Compass News & Announcements: Week of 3/25/24

Welcome to 4th quarter spring classes at Compass. Spring is full of special events and fun opportunities at Compass!

(1) Spring Registration Classes began last week on March 18. Late registrations may be possible in some classes. See class options online, call the Compass office at 703-539-5075, or just drop-in.

(2) Summer Registration is open for more than 5 dozen summer workshops. Summer workshops are half-day special topics, and most meet for just 1, 2, 3, or 4 days in cooking, art, dioramas, crafting, cosplay, RPGs, jiu jitsu/muay thai, robotics, LEGO engineering, electronics, Nature Quest, Outdoor Survivor, first aid and more. There are also two, 5-day high school science boot camps in Biology and Chemistry. There is a 10% early registration discount offered through April 26 on Summer Workshops. Download the summer flier or review summer options online.

(3) Fall Registration will begin on Tuesday, May 14, at 6:00 am. Fall classes are being uploaded to the database weekly, and families can watch the “under construction” webpage as details are added.

SCHEDULE NOTES

(4) Spring Break: Remember that Compass is open and most classes meet this week, March 25-March 29. Compass Spring Break is the following week, April 1-5. (This is an unusual year where the Compass Spring Break does not coincide with FCPS. In 2025, Compass spring break will once again align with area public schools.)

(5) Classes Not Meeting this Week: Sevim K (Nature Quest, Outdoor Survivor); Shona D (Decorative Arts Studio), Jennifer H (Prep for PreAlgebra and Algebra I- THU 3/28 only), A Taranto (Brit Lit, Am Lit, Intro Genres, Cover to Cover, Creative Writing, and Lit Roundtable)

(6) Save the Dates: Spring is a busy season at Compass. Please add the following events to your calendar and watch for additional details.

  • Spring Break: Week of April 1
  • Career Panel: Friday, April 12 (for high school students)
  • High School Open House: Wednesday, April 17
  • High School Prom: Saturday, April 27
  • Spring Marketplace: Wednesday, May 1
  • Food Truck Week: Tuesday-Friday, May 7-10
  • Fall Registration Begins: Tuesday, May 14
  • Homeschool Quads Chess Tournament: May 22
  • Year-End Picnic & Park Day: May 23
  • Graduation: June 1

(7) 2024-25 Calendar For early planners, next year’s academic schedule can be previewed online.

WORKSHOPS

(8) The Artistry of Writing Two writing workshops remain with a NYT best selling author! Learn great writing techniques that make your stories come alive! Workshops are for students in 7th-12th grade. Astounding Action Scenes (Tuesday, April 9, 1:00 pm- 3:00 pm); and Suspenseful & Scary Scenes (Tuesday, April 23, 1:00 pm- 3:00 pm). Read more details and sign up though the session links.

(9) Dulles Area Summer Band Camp will be held at Compass for 5, half-days: July 29 – August 2 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. This is for beginner band members on woodwinds, brass, and percussions (less than 6 mo. experience on instrument). For more details, see the band camp webpage, and register online.

SPECIAL EVENTS

(10) Golden Age Gala: A Masquerade Prom: Tickets are now on sale for the Compass spring prom to be held on Saturday, April 27 from 7:00 pm- 10:00 pm in the Frying Pan Farm Visitor Center auditorium. The prom is a formal event for Compass students age 14+ and their guests. No masquerade mask? No problem. The committee has you “covered!” They will be selling Venetian-style half-masks with lace, feathers, embossed designs, and metallics in a wide range of colors for $6.00/each on Friday, March 29 and Friday, April 12 near the main desk in Suite D. The sale of masks is a fundraiser to subsidize prom expenses. Purchase prom tickets for $60.00 online on the Activity Fees webpage.

(11) Government & Criminology Field Trips for Teens: Compass’s Criminology instructor, Tayler Shreve is organizing several field trips for high schoolers: Supreme Court tour on March 25 from 9:30 am- 11:30 am; US Capitol tour on April 15 from 8:50 am – 11:00 am with additional meeting with Congresswoman Norton (DC) from 11:00 am- 12:00 pm. Tours of a local courthouse and the White House are being scheduled. Ms Shreve is opening these field trips up to other Compass teens, ages 13+. Individual families will schedule transportation to the sites. There is a limited number of spaces on each tour. Some parents may be able to join the groups, but younger siblings cannot be accommodated. Email shreve.compass@gmail.com for more details and to be added to the lists.

