaming rule system for moving troops and equipment. Along with their classmates, students will see how this battle progressed and test different outcome scenarios that might have occurred with different battlefield choices.

The instructor will use maps and visual presentations to explain the historical background and circumstances leading up to the specific battle. Course documents, such as period maps, game rules and all other instructional media will be available via a Google Drive link which will be emailed to parents. There is a $25.00 materials fee payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Topics in this year's series include: Pearl Harbor (Quarter 1), Guadalcanal (Quarter 2), D-Day (Quarter 3), and Battle of the Bulge (Quarter 4).

Enter the BuildZone and step into a world of endless possibilities, where over 10,000 building components are at your fingertips! From Keva Planks to K'Nex, Magnatiles to Marble Runs, Tubelox, Chaos Tower, and Pipe Builders-this is the ultimate mash-up of all things construction.

Here, you're the architect, the engineer, the mastermind. Stack it, snap it, connect it- then remix it! What happens when you combine pieces from totally different sets? You get taller towers, stronger structures, and mind-blowing mega builds! Build solo masterpieces or team up for cool collaborations. Every session is a chance to dream big, build bigger, and let your imagination break all the rules.

This is a hands-on afternoon lab intended to provide opportunities for kids to socialize and tap into their creative energy in a relaxed club setting. No formal curriculum or lessons are provided. This is a supervised free-build session. All participants are expected to help pick up and to follow all Compass rules on indoor behavior including respecting materials, supplies, and furnishings.

Kids are naturally curious about chemistry! Chemistry explains the properties, behaviors, and interactions of materials around us: things we eat, drink, clean with, wear, drive, and even play with. Kids can use chemistry to understand how things taste, smell, mix, melt, combust, feel, and whether they are recyclable or rubbish, helpful or harmful, nutritious or not. Chemistry is key to understanding the world around us, including other areas of science. In this class, kids begin to use scientific words to describe their observations and will become familiar with some science apparatuses.

Second quarter, kids will discover chemistry in action and in industry. They will grow great crystals and test how to treat tarnished metal. Our chemists will discover how cabbage juice can be used to check for acids and bases. They will discover how to melt ice with salt and how to remove salt from solution (desalinization). Students will make simple cell batteries to power a small light bulb. What shines brighter- a potato or a pomelo- and why? The class will learn to use basic chemistry to do copper plating and explore the properties of paint.

There is a lab fee of $25.00 due payable to the instructor on/before the first day of class. Topics in this series include: Chemistry in the Kitchen (Quarter 1), Chemistry in Action (Quarter 2), Chemistry at Home (Quarter 3), and Chemistry of Toys (Quarter 4).

Two armies. One battlefield. Infinite possibilities.

Across a checkered board, two mighty monarchies prepare for battle. In this legendary clash of kings and queens, which side will triumph in a test of wit, patience, perseverance, and strategy? Students will explore the logic and thrill of the timeless game of chess under the expert guidance of an International Chess Master. Whether you're a budding tactician or a curious beginner, prepare to sharpen your mind and rise to the challenge.

In Advanced Beginning Chess, students will use the Explorers Level curriculum developed by Grandmaster Babaev for his GMChessPrep program. During Quarter 2, the focus will be on opening principles, positional play, and advanced endgames. The class will learn how to start the chess game considering basic piece development, control of the center, castling early and king safety. Students will continue to learn endgame scenarios such as King + Pawn vs. King and promotion techniques, the Passed Pawn, the Rule of the Square, and vertical opposition. Finally, the class will be introduced to mini games with quick mates and traps such as Scholar's Mate, Fool's Mate, and F7 attacks.

Learning and playing chess promote problem solving, decision making, critical and creative thinking, general cognitive ability, scholastic skills, and mathematical achievement (Univ. of Minnesota). Experts suggest that the game of chess teaches analytical and disciplined thinking skills, while raising self esteem, teaching motivation and determination, and sportsmanship (Kasparov Foundation). Each class will be spent part on instruction and part on playing time in practice matches with classmates while the instructor gives tips and reminders.

Compass chess students will be given access to GMChessPrep's online portal for virtual chess practice opportunities between classes. Also, students who are absent can request a make-up session during a regularly scheduled GMC online evening group class.

Two armies. One battlefield. Infinite possibilities.

Across a checkered board, two mighty monarchies prepare for battle. In this legendary clash of kings and queens, which side will triumph in a test of wit, patience, perseverance, and strategy? Students will explore the logic and thrill of the timeless game of chess under the expert guidance of an International Chess Master. Whether you're a budding tactician or a curious beginner, prepare to sharpen your mind and rise to the challenge.

In Beginning Chess, students will use the Foundation Level curriculum developed by Grandmaster Babaev for his GMChessPrep program. During Quarter 2, the goal is to increase understanding of how all chess pieces move and learn the core structure of gameplay. Students will meet the knights, bishops, rooks and the queen, learning the movements and rules for each. The class will also learn some special moves such as castling, pawn promotion, and en passant. Their in-class mini games will practice king vs. king and pawn strategies; knight-capture games, and 4X4 and 6X6 training exercises.

Learning and playing chess promote problem solving, decision making, critical and creative thinking, general cognitive ability, scholastic skills, and mathematical achievement (Univ. of Minnesota). Experts suggest that the game of chess teaches analytical and disciplined thinking skills, while raising self-esteem, teaching motivation and determination, and sportsmanship (Kasparov Foundation). Each class will be spent part on instruction and part on playing time in practice matches with classmates while the instructor gives tips and reminders.

Compass chess students will be given access to GMChessPrep's online portal for virtual chess practice opportunities between classes. Also, students who are absent can request a make-up session during a regularly scheduled GMC online evening group class.

Two armies. One battlefield. Infinite possibilities.

Across a checkered board, two mighty monarchies prepare for battle. In this legendary clash of kings and queens, which side will triumph in a test of wit, patience, perseverance, and strategy? Students will explore the logic and thrill of the timeless game of chess under the expert guidance of an International Chess Master. Whether you're a budding tactician or a curious beginner, prepare to sharpen your mind and rise to the challenge.

In Intermediate Chess, students will use the Strategists Level curriculum developed by Grandmaster Babaev for his GMChessPrep program. During Quarter 2, the focus will be on pawn dynamics, practical endgames, and board control. The group will continue an examination of endgame strategies including: double pawns, triple pawns, passed pawns, and protected-pass pawns. The class will evaluate mating patterns such as Weak Dark Squares, Lolli's Mate, Pawn on 7th, and Queen-Bishop set-up. They will cover basic opening principles like control of the center, piece development, and king safety, and opening names like Italian, Scotch, and brief introduction to Four Knights. Students will work visual examples, play practice positions, learn to identify and evaluate value and weakness through visual examples, and puzzle practice.

Learning and playing chess promote problem solving, decision making, critical and creative thinking, general cognitive ability, scholastic skills, and mathematical achievement (Univ. of Minnesota). Experts suggest that the game of chess teaches analytical and disciplined thinking skills, while raising self-esteem, teaching motivation and determination, and sportsmanship (Kasparov Foundation). Each class will be spent part on instruction and part on playing time in practice matches with classmates while the instructor gives tips and reminders.

Compass chess students will be given access to GMChessPrep's online portal for virtual chess practice opportunities between classes. Also, students who are absent can request a make-up session during a regularly scheduled GMC online evening group class.

Welcome to the Compass Crochet Club- where creativity loops us together! Kids, tweens, and teens enjoy crochet because it's relaxing, hands-on, and lets them turn yarn into something uniquely their own. Whether they're stitching up scrunchies or crafting colorful creatures, it's even more fun when shared with friends in relaxing afternoon club.

For new beginners, Crochet Club is run as a facilitated, quarter long workshop that teaches the fundamentals needed to get crafting. Second quarter, beginners will select from two projects: a big, bulky scarf using the single crochet and chain stitches plus a fringe stitch OR, a holiday garland that uses the Bubble Stitch to look like popcorn and cranberries.

New students are welcome to join the club at any point during the year and will begin with foundational stitches and starter projects. Intermediate and advanced crocheters are encouraged to refine their skills, share tips and techniques, and serve as peer role models for newer members. More experienced participants may bring their own works in progress or contribute to meaningful service projects, such as crocheting NICU infant hats, caps for the homeless, or blankets for Project Linus. Parents are welcome to join the club and may register to learn and crochet alongside their children.

