College Preparatory Academic Curriculum

How to Apply

There are three forms to start the process:

Application Checklist DOWNLOAD
Application for Admission DOWNLOAD
Release of Information Form DOWNLOAD

Compass Alumni

“I didn’t like going to school at all before attending Compass. Once I got there, I was always excited to go to school!”

Compass Alumna

“I love Compass because it changed me from a shy person to an independent person.”

Compass High Student

“Teachers will work with us instead of giving up on us.”

Compass High Student

“The most impactful part of Compass are the small classes and really being able to connect with the teachers. I feel comfortable making a mistake because my teacher’s know it is a part of the learning process.”

Current Parent

“Different methods, tools, technology, are used to accommodate kids with different learning challenges and learning styles.”

Current Parent

“There is a very high level of individualization, school truly teaches each and every child.”

Current Parent

“It is very difficult to find a program for a child, who needs some extra help and support, a child, who is learning at a pace different from regular peers. The first time I visited Compass High School I was not only impressed, I was shocked, in a good way!”

Current Parent

“Compass has turned out to be a good place for [my son] to feel emotionally safe and available to learn. I think the best thing about Compass is the number of talented teachers.”

Electives

Elective courses at Compass offer engaging, structured, and challenging opportunities for students to become skilled while pursuing various interests. Clustered in three areas (the arts, physical education/health, and technology), our elective courses do not require any background knowledge or previous experience. Students’ preferences are regularly surveyed to determine elective offerings.

Homework

At Compass, we recognize that students who learn differently often experience intense struggles with homework for a variety of reasons. Challenges in executive functioning (planning, initiating, organizing of time and materials, etc.) and academic skills have often contributed to difficulties with homework. By the time they reach high school, many students lack the motivation and confidence to complete homework consistently.

Our philosophy is to provide a supportive, structured, and manageable homework load. We assign roughly half the homework that is typical in high schools, about one-and-a-half hours per night. Teachers also offer after-school office hours four days a week.

Accommodations

We are always seeking the sweet spot of learning. The place where students are challenged and stimulated but not frustrated and overwhelmed. Accommodations are variations in the way content is taught without changing the academic standards. We promote self-advocacy and a growing awareness of what strategies and accommodations work best for each student. For students in need of additional support, accommodations may include: extra time, space to work alone, readers, scribes, supports for time and assignments management, assistive technology, and checks for understanding.

Accreditation and Certification

Compass is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).