(12) Spring Marketplace: Sign-ups are now open for our annual Spring Marketplace where students and parents can sell items that they make, bake, or grow on Wednesday, May 1. Some families like to get a head start on their items. For ideas, please see our Marketplace slideshow.

(13) Annual Homeschool Quads Chess Tournament: Registration is now open for two tournament sessions: AM and PM on Wednesday, May 22. Register on the Activity Fees page.

RESOURCES

(14) Compass is now partnering with Todd Lanier, Ed.S. Mr. Lanier has more than 30 years experience as a consultant and counselor who performs educational assessments such as complete psychoeducational testing, screenings, IQ batteries, coaching and counseling. He has worked with many homeschooled students including some former and current Compass families. He works with students who have a range of learning differences including ADHD, 2e, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, ASD, processing disorders, anxiety, and executive functioning challenges. Mr. Lanier will now hold some of his appointments and perform testing at Compass. Families should contact him directly through his practice, Lanier Education Group, or stop by the Compass front desk or office for his information.

(15) Compass writing teacher Shannon McClain is beginning to schedule year-end evaluations to meet Virginia’s Evidence of Progress requirement. Mrs. McClain can perform evaluations at Compass during class hours. Families should contact her directly through her business, Educational Advocacy & Support, LLC or stop by the Compass front desk or office for her information.

(16) Jennifer Nowicki is a Certified Academic Language Therapist, Certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist, Certified Reading Specialist (M.ED., CALT, C-SLDS) and a former homeschool mom is now co-located at Compass full time in private office H-10. Families seeking support or skills assessment in these areas can reach her through her website or pick up a business card at the Compass front desk or office.

(17) Reading teacher Catherine Vanlandingham is now scheduling Reading Skills Inventory assessments for placement into her 12-session summer reading program. Families can pre-pay for an assessment on the Compass activities page, and Mrs. V will contact to schedule.

(18) Sheila Anwari is available to schedule individual or small group therapeutic art and mindfulness sessions through her business, Therapeutic Arts Science and Growth Mindset. Ms Anwari is now co-located at Compass full time in private office H-12. Contact her through her website to inquire about upcoming programs or schedule.

(19) Co-Working Offices: Parents may rent quiet Co-Working Offices in Suite H while their children are in class. Offices are available for $20.00 per hour with a 1-hour minimum. Parents who wish to rent an office must contact Compass to be added as a parent user and then set up user name, password, to reserve through our online system.

CLUBS/EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

(This is a partial list of clubs. See past news for full list.)

(20) First LEGO League Robotics Team (grades 5-7 in fall 0f 2024) is seeking 2-3 additional members for its Spring Pre-Season to practice and prepare for the fall competition cycle. The team meets Mondays from 3:00 pm- 4:30 pm. Prospective members should have had at least a class in Robotics Fab Lab, LEGO Robotics Training Team, Build it Better or Experiments in Engineering, or have equivalent intro robot experience. There is no cost for Compass students and a $100 participation/facility/equipment fee for non-Compass students.Drop in the next Monday meeting or Contact Compass for your information to be forwarded to the organizer.

(21) Kids’ Game Day (for ages 8-13) is held weekly on Tuesdays at 3:00 pm at Haley M. Smith Park for outdoor play (324 Van Buren Street, Herndon VA 20170) or at Compass for indoor board/card games. Contact Compass to be added to the list for meet-up information.

(22) Middle School Social Club (for ages 12-14) will meet next on Wednesday, March 27, from 3:00 pm- 5:00 pm at Compass. Contact Compass to be added to the list for meet-up information.

(23) TGIF Teen Game Night and Teen Jam Sessions are held weekly on Fridays from 4:00 pm- 6:00 pm in Suite D. These casual, drop-in social events are for current Compass teens age 13+.