There is a $30.00 supply fee is due payable to the instructor on/before the first week of the club.

Note: This is a 6-week club.

Students will learn the language of undercover agents in this children's cryptology class. Cryptology is the science of secret writing which uses math and logical reasoning to decode and create mystery alphabets. Each week, students will learn one or more ciphers and will practice using them to decode messages and write secret messages to each other!

Student agents will continue their undercover operations by learning Morse code and sending messages with maritime flags. Students will learn about Vigenere ciphers and Affine ciphers. The quarter will culminate in a collaboration to crack a variety of codes to flee a classroom Escape Room which may include challenges such as coded letters, picture clues, mirror image writings, puzzling word searches, and cryptograms. We will also share the stories of famous writers and code-crackers like Lewis and Clark. This quarter's ciphers will include an introduction to the math concepts of prime numbers and basic multiplication.

Topics in the Series: Spies (Quarter 1), Secret Agents (Quarter 2), Sleuths (Quarter 3), and Superheroes (Quarter 4).

Math like you've never seen it before. In Crazy 8s Math Club, kids experience math as something active, social, and genuinely fun. Developed by the Bedtime Math Foundation, this national program features high-energy games and hands-on challenges that appeal to students of all ability levels.

Quarter 2 continues the fun with a new lineup of high-energy challenges, including Shooting Stars, Cowabunga, Pirate Treasure Hunt, Epic Air Traffic Control, Off the Charts, Crazy Card Club, Super Cube Shuffle, and Road Trip. Through these interactive games, students strengthen their skills in addition, subtraction, and factoring while exploring number patterns, sequences, and comparisons.

As they play, students build understanding of fractions, measurement, area, and perimeter, along with concepts like symmetry, spatial reasoning, and coordinate plotting. Activities also introduce logic and strategy through simple combinatorics, probability, and multi-step thinking. Students work with bar charts, matrices, and Venn diagrams to organize and interpret information, while practicing categorizing, counting, and recognizing patterns in new and creative ways.

This is not a traditional math class. Crazy 8s Math Club is recreational, energetic, and designed to show kids that math is everywhere and something to look forward to. Second graders may not enroll in this level.

Anyone can learn to draw! A professional artist will teach kids how to draw a variety of projects by breaking down complex forms and figures into simple shapes and giving them dimensions through shading, shadow, and textures. Projects will focus on fantasy and fictional subjects which are a great choice to keep beginning artists from becoming frustrated when their work does not look "the real thing."

Swoosh, Splat! Second, students will continue to develop their skills in comics illustration with the addition of companions, sidekicks, and villains alongside their main character. They will be taught the basics of illustrating an animal or an imaginary creature by combining and replicating simple shapes to create the character's form. The class will learn to draw simple costumes and props around their character to convey setting without drawing elaborate landscapes, and they will learn how to express thoughts and conversation through dialogue bubbles.

This is not a "follow-the-leader" or copy/mimic art class, but rather a supportive environment where students are encouraged to create their own fantasy characters and scenarios. They will receive individual coaching and feedback to develop the characters that they dream up rather than trying to replicate well-known existing characters like DC, Marvel, Disney, or Looney Tunes. Young artists having fun playing off each other's ideas to draw outrageous imaginary characters and worlds. The instructor will often use prompts to get the ideas flowing and to encourage collaboration. The instructor has a class rule that illustrations must be rated "G" with no violence (guns, knives, blood/gore) and will often suggest alternatives such as battle with unexpected objects like baguettes or bananas!

Students' practice illustrations and draft renderings will be drawn with regular #2 pencil in sketchbooks, but they are welcome to add color to their work with colored pencils or markers, if desired. There is aa $18.00 material fee payable to the instructor on the first day for a sketchbook and shared classroom art supplies. Topics in this Series include: Comic Art and Characters (Quarter 1); Comics with a Cast of Characters (Quarter 2), Fantastical Figures (Quarter 3), and Playful Portraits (Quarter 4).

What giants ruled the land before the age of T. rex? Discover the Jurassic world of Europe and Africa, where massive sauropods roamed and fierce predators hunted across ancient landscapes. Explore famous fossil sites and meet dinosaurs like Allosaurus and long-necked giants that dominated this earlier age.

Each student will create an individual diorama. Students will craft and hand-shape their scene on a 10" X 14" foam board using artistic, model-making techniques. They will customize their dioramas with landforms, landscape elements, and vegetation. Once individual projects are constructed, students will populate them with miniature figures and combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to create a larger terrain. Students will then compete in a pre-history-based survival strategy game. Each student will have at least one board and set of miniatures to take home with them.

Course documents such as maps, game rules and all other instructional media will be available via a Google Drive link which will be emailed to parents. Students must be minimum age 8 to take this class.

Topics in this series include: Ancient Seas (Quarter 1), Cretaceous North America and Asia (Quarter 2), Cretaceous South America and Africa (Quarter 3), Ice Age Giants (Quarter 4). There is a $25.00 materials fee payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Focus on the "E" in STEM- Engineering! Discover the everyday challenges we can solve through engineering in this hands-on, project-focused class! Students will tackle simulated challenges that span a variety of engineering disciplines and practice the three main steps of the engineering design process by asking, "What is the problem?", "What are possible solutions?" and, "How can I improve on the design?"

Second quarter, the class will learn about the careers of Civil Engineers and their responsibility for designing, constructing, and maintaining public infrastructure such as dams, bridges, tunnels, roads, airports, subway systems, and water supply systems. Students will model civil engineering challenges with projects such as the newspaper bridge challenge, spaghetti skyscraper, a geodesic dome, and earthquake-proof structures.

Students will work together to solve problems and brainstorm options given a variety of project materials. For each project, students will be challenged to adjust their designs, make modifications, re-design to optimize their creations, and retest performance. Basic building, measuring, data collection, and equations will be used to challenge all minds in engineering!

There is a $25.00 supply fee due payable to the instructor on/before the start of class. Topics in this Series include: Electrical Lab (Quarter 1); Civil Lab (Quarter 2); Mechanical Lab (Quarter 3); and Green (Sustainable) Lab (Quarter 4).

Bonjour! French Foundations is an introductory class for middle school-aged students. The class will be taught in a predominantly immersion environment. Limited cues in English will be used to prompt students or explain difficult concepts. French language instruction will be presented in a natural learning sequence beginning with nouns (such as colors, numbers, clothing, foods, animals, days/dates, etc), adjectives, greetings, and simple phrases. Students will learn beginning grammatical constructions such as noun-verb agreement, noun-adjective agreement, adjective placement, and the rules of regular verb conjugation. Students will be encouraged to speak aloud and converse with classmates, but also to learn to sound out, spell, and read beginning, written French. Aspects of Francophone culture such as holidays, foods, and traditions will be incorporated in the classes.

Each quarter introduces new themes and new vocabulary in French, so continuing students can continue to build their language basics. However, themes and units are non-sequential, so students may enroll in this level in any quarter. The goal of this introductory course is to lay foundations in sounds, vocabulary, grammar, and usage while having fun and building confidence in a foreign language. Students should be at grade level in their reading. Fluency should not be expected at this level.

Salut! French with Friends is an introductory French class for elementary-aged students. The class will be taught in a predominantly immersion environment. Limited cues in English will be used to prompt students or explain difficult concepts. French language instruction will be presented in a natural learning sequence beginning with nouns (such as colors, numbers, clothing, foods, animals, family members, days/dates, etc), adjectives, beginning verbs, greetings, and simple phrases. Songs, games, stories, and hands-on activities will be used in class to review vocabulary and phrases. Emphasis will be on conversation, but students will be encouraged to learn to spell and sound out written French. Aspects of Francophone culture such as holidays, foods, and traditions will be incorporated in the classes.

Each quarter introduces new themes and new vocabulary in French, so continuing students can continue to build their language basics. However, themes and units are non-sequential, so students may enroll in this level in any quarter. The goal of this introductory course is to lay foundations in sounds, vocabulary, and simple phrases while having fun and building confidence in a foreign language. Fluency should not be expected at this level.

FUNctional Fitness is a dynamic PE program for that incorporates well-rounded exercises to get kids up and moving mid-day! No two workouts are the same, but each day's activities incorporate exercises that target 10 areas: cardio-vascular endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy. FUNctional Fitness focuses on functional movements that are fundamental to all aspects of play and exercise- pulling, pushing, running, throwing, climbing, lifting, and jumping. Work-outs are scalable and adaptable to different individual's own level, and the emphasis is on fun, safety, and personal accomplishment rather than competition among classmates. When the weather permits, some exercises may be taken outdoors. The physical challenges of FUNctional Fitness will foster self-confidence, focus, and help instill a foundation for a lifetime of fitness.

