Overview of the Curriculum
Compass School has ambitious goals for all its students. We expect every child to develop not only as a good student but also as a good person. For us, this means being knowledgeable and skillful academically, community minded, culturally aware, responsible, healthy, self aware and self directed. This doesn’t happen by chance nor can it happen only through the academic curriculum. We know that students need diverse, purpose driven experiences to achieve these lofty goals. In addition to academic requirements, all Compass students are required to participate in a diverse and balanced curriculum that we feel educates the whole person and readies our graduates for life in the world beyond the school walls.
The Compass curriculum is designed to prepare students for the world outside school, in particular to develop active and involved community members who contribute to the betterment of the world around them. The curriculum emphasizes depth of understanding over breadth of coverage, and involves students actively in the learning process, engaging students in meaningful investigations that expand their thinking and knowledge, allow them to develop skills, exercise judgment, and see the connections in the world around them.
The Compass School offers an integrated curriculum that initially grounds students in their immediate surroundings and radiates out to the larger world as their school years progress. Assessment is performance based and focuses on key understandings and the ability to apply information and skills.
As students move through the Compass program, they are led from more structured learning situations with a high degree of teacher direction and support to increasing opportunities for independent learning experiences that draw on their personal interests and abilities. With the guidance of the faculty and the help of peers, students learn the skills of organization, decision making, problem solving, and critical & creative thinking. As they progress through their high school years, students are expected to take increasing ownership for their own learning, exercise leadership for themselves and the school, and become more responsible and independent learners.
The curriculum is designed so that each Compass student can and will be successful. Students come to Compass School with different strengths, abilities and needs. The reasonable school size, flexible programming, and supportive learning community allow attention to each learner.
By providing engaging learning experiences, opportunities to build on student interests, and specific attention to individual needs, Compass School helps each student develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to succeed in school and beyond. At Compass, we develop individuals who understand and can navigate the world around them.