Week

Times

Camp

Age

Cost

July 1st-July 5th (Thursday off due to holiday)

HALF DAY

9AM-1:30PM

Junior Chefs Camp

Introduction to our campus, gardens, STEM and STEAM programming!

Incoming 

K- 3rd

grades

$130

Click here to register!

July 8th-12th

FULL DAY

9AM-4PM

Garden Grab Bag

Advanced programming for multi-aged campers!

Incoming 

1st-6th 

grades

$260

Click here to register!

July 15th-19th

HALF DAY

9AM-1PM 

YMCA Partnership Camp

Campus exploration and STEM in the garden!  Transit offered from YMCA to Compass.

Incoming

2nd-7th 

grades

Registration thru YMCA

Ask for member pricing!

July 15th-19th

AFTERNOON

2-5 PM

Sewing and Natural Plant Dyes

Introductory through Advanced 

Incoming

2nd-7th 

grades

$110

Click here to register!

July 22-26th

FULL DAY

9AM-4PM

Young Farm Stewards

Principles of ecology and outdoor adventure! 

Incoming 3rd-7th grades

$260

Click here to register!

July 29th-August 2nd

HALF DAY

9AM-1PM 

YMCA Partnership Camp

Campus exploration and STEM in the garden!  Transit offered from YMCA to Compass.

Incoming

2nd-7th

grades

Registration through YMCA Ask for member pricing!

July 29th-August 2nd

AFTERNOON

2-5PM

Dungeons and Dragons 

Introductory level  required

Incoming 4th-9th grades

$110

Click here to register!

August 5th-8th

HALF DAY

9AM-1PM 

YMCA Partnership Camp

Campus exploration and STEM in the garden!  Transit offered from YMCA to Compass.

Incoming

2nd-7th

grades

Registration through YMCA Ask for member pricing!

August 5th-8th

AFTERNOON MINI-CAMP

2-5PM

Culinary Arts 

Farm-to-table

Introductory through Advanced

Incoming

2nd-7th 

grades

$110

Click here to register!

Aug 12th-15th

FULL DAY

FULL DAY

9AM-4PM

Garden Grab Bag

Advanced programming for multi-aged campers!

Incoming 1st-6th grades

$260

Click here to register!

The post Summer Camp Registration 2024! appeared first on The Compass School.

The post Registration is Open for the URI Foodx Summit 2018 appeared first on The Compass School.

Dreams

Compass has been dreaming of this moment for a long time and if you talk to families who have been here a while, they’ll tell you that Compass has done this all before, years ago (before my time). Some members of our community might even say, “Oh here they go again…” They been dazzled with expensive plans before with no produceable outcome in the end.

Well, what happened before and how is this any different?

I’ve reviewed the plans…and the price tags! for Compass’ previous adventures in construction. Compass had big dreams, but they were ones that it could not afford. It would be like if your family went house hunting without getting pre-qualified for a mortgage first.  You might look for a $900,000 house when you could only afford $350,000. In the last run at new construction, Compass was holding plans for an $8 million building.  By my estimations, Compass can probably afford between $2-3 million (with financing, state housing aid, and increasing enrollment to our allowed cap of 220). As you can imagine, that $8 million project didn’t happen.

But the dream is real.  Those modulars serve an important purpose, but they’re supposed to be temporary. I am a dreamer and I’m ready to make a run at it.  Let’s revive the permanent facilities dream!

Direction

When I first came to Compass, I learned everyone had an opinion about the barn or new construction. At last year’s Vision Event, I talked about the importance of having concrete information offered by certified professionals who are paid to think deeply about our project to guide our decisions.  We hired Saccoccio & Associates (using grant money) to answer these two questions:

• Barn Renovation: Is it possible to renovate the barn for classroom space?  If so, how much will it cost?
• New Construction: Where is the best place for new construction?  How much would it cost?

The verdict is in!

• Barn renovation:It is possible!
  • Price tag: $2.4 million
• New construction:We have identified a site!
  • $2.2 million
• Site planning (new parking lot, etc): $500,000

The Compass Site committee (Compass parent Evan Preisser is the chair) has met and evaluated the study we received from Saccoccio & Associates and will make a recommendation to Council on 10/10/17.  Council will make the final vote.

The results of their vote will be revealed at the 3rd Annual Vision Event on Friday, October 13th!  Come and join us at the South County Land Trust Barn at 6:00 for the Big Reveal!

Dinero

Compass currently pays almost $50,000 per year to rent our 4 modular classrooms.  We don’t own them.  They’re expensive. We don’t have the money in the bank to pay for the reno or new construction outright; we would be financing it and using the $50,000 that we currently pay each year for the modulars to cover the new bond. Even with financing, we still can’t afford that $2 – $3 million figure I’ve floated unless we qualify for the state’s 30% housing aid reimbursement program through the School Building Authority.