The color name in the class title refers to the collectable token students will earn each quarter they take the class. Collect all 8! Students may enroll in FUNctional Fitness at any time, regardless of the color name No one color is a prerequisite for any other color, and tokens can be earned in any order.

All equipment is furnished. Students are asked to wear loose, comfortable clothing, such as running pants or sweatpants, and comfortable, supportive athletic shoes. FUNctional Fitness continues each quarter, and students may repeat the class to continue to improve fitness. No two workouts are the same!

FUNctional Fitness is a dynamic PE program for that incorporates well-rounded exercises to get tweens up and moving mid-day! No two workouts are the same, but each day's activities incorporate exercises that target 10 areas: cardio-vascular endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy. FUNctional Fitness focuses on functional movements that are fundamental to all aspects of play and exercise- pulling, pushing, running, throwing, climbing, lifting, and jumping. Work-outs are scalable and adaptable to different individual's own level, and the emphasis is on fun, safety, and personal accomplishment rather than competition among classmates. When the weather permits, some exercises may be taken outdoors. The physical challenges of FUNctional Fitness will foster self-confidence, focus, and help instill a foundation for a lifetime of fitness.

The color name in the class title refers to the collectable token students will earn each quarter they take the class. Collect all 8! Students may enroll in FUNctional Fitness at any time, regardless of the color name No one color is a prerequisite for any other color, and tokens can be earned in any order.

All equipment is furnished. Students are asked to wear loose, comfortable clothing, such as running pants or sweatpants, and comfortable, supportive athletic shoes. FUNctional Fitness continues each quarter, and students may repeat the class to continue to improve fitness. No two workouts are the same!

Compass cooks will enjoy a culinary tour of the world with Global Gourmet classes! Menus feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients seasoned and prepared to represent regional flavors and traditional dishes from the featured country. Recipes are selected to be nutritious, fun, and simple to make. The Compass chefs' gastronomy adventures will include a trip to Quebec with:

• Quebec Poutine
• The Great Canadian Salad
• Newfoundland Pea Soup
• Quebec Tourtiere (contains pork)
• Crepes
• Nova Scotia's Hodgepodge
• Date Squares
• Maple Butter Tart

Students will be eating what they make each week and bringing home the recipes and leftovers. These engaging cooking classes will get students excited about helping in the kitchen, experimenting, and trying new foods. Students will be exposed to healthy ingredients they may not regularly eat. They will learn important kitchen skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade. Culinary vocabulary and terms are introduced each week, with no-pressure verbal review of those words the following week.

Notes: Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

Topics in this Series: German (Quarter 1),French Canadian (Quarter 2), Chinese (Quarter 3), Peruvian (Quarter 4).

Supply Fee: A class fee of $45.00 is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class.

What to Bring: None- Disposable aprons and take-home containers provided.

What to Wear: Students should wear clean clothes and have long hair tied back, braided, or secured under a bandana (male and female).

Cooking Class Requirements: For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

Note: This is a 6-week class.

Compass cooks will enjoy a culinary tour of the world with Global Gourmet classes! Menus feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients seasoned and prepared to represent regional flavors and traditional dishes from the featured country. Recipes are selected to be nutritious, fun, and simple to make. The Compass chefs' gastronomy adventures will include a trip to Quebec with:

• Quebec Poutine
• The Great Canadian Salad
• Newfoundland Pea Soup
• Quebec Tourtiere (contains pork)
• Crepes
• Nova Scotia's Hodgepodge
• Date Squares
• Maple Butter Tart

Students will be eating what they make each week and bringing home the recipes and leftovers. These engaging cooking classes will get students excited about helping in the kitchen, experimenting, and trying new foods. Students will be exposed to healthy ingredients they may not regularly eat. They will learn important kitchen skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade. Culinary vocabulary and terms are introduced each week, with no-pressure verbal review of those words the following week.

Notes: Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

Topics in this Series: German (Quarter 1),French Canadian (Quarter 2), Chinese (Quarter 3), Peruvian (Quarter 4).

Supply Fee: A class fee of $45.00 is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class.

What to Bring: None- Disposable aprons and take-home containers provided.

What to Wear: Students should wear clean clothes and have long hair tied back, braided, or secured under a bandana (male and female).

Cooking Class Requirements: For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

Note: This is a 6-week class.

Compass cooks will enjoy a culinary tour of the world with Global Gourmet classes! Menus feature a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh ingredients seasoned and prepared to represent regional flavors and traditional dishes from the featured country. Recipes are selected to be nutritious, fun, and simple to make. The Compass chefs' gastronomy adventures will include a trip to Quebec with:

• Quebec Poutine
• The Great Canadian Salad
• Newfoundland Pea Soup
• Quebec Tourtiere (contains pork)
• Crepes
• Nova Scotia's Hodgepodge
• Date Squares
• Maple Butter Tart

Students will be eating what they make each week and bringing home the recipes and leftovers. These engaging cooking classes will get students excited about helping in the kitchen, experimenting, and trying new foods. Students will be exposed to healthy ingredients they may not regularly eat. They will learn important kitchen skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade. Culinary vocabulary and terms are introduced each week, with no-pressure verbal review of those words the following week.

Notes: Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

Topics in this Series: German (Quarter 1),French Canadian (Quarter 2), Chinese (Quarter 3), Peruvian (Quarter 4).

Supply Fee: A class fee of $45.00 is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class.

What to Bring: None- Disposable aprons and take-home containers provided.

What to Wear: Students should wear clean clothes and have long hair tied back, braided, or secured under a bandana (male and female).

Cooking Class Requirements: For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

Note: This is a 6-week class.

Discover geography and diverse cultures in this interactive, imaginary tour of the world. Each quarter, students will take a classroom journey to two distinct nations. They will locate the highlighted countries on the world map and complete a map project before buckling in for a fictional flight to the featured locales. Once they have "arrived" in the country, they will begin with an introduction to home and school life by meeting a child through a story or video. Students will learn to recognize similarities and appreciate differences when they compare that child's home, clothing, food, town, daily activities, and school to their own. In subsequent weeks, our Globe Trotters will learn about the culture and traditions of the country through songs, games, projects, and activities that highlight elements like folktales, customs, celebrations, distinct features, language, points of interest, or native species.

Second quarter, students will journey to the Philippines and Germany. The Philippines are an archipelago nation of more than 7600 separate islands located on the Pacific Rim of Fire with 23 active volcanos and at least 5 earthquakes felt each day! The Philippines has colorful traditions with unique ties to Spain as a former colony, but also to Oceania, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. There, visitors can find one of the most bio-diverse countries in the world and rich natural resources. Germany is in Central Europe on the Baltic and North seas and is the most populous country in the EU. Germany has a strong economy and is a global power in industrial, scientific and technological sectors. Many Americans came claim German heritage as there was a long tradition of German immigration in early America. Example projects from these countries may include a Parole (or Christmas lantern) from the Philippines and Christmas cones from Germany.

Students will be excited by geography and culture when approached through this engaging, multi-disciplinary exploration of diverse countries of the globe! Topics in this Series include Egypt and Korea (Quarter 1); Philippines and Germany (Quarter 2); China and England (Quarter 3); New Zealand and Ghana (Quarter 4). A supply fee of $25.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

You've dreamed about going to Hogwarts, and now is your chance to experience a year of magical classes! In this maker class, students will create projects inspired by their core classes at Hogwarts (Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Potions, and Transfiguration) and a Hogwarts guest professor. Students learn to work with a variety of materials and learn a broad range of crafting skills such as hand-sewing, painting, papercrafting (including precision cutting, folding, and stenciling) sculpting, and wireworking to create magical pieces inspired by the World of Harry Potter.

Welcome to the second term at Hogwarts! In addition to your core wizarding classes, special projects will be inspired by guest professor Madame Pomfrey such as a Skele-Gro Bottle and Potion Lotion.

This is a great class for Harry Potter fans who love the magical world, even for those who have not read all of the books or watched all of the movies. Projects and class discussions are geared to not reveal significant series spoilers. Note: A few classes may include a Harry Potter-inspired food creation or personal care product. The ingredients will be identified in advance, and students with food or ingredient allergies or dietary restrictions will need to check before handling/consuming. Substitute ingredients cannot be provided for those with food allergies or restrictions.

