WNESU Board Meeting Wed, Feb 21

Save the date - Wed, Feb 21 at 6:00 PM

The next WNESU board meeting is planned for Wednesday, February 21, at 6pm at Bellow Falls Union High School. A major topic that evening will be a presentation and discussion with Stacy Alexander about rising special education costs and declining revenues.

As an interested citizen, a concerned taxpayer, and in my role as Head of School here at Compass, I am planning to attend in-person.  I am also going to prepare to make some public comments because I am not clear on why or how Special Education costs need to be on the rise. 

Compass educates many students whose primary address is located in WNESU -- many of these families are in receipt of a generous financial package and so on Feb 21 I intend to ask where are their tax dollars going?  More on these thoughts closer to the date.  

That being said, I wish to invite you all to attend this Board meeting and sit with me.  I will be asking the families of students who attend here to join too.

Thanks for your consideration and support.

Kendra

--

Kendra Rickerby, Ph.D.

Head of School

www.compass-school.org

(802) 238-5760 (mobile)

From the Compass Connector (2/1)

Ken & Lola Saccardo

New Board Member Spotlight & Student Celebration

This week’s profile is double hitter. Compass is thrilled to announce that Lola Saccardo’s art work was awarded $500 from the Myrin Foundation. Lola an 11th grader in her second year at Compass. Beyond her obvious artistic talents, she is also interested in music and veterinary sciences. Congratulations to Lola!

We’re equally excited to welcome Lola's dad, Ken Saccardo, to our growing Compass Board. After traveling the US coast-to-coast, Ken moved to Vermont in the early 90s. A multi-passionate entrepreneur, his career has spanned the restaurant industry, property rental, real estate, supporting local tourism, and online marketing companies. Ken enjoys making music, teaching Tai Chi and sustainable living.

Parents Corner

Thank you to the parents who attended our first Compass Family Committee Meeting this week! We shared our vision for how Compass serves students and brainstormed some goals for parent involvement. We'll meet once a month moving forward. 

Want to join us? Email cara.tyrrell@compass-school.org for the next date and zoom link.

Upcoming Events

Bingo is back!

Bingo and a Burger?

Come have some fun, good food, and help the Junior class get closer to their fundraising goal on Friday, 2/9!

Exhibition Night & Open House

Thursday, 2/15

Explore Interdisciplinary Humanities and Science including Time & Space and Ethics & Engineering.

The open house exhibition runs from 5:30-7pm and features projects from each student with topics ranging from engineering to bioethics, astrophysics to AI, culture and identity.

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Congratulations Lola! Compass junior receives Arts Award

Compass School senior Lola Saccardo received $500 for her creative submission to the annual Arts Awards competition held by Educate the Whole Child (ETWC), an initiative of the Myrin Foundation. Her work was chosen first in the competition’s high school category.

The announcement was made in January by Tom McGuire of the ETWC Leadership Team to Kendra Rickerby, Head of School of the Compass School in Westminster, VT.  

Congratulations Lola!

Educate the Whole Child as an organization sees creativity and the arts as a truly important dimension for children to develop, yet in many schools, it is largely neglected. Especially when integrated into other parts of the curriculum, the arts can bring fire and enthusiasm to learning.

For more information on Educate the Whole Child see https://www.educatethewholechild.org/.

504/IEP Event Cancelled Tonight (1/30)

Hello Compass families,

Last week in the Compass Connector we shared an event happening in Brattleboro to support you as a parent with a child on a 504 or an IEP.

Unfortunately, tonight's event has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. We'll be sure to add it back into the newsletter when it's rescheduled.

--

With Gratitude,

Cara Tyrrell

802-463-2516

Director of Community Engagement & Flexible Pathways

UPDATE: Compass School -- CLOSED -- Fri. 1/16

Just received more updates from neighboring districts announcing that their schools are closed.  There is also a delay / accident on 91N -- so Compass is closed today Jan 26.

Last minute communication and decision-making is not our preference, as always we encourage you all to make the best decision. 

For now, this message intends to convey: no school on Friday, Jan 26 at Compass in Westminster, VT.

For those students who are here, we have some staff present and will stay as needed and communicate directly with those families.

Thank you,

Kendra

--

Kendra Rickerby, Ph.D.

Head of School

www.compass-school.org

(802) 238-5760 (mobile)

Compass School -- 2 Hr DELAY Friday 1/26

WNESU has announced a 2-hour delay for all schools today, Friday 1/26.

Making these decisions is tricky and hard, as I am also concerned about the commute home, so expect a follow up email about that to be sent around 8:30 AM today about that decision. We will put kids on the 2:15 PM bus if need be.

Please be safe.  Please let me know what you all decide to do today -- since we don't provide transportation it is truly up to you.

Thanks

Kendra

--

Kendra Rickerby, Ph.D.

Head of School

www.compass-school.org

(802) 238-5760 (mobile)

A rigorous, relevant, and respectful learning community for grades 7 -12 in Westminster, Vermont.