I applied for the program on Compass’ behalf and we were accepted to participate in the process!  There are 3 different benchmarks we must meet and beat this year in order find out if we get the 30%.  It’s a big deal…30% of $3 million is almost $1 million. Meeting these benchmarks will be a huge part of my work and site committee’s work this year.  The first one is due on Oct. 16th and it will take a lot of my brain to pull off.  At the end, we’re hoping that the School Building Authority determines that Compass has met all the requirements and has a high enough of a priority (in comparison to the other schools currently in the application process with us) to be funded.

Hold on to your hats, my friends!  We’re going for a ride! If we get approved for financing and for the 30% reimbursement, this will be a big deal for Compass’ future!

I have often been referred to as the eternal optimist (so take this next statement with a grain of salt…): I believe this will happen! I honestly believe that as a community, Compass can tackle just about anything.  Let’s do this construction thing!

I have so much to share with you

For new folks, the majority of the adult community of Compass typically attends.  There’s no charge, just bring yourself and some food to share.  We hope you’ll join us!

The post Dreams, Direction & Dinero: The 2017 Vision Dinner appeared first on The Compass School.

Dear Compass Community,

On behalf of The Compass School Council, welcome to the 2017-2018 school year! I am honored to be elected as president for a second year on Compass’ Council, the school’s governing body. This is my third year serving on the council, along with a dedicated group of parents, Compass educators, and outside community members. My daughter Madeline is a Discoverer, and her younger sister Evie has just started as an Explorer – and boy is she excited to be here!

Compass is already off to an exciting start: Back to School Night was last Wednesday, our Clark Farms Harvest Festival is this coming Friday, and our Vision Event is just around the corner!  We are fortunate that our children have the opportunity to grow in such a caring, engaged environment and we have many opportunities for you to offer your time and talents to contribute to this vibrant community.

Many hands make light work and I encourage you to participate in anyway you are able. Each of the following committees meets once a month to ensure the smooth operation of our school.  If there are committees that align with your interests, passions, or areas of expertise, please consider joining them!

 Committees are list below with their first meeting time, a brief description, and the contact information for the committee chair. In addition, all are welcome at council meetings, held on the second Tuesday of the month at 6:00 pm. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or feedback.

Sincerely,

Rachel Axelson

Council President

president@compassschool.org

P.S. All of the meetings dates and times are kept current on the calendar on Compass’s webpage: http://compassschool.org/calendars/

Next Council meeting – Tuesday, October 10 at 6:00pm

Development Committee – Thursday, September 28 at 3:45pm

The Development Committee is responsible for ensuring that the goals of the school are achieved and funded. Grant writing, fundraising, and other fiscal monitoring takes place in this Committee setting.

Michelle Salisbury counciltreasurer@compassschool.org

Physical Environment/Site Committee – September 25 at 3:30pm

The Physical Environment Committee deals with the physical plant of the school including any and all aspects of program implementation. Collecting recyclable materials, maintenance of the ecological environment, maintenance of the school facility and/or any special physical needs of teachers, students and staff as related to projects and curriculum.

Evan Preisser preisser@uri.edu

Learning Committee – Thursday, September 28 at 3:15pm

The Learning Committee is responsible for shaping and monitoring curriculum. The board of this committee will be comprised of faculty members as well as parents with special interests and applicable skill and training in the area of development in any of the learning areas.

Heather Chatterley hchatterley@compassschool.org

Policy Committee – Monday, October 2 at 3:15pm

The Policy Committee ensures that Compass is in compliance with regulations regarding the operation of our school.

Nicole Salaun nsalaun@compassschool.org

Health & Safety / Farm – Thursday, October 12 at 3:15pm

The Health, Safety and Wellness Committee/Farm Launch regularly assesses our school’s attention to the well-being of our students, as well as with facilitating year 2 of the Compass School Farm initiative.

Christine Heart-Skaggs cmhsk69@gmail.com

Please sign up for one or more of our  Council Committees and / or our Compass Co-Op.  Sign up for committees here

Rachel Axelson

Council President

The post Getting Involved at Compass: Join a Committee or the Co Op! appeared first on The Compass School.

1.  We built a FARM! 

• You’re going to get to see the outcome on Eco Fair Day, but that won’t quite capture the transformational journey we took to get there.
• Please check out this BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURE SLIDE SHOW to appreciate how we have grown as a community and a campus through this process:

• No Title

  No Description

2.  A 42 Foot INFLATABLE WHALE will be on campus!

• We will all be able to walk inside it! 
• Check out this 2 min VIDEO to learn how this plastic inflatable whale can help students care about the environment. 

3.  We’ll have outstanding entertainment and education! 

• Entertainment Galore! 
  • 2 Live bands! 
  • Ponies, Goats and Bunnies! 
  • Face painting
  • Dunk tank
  • Henna 
  • …and more! 

• Workshops Galore!
  • Beekeeping
  • Mushroom inoculation
  • Goat care 
  • Native Plants
  • …and more! 

4.  Our Explorers’ chicks have hatched! 

The Explorer classes successfully hatched chicks! We have 18 that are available for a donation. If you are thinking of starting a coop at home or adding a few to your flock they can be seen and reserved at the Eco Fair. We can hold them until Friday May 26th.

 Eco Fair Saturday! 