Topics in this Series: Quirrell's Creations (Quarter 1); Pomfrey's Potions (Quarter 2); Flitwick's Favorites (Quarter 3); and Lockhart's Fabrications (Quarter 4)

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $35.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

Junior Art Studio is a colorful, hands-on art adventure designed especially for our youngest artists! Each week, students will discover a new artist or art style, learn a few fun facts, explore inspiring examples, and then create their own masterpiece inspired by what they have seen. Using a wide variety of materials, students will experiment with colors, patterns, textures, and embellishments as they bring their ideas to life.

Second quarter, students explore how environments and locations around the world inspire artistic expression.
Each lesson will explore the use of texture, layering, and visual storytelling while exploring the world. Featured topics and locations include: the Redwood Forests, Lascaux Caves, Grand Canyon, Mount Fuji, Great Barrier Reef, the Statue of Liberty, and the Sahara Desert.

A partial list of projects this quarter includes: tree bark rubbings, forest drawings, cave-style animal paintings, layered canyon landscapes, mountain paintings, underwater collage, paper sculpture, desert silhouettes, and a travel postcard using chalk pastels, crayons, watercolor paint, brown craft paper, tissue paper, glue, scissors,
sponges, acrylics, oil pastels, canvases, and specialty papers.

Topics in this series include: Color Quest (Quarter 1), Destination Discoveries (Quarter 2), Native Nations (Quarter 3), and Multi-Media Mix (Quarter 4). There is a $25.00 supply fee due payable to the instructor on/before the first day.

Tumble, turn, twist, and twirl! Junior Gymnastics is a beginner-level class designed to support the development of motor skills in children while introducing beginning athleticism through gymnastics. This class incorporates fundamental movements like hopping, skipping, jumping, and balancing while building strength, flexibility and coordination. Gymnastics encourages children to explore their body's movement through play and exercise.

Each session will include warm-up activities, cool-down exercises, and fun play with props like parachutes, while each quarter has a different gymnastics focus. Second quarter "Beam Basics" introduces balance and coordination on a low, 6" balance beam. All work will be done on padded floor mats and portable equipment on loan from the instructor's gymnastics school.

Students should wear workout attire, but preferably not lose or floppy clothing. Students with long hair are asked to tie their hair back. Students will play and exercise in socks, so they should not come in sandals, crocs, or slides.

Topics in this series include: Floor Fun (Quarter 1), Beam Basics (Quarter 2), Vault Ventures (Quarter 3), and Rhythmic Routines (Quarter 4).

Krav Maga is the Israeli martial art which teaches self defense and fitness. Students of Krav Maga are taught a series of strategies to assess and respond to common situations, such as facing a bully. Kids are always taught first and foremost to get away, to get help, and to try to deescalate the situation. When that fails, students practice a technique that includes a warning strike followed by escape, and finally, they learn how to stand up for themselves and how to counterattack if a situation escalates and becomes threatening. Kids are empowered and gain confidence when they rehearse how to handle real-life situations. Exercises and in-class practice incorporate balance, coordination, energy, and other key elements of fitness along with life skills such as confidence, teamwork, respect, discipline, and respect.

Students may enroll in Krav Maga at any time, and everyone will begin as a white belt. Each quarter, students will practice the full range of skills, but there will be two "featured" moves that a student can earn a belt stripe for being able to demonstrate. Featured moves will include a combative strike and a defensive escape technique. No one stripe is a prerequisite for any other color, and color stripes can be earned in any order.

Second quarter, students will have the chance to earn a Purple Stripe. The featured moves include:

• Red Stripe

- 360 Defense and Headlock Release

• OrangeStripe

- Inside Defense and Release from Front Choke

• Yellow Stripe

- Using Your Environment and Wrist Grab Releases

• Green Stripe

- Kick Defense and Ground Choke Release

• Blue Stripe

- Body Defense and Shirt Grab Releases

• Purple Stripe

- Protecting Others and Ground Headlock Release

• Brown Stripe

- Ground Strike Defenses and Bearhug Releases

• Black Stripe

- Ground Kick Defenses and Back Choke Releases

Students will be able to test for belt promotions to move through the ranks of white belt, yellow belt, orange belt, etc. On average, it is estimated that a student will be ready for a belt test after four quarters/four color stripes. Belt testing will be by coach approval.

What to Bring: Refillable water bottle.

What to Wear: In lieu of a full martial arts uniform, participants should wear their class t-shirt and belt along with shorts, leggings, or loose, comfortable athletic pants, and comfortable athletic shoes or sneakers.

Topics in this Series: Blue Stripe (1st Quarter), Purple Stripe (2nd Quarter), Brown Stripe (3rd Quarter) and Black Stripe (4th Quarter).

Little Bot Builders is a busy, bouncy robotics and maker lab where our youngest engineers, ages 5-6, build, tinker, test, and discover how things work.

Second quarter, students will explore power, energy, and creative engineering design. Young builders will experiment with different power sources, including making a simple battery with a potato and constructing a wind-powered generator to learn about alternative energy.

Students will also build simple cars using everyday materials such as boxes and pencils. As they design and test their creations, they will practice explaining their ideas and preparing a poster presentation for a classroom Demo Day, helping them build early confidence in both STEM and communication skills.

There is a $25.00 supply fee due payable to the instructor on/before the first day of class. Topics in this series include: Motors & Makers (Quarter 1), Power & Prototypes (Quarter 2), Circuits & Controllers (Quarter 3), Waves & Wonders (Quarter 4).

Students will tackle a variety of puzzles, games, and riddles each week that will develop their critical thinking, logic, math reasoning, and problem-solving skills while having loads of fun in class! Hands-on activities may use cards, dice, coins, cubes, toothpicks, math board games, math card games, and of course, lots of numbers. Every activity is in essence a math problem, and students will learn tips and techniques for tackling the challenges.

For each new puzzle, game, and riddle, students will learn concepts and strategies that they can apply to solving ANY math challenge, such as: the phases of solving a problem, what to do when you get stuck, how to make predictions, how to generalize from specific cases, and what questions to ask yourself. Example activities include the game of Thirty One, logic grids, cryptograms, and deduction games. Through these weekly activities, students will learn that math isn't just something done at a desk with pencil and paper, but is present everywhere you look, and that the ability to think mathematically can be not only useful, but also fun!

Students can take this class each quarter as a different selection of puzzles, games, and activities will be introduced each session. Topics in this series include: Brain Boosters (Quarter 1), Brain Builders (Quarter 2), Brain Benders (Quarter 3), and Brain Busters (Quarter 4).

Embark on a magical afternoon journey with "Magical Creatures' Quest: A Familiar Problem!" This enchanting club is for tweens (ages 10-12) who adore whimsical tales, creative adventures, and the magic of tabletop role-playing games. During each club meeting, the group will weave a captivating story where each participant takes on the role of a magical animal on a quest to reunite with its owner. Are you more like a daring dragon, mysterious mermaid, playful Pegasus, or a fearless fairy? Each meeting presents a new chapter, filled with challenges, mysteries, and opportunities for magical mischief. Tweens will unleash their creativity and collaborate with others to shape the adventure, solve puzzles, and make decisions to advance the story.

The club is facilitated by an experienced Game Master who will guide students through the art of role-playing. Tweens will connect and form friendships with other middle schoolers who share a love of magical stories and imaginative play- in person! Previous role-playing experience is not required, but this club serves as a great introduction for tweens who might be interested in embarking on Dungeons and Dragons. This class is best suited for students who are active listeners, flexible, and easily adapt, have a sense of humor, and can work collaboratively in a group. Students need to be able to stay in sync with the flow of the class. This is not an "anything goes" or free-for-all class. Minimum age 10 to participate.

How does one king unite a broken continent? Discover the rise of Charlemagne, from constant warfare and clever diplomacy to his crowning as Emperor of a new Roman Empire. He expanded his rule across much of Europe through relentless campaigns and strategic alliances. Explore how his conquests and reforms sparked the Carolingian Renaissance, transforming learning, writing, and communication.

