Compass Film Festival this Wednesday, April 26 from 6pm-8pm

The 11th/12th grade filmmaking class will present their films this Wednesday evening at 6pm. This year they will present a broad range of film styles, including historical documentary, travelogue (from Spain), stop motion animation, dramatic film with narrative, silent film, and more.

Following the films, local professional filmmakers will be on hand to provide feedback and commentary, and there will be a Q&A session with the student filmmakers. 

Free admission! Snacks and drinks will be available by donation.

Come enjoy!

Support Compass with Baked Goods on April 22nd and 29th

Compass School junior, Tristen Free, and her will be holding a bake sale on Saturday, April 22 at the Springfield Cinema 3, and next Saturday, April 29 at Keene Cinemas to support the Compass scholarship fund.

The Free family run both area cinemas, and we are thrilled for their involvement and initiative in supporting present and future Compass students.

Tristan is asking for donations of baked goods to be brought in to school this Friday, April 21 and next Friday, April 28. We know this notice is last minute for this Friday, sorry!!... but if you can make something on short notice, great! 

Read the Letter to the Compass Community from the Free Family below.

Dear Parents of Compass School,

We are excited to announce our upcoming bake sale on April 22nd and April 29th, in support of scholarship funding for our school. The bake sale will take place at Springfield Cinemas 3 and Keene Cinemas 6, and we are looking for your help in making it a success!

We are accepting donated baked goods on April 21st and April 28th, and Tristen Free will be available to receive your donations. We encourage you to get creative with your baking and donate your favorite treats - cookies, cakes, cupcakes, muffins, bread, and more! Every little bit helps, and your support will go a long way in keeping lunch funding for our students.

If you are unable to donate baked goods, we still need your support in spreading the word about the bake sale. Please let your friends, family, and colleagues know about our upcoming event and encourage them to come out and support us: Saturday 4/22 at Springfield Cinemas; Saturday 4/29 at Keene Cinemas.

Thank you in advance for your generosity and support. We look forward to seeing you at the bake sale!

(Side note for making baked items, finger food is a must as we are a functioning business, and we would prefer if you could stay away from frosted items. Such as cupcakes or anything else drippy.”)

Thanks so much!!!

Sincerely, The Free Family.

Compass Newsletter for April 18-21

Education Bill Updates

Concurrent with sending out this newsletter, I have also sent a new email update about h.483, a bill about oversight of independent schools.

I (Eric) testified last Wednesday before the committee in Montpelier, and I submitted written testimony. I was also able to speak with a number of other legislators. It seemed to go really well, and I learned a lot too. I was able to strongly advocate against the provisions in H.483 about mandating a blind admissions process and about no public money "subsidizing" private-pay students.  I was also able to strongly advocate for the value of small schools, and to present Compass School as a valuable part of our community's overall educational offeringings that is very worthy of public support.

Pasted below and attached is my written testimony which I read and submitted, if you're interested. (It has also been distributed in the Vermont Independent Schools Association newsletter.) My statement was followed by some productive Q&A with the senators.  There is definitely more resistance in the Senate to the anit-independent school forces that are more powerful in the House.

Windham County Senator Nader Hashim, a member of the Senate Education Committee, is a key vote on H.483. Sen. Hashim has spoken favorably about independent school concerns. However, we know he is under intense pressure from other stakeholders to support H.483's damaging provisions.

Sen. Hashim can more easily withstand the pressure if he knows he has the support of many Windham County voters. I encourage you to email him and request he support Windham County's independent schools by voting "No" on H.483. Email to: nhashim@leg.state.vt.us

A simple request that he vote "No" is sufficient. If anyone wishes to say more, they may write about the value of having independent school options in Windham County and their personal experiences with Compass School.

Here too is an Op Ed in VT Digger written by Representative Michelle Bos-Lun expressing opposition to the bill.

Upcoming School Schedule and Events!:

  • Monday April 17-- teacher inservice day

  • Tuesday April 18-- resume normal schedule (M/Tu/Th 8:15-4:00; W/F 8:15-2:15)

  • Wed. April 26-- 6pm-8pm--Compass Film Festival! (produced by 11th/12th filmmaking class)

  • Spring school trips in May:

    • middle school to Burlington overnight-- Wed. 5/17-Thurs. 5/18 (no school for middle school on Friday 5/19)-- Staying at Rock Point School in Burlington.

    • 9th-10th graders to Cape Cod-- Wed. 5/17-Fri. 5/19 -- Staying at Camp Fairly in Mashpee, MA

Upcoming Lunch Menu

Mon 4/3 Chicken fajitas

Tue 4/4 Burgers

Wed 4/5 Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad 

Thu 4/6 Chicken filet sandwich

Fri  4/7 Pizza

Compass Newsletter for April 3-7

Compass Families: Soup and Conversation-- this Thursday 4/6 -- 4:15pm-7:00pm

We would like to invite you to another after-school Compass community "Soup and conversation" day on Thursday April 6th -- 4:15pm-7:00pm. (Thank you Cher!!) There will be soups, bread, and desserts available. Come have some dinner and join in casual conversation.

In combination with this event, we will invite guests to come to this as an "open house"-- area families and students who would like to learn more about Compass.

**It would be wonderful if those of you attending soup and conversation can also meet and connect with guests (“Open House”) and help welcome them to our school.

Hope to see you there!

April Open House—this Thursday 4/6 -- 4:15pm-7:00pm

Thursday during family soup and conversation-- please spread the word, bring a neighbor, etc. Here is a link to the event on our website: Compass Open Houses Pass it on!

