Compass Connections

• NO SCHOOL (LABOR DAY): Monday, September 7th
• Chess Club: Tuesday, September 8th, 3:45-4:45 pm (Rm. 142)
• SWAMP: Tuesday, September 8th , 3:45-4:45 pm (Rm. 140)
• Experiential/Blended Learning Day: Wednesday, September 9th (Office Hours 10am-12pm)
• Dungeons & Dragons Club: Thursday, September 10th, 3:45-4:45 pm (Rm. 111)
• SWAMP: Thursday, September 10th 3:45-4:45 pm (Rm. 140)
• Flag Football Game: Friday, September 11th, 11:30 am/TBD (Outside on the Field)
• Pokemon Go Club: Monday, September 14th, 3:45-4:45 pm (Rm. 140)
• Intramurals: Monday, September 14th, 3:45-4:45 pm (Gym)
• Gator CORE Meeting: Tuesday, September 15th, 3:45-4:45 pm (Rm. 111)
• SWAMP: Tuesday, September 15th , 3:45-4:45 pm (Rm. 140)
• FIELD TRIP to Obama Presidential Center (Choice Trip): Wednesday, September 16th, 8:30am-3:30pm
• FIELD TRIP to Byron Nuclear Power Plant (Choice Trip): Wednesday, September 16th, 9 am- 3 pm
• Flag Football Game: Friday, September 18th, 11:30 am/TBD (Outside on the Field)

CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE FOR THE LINKS TO EACH TEACHER'S OFFICE HOUR GOOGLE MEET.

Join us for some fun adventures this semester in college and career exploration. Students of all ages at Compass Academy are welcome and encouraged to participate in any field trips and events labeled "Choice Trip" in the Compass Connections. Even if students are unsure of their post high school plans, participation in field trips is a fun way to extend learning on a Wednesday.

FALL EVENTS:

September 16th - Byron Nuclear Generating Station Field Trip -- if participating in this trip, please plan to bring a sack lunch or snacks -- we will be eating lunch on the bus.

September 16th - D303 Financial Aid Night -- North High School 6:30-8 pm -- learn all about FAFSA and the financial aid process. Students planning to matriculate to 4-year college, 2-year college, technical school or cosmetology school will benefit from learning about how the FAFSA supports student access to financial aid. Reminder: completion of the FAFSA, or the ISAC non-participation waiver, is a graduation requirement for seniors in the state of Illinois.

September 30th & November 4th -- Food Packing Volunteer Opportunity at the Northern IL Food Bank. For these trips there is also an additional mandatory 2-page WAIVER FORM from NIFB to be completed. Please make sure to sign up for these events at least 2 weeks prior to support NIFB having adequate staffing for the packing event. September Field Trip Form. October Field Trip Form.

October 21st -- Manufacturing Month Tours -- tour 2 of our local manufacturing businesses to learn how a variety of materials are made here in the Tri-Cities. Field trip forms for this trip will be accessible sometime after September 21st when we hear which 2 locations Compass Academy is assigned this year.

October 22nd -- Compass Academy FAFSA Completion Night, 6-7 pm -- seniors and parents: bring your device and submit your FAFSA application. We will be joined by Mr. Christian Montes, our rep from the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. Don't miss it!

October 28th -- D303 Pathways Night, 6-8 pm - career options fair hosted by Compass Academy 6-8pm -- Join us to explore the many post high school career opportunities that don't require a student to receive a 4-year college degree. Community College programs, tech schools, union trades, US Military, and local municipal jobs will be represented. This is always a great night!

November 11th -- College Visit Field Trip to North Central College

November 17th -- Early College Credit Night -- 6:30-8:30pm in the East HS Little Theatre. This annual event will highlight opportunities for eligible D303 high school students to begin earning college credits during high school.

NOTE: Some field trips have limited space available. Student spaces will be given by the order the signed and completed field trip forms are received in the main office (note: not by email). Students are welcome to drop forms off to Ms. Chavira in the main office. If a waitlist is needed for a field trip, a student and the parent/guardian who signed their field trip form will receive notice via email they have been waitlisted.

Not hearing from Ms. Ohlson infers she is planning for the student to attend the field trip. All students attending (parents will be CC'd) will receive a confirmation/reminder email about field trip participation the school day closest to the trip. Students need transportation to and from Compass on Wednesdays in time for the field trip departure time listed on the field trip form. We cannot delay departure for late students -- please arrive 5 minutes before the listed departure time.

If students can't make a field trip they signed up for, please notify Ms. Ohlson immediately so that another student might join us instead.

The NACAC National College Fair -- Navy Pier on Saturday, September 26th, 11am-3pm
Participating institution list is HERE. Register for free to attend HERE.

Save the date: Mastery Transcript Consortium Virtual College Fair - October 1, 2026, 5-8pm. Student registration will open soon. Flyer is HERE.

Fox Valley Regional College Fair -- Wednesday, March 24th from 6-8pm in the St. Charles East HS Main Gym.

Students in the “Topics in Psychology: Deception, Lies, Illusions and Manipulation” and the co-taught “Art and the Brain” seminars travelled to the Chicago Cultural Center and the Museum of Illusions to explore how our brains — and the environments around us — shape what we experience. Students visualized musical expression and explored how artists represent and design “humanity’s great ideas, and collected examples of how we can use design to manipulate attention — and then had to the opportunity to experiment with illusions through optical, cognitive, and physical illusions. Students photographed and documented moments throughout the day, giving them real experiences to bring back to class for further analysis and reflection, and to inform planning for their inquiry projects.

Compass students have an exciting new opportunity: the chance to participate in a flag football league this fall against other small, non-traditional high schools in the area! Games will be played during the day (typically during lunch and Power Block) and most, if not all, will be played at home on the field behind the school. This is an opportunity for students to have fun, be a member of a school-based team, and engage in some friendly competition. INTERESTED STUDENTS SHOULD COMPLETE THIS FORM. More information will be shared with interested students and their parents this week.

Parent/Guardian emails have now been synced with SchooLinks, our new college and career readiness platform. Parent/Guardian accounts were made active and ready for access on September 4th. (Compass students have already been using SchooLinks in advisory and group guidance meetings.)

To get started, please review the resources below:

• SchooLinks: Getting Started for Guardians

• SchooLinks: Getting Started for Guardians (Spanish)

• SchooLinks: Guardian Demonstration Video

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.

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.

Click the flyer for more information and to register for the Open House.

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.

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.

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