Students will choose from among several options for their diorama: a battlefield, seaports, or a medieval town. Using artistic model-making techniques, hand tools, and historical maps, students will create a 12" X 18" diorama board and populate it with 1:72 scale historical figures. Once individual projects are constructed, students will combine their dioramas alongside those of their classmates to approximate a larger battlefield terrain. Students will spend the remainder of the quarter learning about the tactics and outcomes of the military engagement while playing a table-top strategy game. Student strategists will use a simplified version of the Fire and Fury historical war gaming rule system for moving troops and equipment. Along with their classmates, students will see how battles progressed and test different outcome scenarios that might have occurred with different battlefield choices. Students will also receive dozens of miniatures to re-enact the historical battles! Course documents, such as period maps, game rules and all other instructional media will be available via a Google Drive link which will be emailed to parents.

There is a $25.00 supply fee due payable to the instructor on/before the start of classes. Topics in this series include: Vikings Invade Europe(Quarter 1), Charlemagne Builds an Empire (Quarter 2), Pirates Plunder the New World (Quarter 3), Napoleon Falls at Waterloo (Quarter 4).

Cash rules everything around us, from snacks and shoes, concert tickets and clothes, and the future ahead. "A penny saved is a penny earned," but small choices now can lead to big results later. If "money makes the world go 'round", how can you plan for the future? What decisions can you make now to reach your goals?

Second quarter, students will examine how money grows and how it can also be lost through everyday financial decisions. They will be introduced to investing concepts, including stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, while exploring the relationship between risk and reward. Students will see how compound interest builds wealth over time and participate in a stock market simulation to apply their learning. In addition, they will study basic economic principles like supply and demand and how those forces influence prices and choices. The unit also covers credit, including how credit scores are built, the differences between payment methods, and the true cost of borrowing. Students will evaluate good versus bad debt and learn practical strategies for avoiding financial pitfalls, including scams and identity theft.

Students will participate in simulations such as a stock market game, analyze case studies, and engage in discussions about real-world financial scenarios. Activities such as role-playing borrowing decisions, identifying scams, and completing interactive challenges will help students apply concepts in meaningful ways.

Topics in this series include: Earn & Spend (Quarter 1), Invest & Grown(Quarter 2), Create & Launch (Quarter 3), and Dream & Achieve (Quarter 4)

Cash rules everything around us, from snacks and shoes, concert tickets and clothes, and the future ahead. "A penny saved is a penny earned," but small choices now can lead to big results later. If "money makes the world go 'round", how can you plan for the future? What decisions can you make now to reach your goals?

Second quarter, students will examine how money grows and how it can also be lost through everyday financial decisions. They will be introduced to investing concepts, including stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, while exploring the relationship between risk and reward. Students will see how compound interest builds wealth over time and participate in a stock market simulation to apply their learning. In addition, they will study basic economic principles like supply and demand and how those forces influence prices and choices. The unit also covers credit, including how credit scores are built, the differences between payment methods, and the true cost of borrowing. Students will evaluate good versus bad debt and learn practical strategies for avoiding financial pitfalls, including scams and identity theft.

Students will participate in simulations such as a stock market game, analyze case studies, and engage in discussions about real-world financial scenarios. Activities such as role-playing borrowing decisions, identifying scams, and completing interactive challenges will help students apply concepts in meaningful ways.

Topics in this series include: Earn & Spend (Quarter 1), Invest & Grown(Quarter 2), Create & Launch (Quarter 3), and Dream & Achieve (Quarter 4)

Parlez-vous fun? Whether you are a seasoned francophone or simply a fan of all things French, this lively club is your passport to language, culture, and connection. Students will practice conversational French in a relaxed, welcoming setting while diving into games, short TV clips, current events, and even French cartoons. From bonjour to bon appetit, every meeting offers something new to explore.

Throughout the quarter, members will celebrate French culture and traditions, learning about holidays, customs, and everyday life across the French-speaking world. And because no French experience is complete without food, the club will head to the kitchen once or twice each quarter to prepare (and enjoy!) classic treats like crepes, madeleines, and macarons.

Come for the conversation- stay for the culture, camaraderie, and cuisine!

Step outdoors and into nature's living laboratory! This outdoor science class immerses students in real-world field study where the woods, streams, and wetlands become the classroom. Each week, explorers will practice the methods of natural scientists as they investigate ecology, geology, zoology (local wildlife), botany (plants), ornithology (birds), mycology (fungi), and entomology (insects), in our own suburban ecosystem.

Students will observe natural systems in action as they examine life cycles, the water cycle, and the local watershed; explore suburban wetlands; and uncover the balance between producers, consumers, and decomposers, as well as predator- prey relationships and food webs. Seasonal cycles will guide discoveries as young naturalists watch habitats transform and learn how plants and animals adapt throughout the year.

Each week, students will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon with a senior naturalist and outdoor educator. This program offers a refreshing break from sit-down, indoor, and screen-based learning,encouraging movement, fresh air, curiosity, and hands-on discovery. Students will learn to stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn things over, and peek beneath the surface to uncover nature's hidden wonders. A portion of every session will focus on developing confidence and comfort in the outdoors. Emphasis will be placed on safe, respectful, and responsible exploration, environmental stewardship, and appreciating what we find in nature. Students will also enjoy nature-based games that reinforce teamwork and exploration skills.

See Compass's Outdoor Classes webpage for more information on meeting location, what to bring, what to wear, inclement weather, and more.

Step outdoors and into nature's living laboratory! This outdoor science class immerses students in real-world field study where the woods, streams, and wetlands become the classroom. Each week, explorers will practice the methods of natural scientists as they investigate ecology, geology, zoology (local wildlife), botany (plants), ornithology (birds), mycology (fungi), and entomology (insects), in our own suburban ecosystem.

Students will observe natural systems in action as they examine life cycles, the water cycle, and the local watershed; explore suburban wetlands; and uncover the balance between producers, consumers, and decomposers, as well as predator- prey relationships and food webs. Seasonal cycles will guide discoveries as young naturalists watch habitats transform and learn how plants and animals adapt throughout the year.

Each week, students will explore the southern section of Sugarland Stream Valley Park in Herndon with a senior naturalist and outdoor educator. This program offers a refreshing break from sit-down, indoor, and screen-based learning,encouraging movement, fresh air, curiosity, and hands-on discovery. Students will learn to stop, look, listen, smell, touch, turn things over, and peek beneath the surface to uncover nature's hidden wonders. A portion of every session will focus on developing confidence and comfort in the outdoors. Emphasis will be placed on safe, respectful, and responsible exploration, environmental stewardship, and appreciating what we find in nature. Students will also enjoy nature-based games that reinforce teamwork and exploration skills.

See Compass's Outdoor Classes webpage for more information on meeting location, what to bring, what to wear, inclement weather, and more.

Venture outdoors each week to explore the woods with a senior naturalist and mentor while learning valuable survival skills. Students will learn how to construct a temporary shelter, make cordage, craft a bow and arrow, identify edible plants, track animals, and purify water. The group will learn knife safety and skills like whittling a spoon and spatula; how to use maps and compass (orienteering), and basic first aid. Students will practice animal and plant identification and will catch and identify macro-invertebrates to determine stream health (outdoor temperatures permitting.)

Emphasis will be on becoming comfortable with things you encounter outdoors, safe exploration of the woods, how to be a good steward of nature, and what to do if you ever became lost or injured in the woods. Skills will be reintroduced and adapted each each quarter because the available plants, animals, materials, and water sources change with each season. Students will have a blast, develop greater self-confidence, and build a strong connection to nature and to the real world! Explorations in the woods is for enrolled students only, and tag-along parents and siblings cannot be accommodated. For information on where the class meets, what to wear, and inclement weather, see the webpage for Compass's Outdoor Classes.

See Compass's Outdoor Classes webpage for more information on meeting location, what to bring, what to wear, inclement weather, and more.

Ready to leap, vault, and move like a real-life ninja or superhero? In this action-packed parkour class, students learn to tackle obstacles with speed, control, and confidence as they run, jump, and climb through structured challenges. Along the way, they build strength, coordination, and focus while channeling big energy into smart, controlled movement.

All equipment is furnished. Students are asked to wear loose, comfortable clothing, such as running pants or sweatpants, and comfortable, supportive athletic shoes. Sandals, crocs, flip-flops or slides may not be worn. Power-Up Parkour continues each quarter, and students may repeat the class to continue to improve fitness and agility. No two workouts are the same!

Big creativity for little hands! This playful, hands-on
class is designed especially for our youngest artists to explore a wide variety of art materials in a fun and supportive environment. Each week, preschoolers will dive into themed projects using tempera paints, finger
paints, watercolors, markers, pastels, and more.

