Compass Connections

• Intramurals: Monday, August 24th, 3:45-4:45 pm (Gym)
• Experiential/Blended Learning Wednesday: August 26th
• Student Leaders/Gator CORE Meeting: Thursday, August 27th, Power Block (Rm. 145)
• Dungeons & Dragons Club: Thursday, August 27th, 3:45-4:45 pm (Rm. 111)
• BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT: Thursday, August 27th, 6:00-8:00 pm
• Pokemon Go Club: Monday, August 31st, 3:45-4:45 pm (Rm. 140)
• Intramurals: Monday, August 31st, 3:45-4:45 pm (Gym)
• Yearbook Club Meeting: Tuesday, September 1, 3:45-4:30 pm (Rm. 146)
• SWAMP: Tuesday, September 1, 3:45-4:45 pm (Rm. 140)
• Field Trip to Chicago Cultural Center: Wednesday, September 2, 9:15 am-3 pm
• Back to School Picnic: Thursday, September 3rd, 4:00-6:30 pm
• NO SCHOOL (STAFF INSTITUTE DAY): Friday, September 4th
• NO SCHOOL (LABOR DAY): Monday, September 7th

Back to School Night is this Thursday, August 27th, from 6-8 pm. Whether you are a new Compass parent or a parent of a returning student, ALL Compass parents should plan to attend!

Along with the opportunity to connect with other Compass parents and to meet your student’s teachers (many of whom are new to Compass), you will have the opportunity to learn more about:

• How to interpret Schoology and ParentVUE for Compass classes
• College and career planning events at Compass

• New initiatives at Compass this year

• How to support your student's success at Compass

• Competency-based learning and assessment at Compass

• How to read your student’s credit matrix and Student Success Plan

• Independent Study options (including ISLE and COVE)

• Experiential Learning Wednesdays

• The end-of-semester Celebration of Learning

• Compass Parent Advisory Committee (our version of PTO)

• Whom to contact for what

We look forward to welcoming you to the building this Thursday! Please enter at door 1, the Compass main entrance.

To report a student absence, please call the Haines Center main line at (331)228-3400 and follow the menu options for Compass Academy. If a student who attends classes at both their home high school and Compass will need to miss a full day of school, parents must either inform East or North that their student is also a Compass student so that the Compass office is informed of the absence or they must call Compass Academy directly to report their students' absence. If parents make just one call to Compass to report a full day absence for part-time students, the Compass Academy administrative assistant, Ms. Chavira, will ensure communication between buildings.

In D303, we value the opportunity to provide a community of care and support for our families, especially those facing financial hardship.

If your family is currently experiencing a significant financial need, our community partnerships offer several supports, including school clothes/shoes, winter coats/accessories, school supplies, toiletries, holiday meals, and/or holiday gifts. If you would like to be considered for any of these supports, please complete the Family Resource Form by September 11, 2026.

EN ESPANOL:

En D303, valoramos la oportunidad de proveer una comunidad de cuidado y apoyo a nuestras familias, especialmente a aquellas que enfrentan dificultades financieras.

Si su familia está experimentando actualmente una necesidad financiera significativa, nuestras asociaciones comunitarias tienen varios apoyos disponibles para las familias, incluyendo: ropa/calzado para la escuela, abrigos/accesorios de invierno, materiales escolares, artículos de aseo personal, comidas para los días festivos, y/o regalos para navidad. Si desea que se le tenga en cuenta para cualquiera de estas ayudas, por favor, rellene este formulario. Para ser considerado, es fundamental que complete esta encuesta a más tardar el viernes 11 de septiembre.

Last Tuesday, August 18th, was school picture day at Compass Academy. To order your student's pictures, visit the HR Imaging site. For students who were absent, there will be a picture retake day in a few weeks to ensure that all students have the opportunity to receive school pictures. Watch upcoming Compass Connections for the picture retake date.

Compass Academy students pre-order their lunch, so if your student plans to order lunch, they will be able to complete the form that will be linked here next week. Students are always welcome to bring food from home, if they prefer. If your student may qualify for free or reduced lunch, please complete this form or have them get a paper copy of the form from the Compass office.

As long as the weather allows it, many Compass students enjoy eating lunch in the courtyard where they can enjoy the outdoors and bask in the sunshine. In Applied Geography, a seminar that uses board games to help students apply geographic concepts, students played some fast-paced card games and then completed a reflection connecting the activity to course content.

Students will receive more information about these options within the first two weeks of school during advisory. Additional information will also be shared with parents on Back to School Night.

PLEASE NOTE: FIELD TRIPS ARE TYPICALLY ONLY OFFERED ON WEDNESDAYS AND ARE ALMOST ALWAYS SHARED WITH STUDENTS AND FAMILIES SEVERAL WEEKS IN ADVANCE. IN THE COMPASS MODEL, THE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN WHICH STUDENTS ENGAGE ON FIELD TRIPS IS INTEGRAL TO THE LEARNING IN THEIR COURSES, SO STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND ALL FIELD TRIPS THAT ARE COURSE-ALIGNED.

Compass Academy students and families may order Compass spirit wear at any time through our Spirit Wear Store, which you may access by clicking the image below. All purchases are customizable and are shipped directly to your home.

The St. Charles Community Unit School District 303 Board of Education voted on August 10, 2026, to place a ballot initiative on the November 3 ballot asking the community whether the District should issue bonds to fund maintenance needs and educational facility improvements. Read the full press release here.

La Junta Educativa del Distrito Escolar de la Unidad Comunitaria 303 de St. Charles votó el 10 de agosto de 2026 a favor de incluir una iniciativa en la papeleta electoral del 3 de noviembre en la que se pregunta a la comunidad si el distrito debería emitir bonos para financiar las necesidades de mantenimiento y las mejoras de las instalaciones educativas. Lee aquí el comunicado de prensa completo.

Are you interested in learning about the various career options available in St. Charles? Through the city's career pathway job shadow program, Compass students can shadow people in many career fields, including office administration, communications, accounting, firefighting, government, law enforcement, construction, forestry, water management, and vehicle maintenance. Students who participate in job shadowing during the school year, and then write reflections about their experiences, have the opportunity to earn credit for Career Exploration.

For more information about this opportunity, students should visit the Compass website's Experiential Learning Opportunities page, scan the appropriate QR code on the bulletin board in the academic hall, or make an appointment to see Ms. Ohlson, the Compass counselor.

The Discovery Program exposes students to a broad range of activities designed to encourage their interest in healthcare careers. Program activities include tours, guest speakers, group discussion, and hands-on projects. Meetings are most often on the third Saturday of each month from 9:00am-12:00pm. The NM Discovery West Chapter and the Greater DeKalb Chapter collaborate a lot, so meetings will be held at Central DuPage Hospital, Delnor Hospital, Kishwaukee Hospital, and various off-site NM locations. Please note, meeting dates, times, and topics are subject to change. Participants are responsible for their own transportation.

For information about the Discovery Program and how to apply.

The application deadline is 9/28/26.

Email: sharon.stanley@d303.org
Website: https://compassacademy.d303.org/
Location: Compass Academy, South 9th Street, St. Charles, IL, USA
Phone: (331)228-3400
X (Twitter): @CompassD303

Instagram: @d303compassacademy