 Some folks get excited about Super Bowl Sunday (okay, maybe more than some), but for me and many of your children, Eco Fair Saturday is the BEST day of the year. 

The Schedule

Eco Fair is a beast to pull off and the details matter.  Please review the schedule below to have a sense of the day.  

• 9:30 In classrooms: Students report to their classrooms
• 9:45 Behind the Main Building: Students, families and staff gather for the Opening Ceremonies!
• 10:00 In Classrooms:  Student Project Shares! 
• 11:00 At the Garden of Ideas: Farm Ribbon Cutting!
• 11:10 Throughout the Campus: The Fair is Open! 
• 3:00 Fair Concludes 

The Volunteers 

Eco Fair is a Labor of Love.  

This year’s planning committee was an incredible group that got us to the starting point.  We need all of you to take us to the finish line. 

This is the Eco Fair Planning Committee’s final wish list: 

• Please Volunteer!
  • Sign up on sign up genius – it’s easy!
  • Remember what you’ve signed up for – write it down – you’re responsible for setting your timer and  remembering where you’re supposed to be  
  • In particular, we need Human Power for Friday afternoon set up, Saturday morning set up, after fair break down.
• Please Lend! Please lend us your folding tables, extension cords, pop up tents and coolers needed – clearly labeled with your name. Drop off and send in as soon as possible!
• Please Donate!
  • Please donate used books for Eco Fair Book Sale (collection bin in front of school)
  • Please donate potted, non-invasive plants for plant sale (drop off on the side of main building). 

On Eco Fair Day, things can get a little stressful because we’re all working so hard to have everything go smoothly.  Please remember to breathe, enjoy the work and enjoy one another.   

Thanks for all you do to make this such a special and warm community!  

See you SATURDAY at 9:30!   

The post Top 4 Reasons To Be PUMPED About Eco Fair appeared first on The Compass School.

Harvest Fest 2015!

The post Harvest Fest appeared first on The Compass School.

Social responsibility is an important cornerstone of the Compass environment, and last weekend’s Chalk It Up event was a wonderful opportunity to introduce our young citizens to activism in action. In celebration of National Bullying Prevention Month and in partnership with the Washington County Coalition for Children, three Rhode Island towns invited children to come and decorate their streets with chalk. This 3rd annual community arts event was organized in order to help raise awareness of the need for bullying prevention in schools, neighborhoods and communities.

Several Compass families met Ms. Brandee and Mr. Mark to “take a stand,” tagging the Wickford Village sidewalks with thought-provoking anti-bullying messages of love, peace, acceptance and kindness. It was an incredible blend of artistic collaboration and camaraderie peppered by an underlying educational experience. As the students worked on their masterpiece, they were inquisitive about the meaning of the images taking shape around us. Coloring in the bubble letters that spelled out ‘Be an Upstander, Not a Bystander,’ they launched into a conversation about what it meant to be an upstander and why being a bystander was wrong.

Compass is a place where students are taught to be independent thinkers as well as thoughtful and considerate peers. It is incredibly rewarding to see the fruits of this work in action and to have the opportunity to partner with like-minded groups in our community.   Many thanks to all who were able to represent our school at one of the three ‘Chalk it Up’ events, and for all who make Compass a place where nothing is more cool than being an upstander.

-Submitted by: Colleen Russell (Compass Parent of an Explorer, Discoverer, and Investigator)

The post Chalk It Up Against Bullying Event! appeared first on The Compass School.

On Thursday, October 8th, the Compass Community came together with the most incredible show of strength.  Substitute teachers, parents and Ms. Brandee held down the fort at Compass so that teachers and staff could be present for a colleague in need.

Not only did everyone survive the day, we thrived.  Our students were amazing.  Parents were proud to help make the day possible.  Many substitute teachers reported that it was their easiest sub day ever because there was so much support and the kids played their part as well.

One parent reflected:

“When I heard the news, one of my first thoughts was ‘what can I do? how can I best help?’ Pitching in at the community day today provided me with a way to do just that; by being at the school, along with the amazing logistics and planning that went along with it, we enabled Ms. Kat to be surrounded by her long time friends. So congratulations to all on the success of a major undertaking.

The post Compass Community Day! appeared first on The Compass School.

In celebration of National Bike to School Day, members of the Compass School were accompanied by the Kingston Fire Department for a group ride down Old North Rd!

The post National Bike to School Day! appeared first on The Compass School.

On Friday, September 18th, Compass School students and their families met at East Matunuck State Beach armed with trash bags, rubber gloves and data cards.  They participated in Save the Bay’s International Coastal Clean Up event, which aims at removing any litter and debris from the world’s beaches following a summer of fun and enjoyment.

148 people from the Compass School showed their commitment to environmental sustainability.  To the credit of East Matunuck Beach goers, the beach was pretty clean!  Our Compass team worked hard and scoured the entire beach in order to find the 105 pounds of trash that we removed.

Many thanks to everyone who came out to show their support including Compass School students, families and teachers.  A special thank you to Ms. Heidi for organizing and promoting the event – we are grateful for your leadership!

The post Compass Boasts Record Turnout at the International Coastal Clean Up appeared first on The Compass School.