Circles, squares, triangles, and more come to life in this fun-filled art adventure! Second quarter, students will learn recognize, create, and combine shapes while building confidence and creativity through playful
experimentation.

Students must be at least 3-1/2 years old and able to separate and participate independently in a small group setting.

There is a $20.00 supply fee due payable to the instructor on/before the first day of class. Topics in this series include: Creative Color (Q1), Super Shapes (Q2), Terrific Texture (Q3), and Fun with Forms (Q4).

Every parent knows that kids are curious, captivated, and quick to learn technology-based products. Programming Projects builds on that curiosity to introduce computer science basics, problem-solving, and computational thinking through play-based learning.

Second quarter, students will enjoy a fun, intuitive introduction to computer coding with Scratch. Scratch is an open source graphical programming language created by MIT. It uses 'blocks' of pre-written code that students rearrange and manipulate to customize their own interactive stories and characters. They will create short animations by learning to link blocks of script (programming instructions). Students will learn to compile the instructions to control and change onscreen elements such as graphics, text, photos, sound effects, and animated characters. Young coders will use logic and computational reasoning while learning to manipulate variables. They will be able to access this same platform at home and continue with what learned in class. Learn more about Scratch here https://scratch.mit.edu/parents

Note: Students must be minimum age 6. Kindergartners may not enroll.

There is a $20.00 technology use fee due payable to the instructor on/before the first day. Topics in this series include: Sphero indi Robotic Cars (Quarter 1), Scratch Coding (Quarter 2), Sphero Robotic Ball Quarter 3) and Tinkercad Design (Quarter 4)

If your child is going to read, let's make it unforgettable. Rich stories, vivid characters, and books they actually want to open. No dry passages. No busywork. Just real literature that pulls them in and keeps them thinking long after the last page.

Strong reading and writing skills do not just matter in language arts. They drive success across every subject. This dynamic weekly reading group is built for small cohorts of 6 to 10 students working at a similar level. The setting allows kids to feel confident, appropriately challenged, and genuinely engaged. Guided by an experienced language arts teacher, students move through a literature-based curriculum that connects everything they learn.

In this class, books are the center of it all. Vocabulary grows naturally from the story. Grammar is taught in context. Writing assignments are meaningful and tied directly to characters, themes, and ideas. The result is a cohesive and immersive approach to language arts that sticks. Each week, students explore engaging texts while building critical skills such as comprehension, prediction, visualization, and verbal expression. Reading should feel like an adventure. In this class, it is.

Books covered in this level include:
Quarter 1:
- Frog & Toad Together
- Poppleton in Winter

Quarter 2:
- Henry & Mudge
- Frecklejuice

Quarter 3:
- The Stories Julian Tells
- The Day the Crayons Quit

Quarter 4:
-How to Save an Otter (Wildlife Rescue)
-The Shrew Detective: The Case of the Pilfered Pearls

Placement: Readiness matters. Because this is a comprehensive program, students should be working at a similar level in reading, comprehension, and writing. Parents are encouraged to use results from a nationally normed assessment, such as those used for the Virginia Evidence of Progress to confirm their child's grade level equivalency.

This program is designed for students who thrive in a traditional literature-based setting. Students who are more than one year behind in language arts, or who show a significant gap between reading and writing skills, may be better supported in the Reading Ready program or through private tutoring. Students with diagnosed learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, or language processing disorders may benefit more from the structured literacy approach offered in the Reading Ready program.

Homework: Learning continues at home in a simple, manageable way. Families receive themed activities that reinforce skills without adding stress. For many learners, Reading Rally can serve as a complete language arts program, covering reading, comprehension, writing, spelling, and grammar without the need for additional curriculum.

Supply Fee: The fee for mass market paperback copies of the class texts is included.

If your child is going to read, let's make it unforgettable. Rich stories, vivid characters, and books they actually want to open. No dry passages. No busywork. Just real literature that pulls them in and keeps them thinking long after the last page.

Strong reading and writing skills do not just matter in language arts. They drive success across every subject. This dynamic weekly reading group is built for small cohorts of 6 to 10 students working at a similar level. The setting allows kids to feel confident, appropriately challenged, and genuinely engaged. Guided by an experienced language arts teacher, students move through a literature-based curriculum that connects everything they learn.

In this class, books are the center of it all. Vocabulary grows naturally from the story. Grammar is taught in context. Writing assignments are meaningful and tied directly to characters, themes, and ideas. The result is a cohesive and immersive approach to language arts that sticks. Each week, students explore engaging texts while building critical skills such as comprehension, prediction, visualization, and verbal expression. Reading should feel like an adventure. In this class, it is.

Books covered in this level include:
Quarter 1:
- Because of Winn-Dixie
- The Hundred Dresses

Quarter 2:
- Flora and Ulysses
- The Great Kapok Tree

Quarter 3:
- Charlotte's Web
- Alexander and the No Good, Terrible, Very Bad Day

Quarter 4:
- Sarah Plain and Tall
- I Survived The Shark Attacks of 1916

Placement: Readiness matters. Because this is a comprehensive program, students should be working at a similar level in reading, comprehension, and writing. Parents are encouraged to use results from a nationally normed assessment, such as those used for the Virginia Evidence of Progress to confirm their child's grade level equivalency.

This program is designed for students who thrive in a traditional literature-based setting. Students who are more than one year behind in language arts, or who show a significant gap between reading and writing skills, may be better supported in the Reading Ready program or through private tutoring. Students with diagnosed learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, or language processing disorders may benefit more from the structured literacy approach offered in the Reading Ready program.

Homework: Learning continues at home in a simple, manageable way. Families receive themed activities that reinforce skills without adding stress. For many learners, Reading Rally can serve as a complete language arts program, covering reading, comprehension, writing, spelling, and grammar without the need for additional curriculum.

Supply Fee: The fee for mass market paperback copies of the class texts is included.

If your child is going to read, let's make it unforgettable. Rich stories, vivid characters, and books they actually want to open. No dry passages. No busywork. Just real literature that pulls them in and keeps them thinking long after the last page.

Strong reading and writing skills do not just matter in language arts. They drive success across every subject. This dynamic weekly reading group is built for small cohorts of 6 to 10 students working at a similar level. The setting allows kids to feel confident, appropriately challenged, and genuinely engaged. Guided by an experienced language arts teacher, students move through a literature-based curriculum that connects everything they learn.

In this class, books are the center of it all. Vocabulary grows naturally from the story. Grammar is taught in context. Writing assignments are meaningful and tied directly to characters, themes, and ideas. The result is a cohesive and immersive approach to language arts that sticks. Each week, students explore engaging texts while building critical skills such as comprehension, prediction, visualization, and verbal expression. Reading should feel like an adventure. In this class, it is.

Books covered in this level include:
Quarter 2:
- I Survived the Great Chicago Fire 1871
- Stuart Little by E.B. White

Quarter 3:
- Frindel
-The Wild Rescuers Guardians of the Taiga

Quarter 4:
- Coming soon
- Coming soon

Placement: Readiness matters. Because this is a comprehensive program, students should be working at a similar level in reading, comprehension, and writing. Parents are encouraged to use results from a nationally normed assessment, such as those used for the Virginia Evidence of Progress to confirm their child's grade level equivalency.

This program is designed for students who thrive in a traditional literature-based setting. Students who are more than one year behind in language arts, or who show a significant gap between reading and writing skills, may be better supported in the Reading Ready program or through private tutoring. Students with diagnosed learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, or language processing disorders may benefit more from the structured literacy approach offered in the Reading Ready program.

Homework: Learning continues at home in a simple, manageable way. Families receive themed activities that reinforce skills without adding stress. For many learners, Reading Rally can serve as a complete language arts program, covering reading, comprehension, writing, spelling, and grammar without the need for additional curriculum.

Supply Fee: The fee for mass market paperback copies of the class texts is included.

If your child is going to read, let's make it unforgettable. Rich stories, vivid characters, and books they actually want to open. No dry passages. No busywork. Just real literature that pulls them in and keeps them thinking long after the last page.

Strong reading and writing skills do not just matter in language arts. They drive success across every subject. This dynamic weekly reading group is built for small cohorts of 6 to 10 students working at a similar level. The setting allows kids to feel confident, appropriately challenged, and genuinely engaged. Guided by an experienced language arts teacher, students move through a literature-based curriculum that connects everything they learn.

In this class, books are the center of it all. Vocabulary grows naturally from the story. Grammar is taught in context. Writing assignments are meaningful and tied directly to characters, themes, and ideas. The result is a cohesive and immersive approach to language arts that sticks. Each week, students explore engaging texts while building critical skills such as comprehension, prediction, visualization, and verbal expression. Reading should feel like an adventure. In this class, it is.

Books covered in this level include:
Quarter 2:
- Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
- I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii AD 79

Quarter 3:
- SlugFest by Gordan Korman
- Holes by Louis Sachar

Quarter 4:
- Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
- The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe By CS Lewis

Placement: Readiness matters. Because this is a comprehensive program, students should be working at a similar level in reading, comprehension, and writing. Parents are encouraged to use results from a nationally normed assessment, such as those used for the Virginia Evidence of Progress to confirm their child's grade level equivalency.

This program is designed for students who thrive in a traditional literature-based setting. Students who are more than one year behind in language arts, or who show a significant gap between reading and writing skills, may be better supported in the Reading Ready program or through private tutoring. Students with diagnosed learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, or language processing disorders may benefit more from the structured literacy approach offered in the Reading Ready program.

Homework: Learning continues at home in a simple, manageable way. Families receive themed activities that reinforce skills without adding stress. For many learners, Reading Rally can serve as a complete language arts program, covering reading, comprehension, writing, spelling, and grammar without the need for additional curriculum.

Supply Fee: The fee for mass market paperback copies of the class texts is included.

If your child is going to read, let's make it unforgettable. Rich stories, vivid characters, and books they actually want to open. No dry passages. No busywork. Just real literature that pulls them in and keeps them thinking long after the last page.

Strong reading and writing skills do not just matter in language arts. They drive success across every subject. This dynamic weekly reading group is built for small cohorts of 6 to 10 students working at a similar level. The setting allows kids to feel confident, appropriately challenged, and genuinely engaged. Guided by an experienced language arts teacher, students move through a literature-based curriculum that connects everything they learn.

In this class, books are the center of it all. Vocabulary grows naturally from the story. Grammar is taught in context. Writing assignments are meaningful and tied directly to characters, themes, and ideas. The result is a cohesive and immersive approach to language arts that sticks. Each week, students explore engaging texts while building critical skills such as comprehension, prediction, visualization, and verbal expression. Reading should feel like an adventure. In this class, it is.

Books covered in this level include:
Quarter 1:
- The Giver
- Dragonwings

Quarter 2:
- Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
- The Dark Is Rising

Quarter 3:
- Restart by Gordan Korman
- The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Quarter 4:
-Percy Jackson The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
- Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

Placement: Readiness matters. Because this is a comprehensive program, students should be working at a similar level in reading, comprehension, and writing. Parents are encouraged to use results from a nationally normed assessment, such as those used for the Virginia Evidence of Progress to confirm their child's grade level equivalency.

This program is designed for students who thrive in a traditional literature-based setting. Students who are more than one year behind in language arts, or who show a significant gap between reading and writing skills, may be better supported in the Reading Ready program or through private tutoring. Students with diagnosed learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, or language processing disorders may benefit more from the structured literacy approach offered in the Reading Ready program.

Homework: Learning continues at home in a simple, manageable way. Families receive themed activities that reinforce skills without adding stress. For many learners, Reading Rally can serve as a complete language arts program, covering reading, comprehension, writing, spelling, and grammar without the need for additional curriculum.

Supply Fee: The fee for mass market paperback copies of the class texts is included.

Skip the takeout and make it yourself! Many of your favorite restaurant dishes can be recreated right at home with fresh ingredients and full control over what goes into your food. By cooking them yourself, you can avoid preservatives and additives while cutting costs. Get the flavor of dining out without ever leaving your kitchen.This quarter, Compass chefs will make:

• Red Lobster- Ultimate Cheese Fondue
• Sweet Greens- Shroomami Salad Bowl
• Carrabas- Sausage and Lentil Soup
• Taco Bell- Quesadilla
• Waffle House- Hash Brown Bowl
• Cracker Barrel- Banana Pudding
• Girl Scout Aloha Chips Cookies (contains nuts)

Students will be eating what they make each week and bringing home the recipes and leftovers. These engaging cooking classes will get students excited about helping in the kitchen, experimenting, and trying new foods. Students will be exposed to healthy ingredients they may not regularly eat. They will learn important kitchen skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade. Culinary vocabulary and terms are introduced each week, with no-pressure verbal review of those words the following week.

Notes: (1) Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $45.00 is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class.

What to Wear: Students should wear clean clothes and have long hair tied back, braided, or secured under a bandana (male and female).

Cooking Class Requirements:For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

Note: This is a 6-week class.

Skip the takeout and make it yourself! Many of your favorite restaurant dishes can be recreated right at home with fresh ingredients and full control over what goes into your food. By cooking them yourself, you can avoid preservatives and additives while cutting costs. Get the flavor of dining out without ever leaving your kitchen.This quarter, Compass chefs will make:

• Red Lobster- Ultimate Cheese Fondue
• Sweet Greens- Shroomami Salad Bowl
• Carrabas- Sausage and Lentil Soup
• Taco Bell- Quesadilla
• Waffle House- Hash Brown Bowl
• Cracker Barrel- Banana Pudding
• Girl Scout Aloha Chips Cookies (contains nuts)

Students will be eating what they make each week and bringing home the recipes and leftovers. These engaging cooking classes will get students excited about helping in the kitchen, experimenting, and trying new foods. Students will be exposed to healthy ingredients they may not regularly eat. They will learn important kitchen skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade. Culinary vocabulary and terms are introduced each week, with no-pressure verbal review of those words the following week.

Notes: (1) Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $45.00 is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class.

What to Wear: Students should wear clean clothes and have long hair tied back, braided, or secured under a bandana (male and female).

Cooking Class Requirements:For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

Note: This is a 6-week class.

Kids will learn the basics of hand sewing and discover it is "sew fun" to create items that can play with and use every day. Second quarter, kids will sew items to share with friends such as small totes and a sweet felt flower bouquet.

Kids will learn practical sewing skills such as pinning and placement, a running stitch, attaching a button, scissor skills, stuffing, and working with simple patterns. The group will be working with pre-cut felt components from kits that will be enhanced with buttons and embellishments. Since students may work at different rates, some projects may not be completed in class and will be sent home to finish sewing with the newly learned skills. Students should be at age/grade level for fine motor skills for this class.

Topics in this series include: Dazzling DIY Decor (Quarter 1), Crafted Keepsakes (Quarter 2), Adorable Accessories (Quarter 3), and Cool Characters (Quarter 4). A material fee of $35.00 is due payable to the instructor on/before the first day of class.

Little kids will learn the basics of hand sewing and discover it is "sew simple" to create fun things they can play with and use every day. Second quarter, little kids will sew 6-12 Sea Stuffies like a shark , whale, dolphin or sea turtle.

Kids will learn practical sewing skills such as pinning and placement, a running stitch, attaching a button, scissor skills, and stuffing. The group will be working with pre-cut felt components from kits that will be enhanced with buttons and accessories. Since students may work at different rates, some projects may not be completed in class and will be sent home to finish sewing with the newly learned skills. Students should be at age/grade level for fine motor skills for this class and should be a minimum of age 6.

Topics in this series include: Plushie Pets (Quarter 1), Silly Sea Stuffies (Quarter 2), Dynamic Dinos (Quarter 3), and Cute Critters (Quarter 4). There is a supply fee of $35.00 due payable to the instructor on/before the first day of class.

Hola! Spanish Para Pequenos (Spanish for Little Ones) is a fun, play-based, Spanish immersion class for young children. Following the native language-learning process, children will be exposed to the sounds, letters, and high-frequency words in Spanish through songs, games, stories, puppets, and other interactive activities.

The instructor will provide all necessary toys and objects to give young children tangible, and hands-on ways to apply new concepts in practical real-life situations. The instructor uses some Montessori-style activities that create a high-energy, playful environment, engaging tactile and kinesthetic learners alike while appealing to children's natural curiosities.

The vocabulary and language structures presented in each session follow a new letter of the alphabet each week that will include greetings, simple phrases, foods, colors, numbers, animals, common action verbs, calendar phrases, articles of clothing and seasonal topics. Vocabulary will be repeated and reviewed often to aid in the retention of the language, and will primarily develop listening and speaking skills.

The goal of this introductory course is to lay foundations in sounds, vocabulary, and simple phrases while having fun and building confidence in a foreign language. Fluency should not be expected at this level. Who knows, your child might just come home singing their new favorite Spanish nursery rhyme!

"S" is for science, and "A" is for art in the study of STEAM, but have you thought about the science in art? Artists must understand the science of the materials that the use: how they tint and texturize, mix and melt, dye and dry, blend or bend. There is a complex community of scientists and engineers with specialties in polymers, glass, chemicals, paper, and textiles who design the materials that artists use to create their art. This class will learn about the science and properties of some unique artistic processes and materials and how and why they work.

Second quarter, the class will experiment with the chemistry and behavior of paints and dyes. Students will work with dyes that float, suminagashi (Japanese ink marbling) techniques, and photoreactive paper. They will experiment with centrifugal chromatography and the science of colors. The class will discover where pigments come from- both natural and synthetic- and look at special types such as glow-in-the-dark pigments. Students will discover the difference and unique properties of oil paints, acrylic paints, and gouache paint with respect to blending, dry time, texture, sheen, etc. Other class activities include making and using your own paint, working with thermochromic pigments (change color based on temperature), and using photoreactive paper (chemical changes based on light exposure).

There is a $35.00 supply fee due payable to the instructor on/before the first day.Topics in this series: Resins & Polymers (Quarter 1), Paints & Dyes (Quarter 2), Optical Illusions & Color (Quarter 3), and Paper Engineers (Quarter 4).

Curious coins, baffling balls, confounding cards, and puzzling papers! Students will learn tricks of the trade from a professional magician using the Discover Magic curriculum.

Each week, kids will learn how to perform a unique magic trick, and students will practice and perfect the illusion in class so they can come home and mystify their friends and family. Students will unlock the secrets to seven special magic tricks from the Orange Wand curriculum like: Legendary Loops, Forgotten Fairy Tales, Lightning Ball, Hocus Pocus Handkerchief, Magic Map, Special Delivery, and others. For each trick, students will receive a custom magic prop and full color instructions, and at the end of each class, every magician will take home a Top Secret file folder with additional tricks they can practice. Student magicians will be given a secret password each week to gain access to an additional magic trick on the Discover Magic website (parents will need to work the magic to set up the child's online account.) Along with the actual magic, students will discuss a life skill each week that is essential to a good magician (and student) such as public speaking, presentation skills, practicing, being prepared, and reading your audience. Magicians who complete the class will receive a certificate and magic wand.

There is a $45.00 supply fee due payable to the instructor on/before the first day of class. Topics in this series: Radical Red Wands (Quarter 1); Orange Wand Wonders (Quarter 2); Yellow Wand Illusions (Quarter 3); and Glittering Gold Wand (Quarter 4).

A radiograph for a roly-poly rabbit, a healthy habitat for a hedgehog, or fortified food for a ferret. Sometimes even the smallest mammal pets need medical care! Lots of kids love animals, and some even think about becoming veterinarians and animal specialists.

During the second quarter, students will be introduced to the world of veterinary medicine through the lens of caring for small mammals. There is a lot of science in the care and keeping of these micro pets. Hamsters and gerbils, rats and mice, hedgehogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, and ferrets all have different needs in terms of diets, exercise, and habitats. Our budding veterinarians will learn to perform steps of a well-pet check-up and identify common medical
care needs and preventatives. Students will discover fun and fascinating facts, similarities, and differences in pocket pets.

Class meetings will include hands-on and interactive demonstrations, simulations, role-playing, activities, games, stories, or short video clips to convey the information. Each class will focus on a different pet with a corresponding project or activity. During the final week, students receive a "graduation" diploma.

A lab fee of $20.00 is due payable to the instructor on the first day of class. Topics in this Series: Discover Dogs (Quarter 1); Micro Mammal Pets (Quarter 2); Horse Healthcare (Quarter 3); Bird Buddies (Quarter 4)

Kids take to the stage as they collaboratively write and perform their very own play with unique characters and an original storyline. What happens when Wednesday gets weird and wild? Our actors will create crazy characters and silly scenes to explain what happened when Wednesday went awry.

Students will begin with improvisational games to get to know each other and start to brainstorm about their original play. Through group activities and guided discussion, the student actors will decide on characters, conflict, and conclusion, and the story they want to tell. The script will be developed and customized for this class with input from the students.

The class will learn the practical aspects of acting, as they work on script read-through, blocking, costume/prop design, and planning the show. Student actors will explore skills such as stage movement, character development, emotional expression, and observation/concentration while learning to portray their original character. Students will develop their own "actor's toolkit" of voice, body, and imagination in this creative process! Actors will grow in confidence and communication skills in preparation for a final sharing with parents on the last day of the quarter.

Once the script is fully developed with everyone's parts, it will be emailed to parents. Parents will be expected to help their children memorize their script/lines/cues and assemble a simple make-at-home costume, ideally from clothing items and accessories you already own and a little creativity.

Note: Students who are emerging readers (not able to read at a 3rd/4th grade level) would be better suited to the Young Actor's Playhouse class, rather than this level.

Topics in this series: Medieval Mayhem (Quarter 1), Wacky Wednesday (Quarter 2), Spy Spoof (Quarter 3), Kooky Cooking Contest (Quarter 4).

This is a 6-week class that does not meet on December 10.

Butter, batter, and bold bakes. Step into the rhythm of real baking as students build skill and confidence in the kitchen. In Baker's Batch, students mix, measure, and master the techniques behind favorite desserts while learning to think like true bakers. Each week, they create a fresh batch of treats such as cakes, pies, cookies, bars, breads, and pastries, sharpening skills like precision measuring, timing, and presentation. From first mix to final bite, this class is all about consistency, creativity, and leveling up in the kitchen. This quarter, the Compass bakers' culinary adventures will include:

• Mini Mixed Cerry Cornmeal Cobblers
• Mini Apple Pies
• Chocolate Mocha Pie
• Sweet Potato Praline Pie
• Meijer Lemon Shaker Pie
• Maple Pie
• Apricot Almond Pie with Caramel Sauce (contains nuts)

Students will be eating what they make each week and bringing home the recipes and leftovers. This engaging sweets class will get students excited about helping in the kitchen and entertaining. They will learn important baking skills such as safety, sanitation, measuring, knife skills, and other tricks of the trade. Culinary vocabulary is introduced each week.

Notes: Students with allergies to food ingredients or dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated in this class. Recipes may contain nuts, dairy, wheat, gluten, and eggs. All food supplies will be conventional, mass market ingredients. Specialty food preparations/certifications such as halal, kosher, and organic will not be used due to cost and sourcing logistics.

Topics in this Series: Piece of Cake (Quarter 1); Easy as Pie (Quarter 2), Chocolate Works (Quarter 3), and Dessert First (Quarter 4).

Assessments: Qualitative Feedback will be given in class. Formal grades/assessment will not be given.

Lab/Supply Fee: A class fee of $45.00 is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class.

What to Bring: None- Disposable aprons and take-home containers provided.

What to Wear: Students should wear clean clothes and have long hair tied back, braided, or secured under a bandana (male and female).

Cooking Class Requirements: For more information and FAQs, see the Compass Cooking Classes webpage.

Note: This is a 6-week class.

Journey through dance to Andalusia in southern Spain in this contemporary ballet and choreography club inspired by Alchemy Ballet's original production, The Andalusian Nutcracker.

Set in Granada at the magnificent Alhambra Palace, The Andalusian Nutcracker reimagines the familiar holiday ballet through an original story by Lorraine Spiegler. Young Maria receives a magical Andalusian Horse Nutcracker and embarks on an adventure into an enchanted world inspired by the history, stories, music, dance, and diverse cultures of southern Spain.

Students will experience ballet not only as technique, but as a theatrical art form that brings together movement, music, character, culture, and storytelling. Throughout the semester, dancers will explore contemporary and classical ballet, original choreography, musicality, and ensemble work while discovering some of the Iberian, Flamenco, Moorish, Sephardic, and Mediterranean influences that have helped shape Andalusian culture.

Dancers will learn original choreography created for Alchemy Ballet's Andalusian Nutcracker while developing coordination, artistry, musicality, spatial awareness, choreographic memory, and performance skills. Working collaboratively as an ensemble, students will also gain insight into how an original ballet develops from story and musical inspiration into choreography and theatrical performance.