Compass Juniors and Seniors having a great time in Spain, and Morocco!

Our group of 16 Compass juniors and seniors along with 3 teachers and 2 additional adult partners continues to have a great trip. They even made a day trip via ferry to Morocco! (Some pics below.) Today they went to Bolonia and Vejer during their continued exploration of the southwest coast of Spain. They fly back on April 6th. See the pictures here.

Education Bill Updates

The Vermont House passed by a voice vote H483 (a bill on independent school oversight), and the bill has moved on to the senate. I will send out a separate email to families about this-- please become educated and consider contacting your state senators --and ALL state senators-- to advocate for your views on this.

For those in the Windham district:

Senator Nader Hashim (who is on the senate ed. committee)  nhashim@leg.state.vt.us  

Senator Wendy Harrision wharrison@leg.state.vt.us

For those in the Windsor district:

Senator Alison Clarckson AClarkson@leg.state.vt.us

Senator Dick McCormack rmccormack@leg.state.vt.us

Compass welcomes NEW office manager

We congratulate Lyssa for diving into a new career path, and words can’t say enough to thank her for her amazing service to Compass and the love she spreads throughout our community.

Lyssa writes:

“I have come to a point in my life where I decided to become something totally different when I "grow up". I have recently availed myself of the opportunity to become a fitness trainer at our local Westminster Fit Body Boot Camp. I am so excited for the new challenge of teaching and the chance to step away from the computer screen and work my body more instead. I want to inspire others to take control of their health and live their best lives. I will continue to support Compass during the transition to our exciting new office manager, Pauline O’Brien-- one who I would very much have loved the opportunity to work with myself-- along with our new head of school.”

Lyssa will be in the office through April 14, and will be consulting/supporting us during the spring. Thank you Lyssa!

And we are very pleased to welcome Pauline O’Brien as our new office manager. Pauline will start on April 3rd. Pauline has most recently served as the Town Clerk for the town of Westminster. She has many years of experience in educational administration, including working at Vermont Academy as the assistant to the head of school as well as doing college counseling and other organizational responsibilities, and working at the Grammar School doing development and marketing. We are so excited to welcome Pauline to the Compass family!

Upcoming Schedule and Events:

  • April 6 (Thursday) 4:15-7:00pm -- Compass Family Soup and Conversation (and Open House)

  • April 8-17-- April vacation

  • Monday April 17-- teacher inservice day

  • May 17-19-- Spring school trips (middle school tentatively to Burlington; high school to Cape Cod).

Upcoming Lunch Menu:

Mon 4/3 Chicken fajitas

Tue 4/4 Burgers

Wed 4/5 Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad 

Thu 4/6 Chicken filet sandwich

Fri  4/7 Pizza

Important Dates and this Week's Lunch Schedule

Mark your calendar:

  • April 6 (Thursday) 4:15-7:00pm -- Compass Family Soup and Conversation

    • We would like to invite you to another after-school Compass community "Soup and conversation" day on Thursday April 6th -- 4:15pm-7:00pm. (Thank you Cher!!) There will be soups, bread, and desserts available. Come have some dinner and join in casual conversation.

      In combination with this event, we will invite guests to come to this as an "open house"-- area families and students who would like to learn more about Compass. It would be wonderful if those of you attending soup and conversation can also meet and connect with guests and help welcome them to our school.

      Hope to see you there!

  • April 8-17-- April vacation

  • May 17-19-- Spring school trips (middle school tentatively to Burlington; high school to Cape Cod).

Lunch Menu for the Week of March 27-31

Mon 3/27: Chicken Pot Pie

Tue 3/28: Italian Sausage Subs

Wed 3/29: Pasta & Red Sauce with Meatballs

Thu 3/30: Stuffed Chicken Breast

Fri  3/31: Build Your Own Subs

Changes coming to the front office of Compass in April

Special thanks to Lyssa Singleton and best wishes!

With the start of April and the spring season, the staff ub the front office is changing. Lyssa Singleton is diving into a new career path, and words can’t express enough our thanks to her for the years of amazing service to Compass, and the love she spreads throughout our community. We wish her the best and we know she will remain a friend and supporter of Compass.

From Lyssa:

“I have come to a point in my life where I decided to become something totally different when I 'grow up'.  I have recently availed myself of the opportunity to become a fitness trainer at our local Westminster Fit Body Boot Camp.  I am so excited for the new challenge of teaching and the chance to step away from the computer screen and work my body more instead.  I want to inspire others to take control of their health and live their best lives.  I will continue to support Compass during the transition to our exciting new office manager, Pauline O’Brien-- one who I would very much have loved the opportunity to work with myself-- along with our new head of school.”


Compass to welcome new Office Manager on April 3

We are very pleased to welcome Pauline O’Brien as our new office manager. Pauline will start on April 3. Pauline has most recently served as the Town Clerk for the town of Westminster.

She has many years of experience in educational administration, including working at Vermont Academy as the assistant to the head of school as well as doing college counseling and other organizational responsibilities, and working at the Grammar School doing development and marketing.

We are so excited to welcome Pauline to the Compass family!

Education Bill H483: VT House vote on the bill scheduled this Wednesday.

Debate on Vermont House Bill 483 concerning funding for independent schools that accept public tuition has been very active, and a vote in the full house has been pushed until this Wednesday. House members have received a lot of input and resistance from advocates of school choice in tuitioning towns. Some proposed amendments have softened a few of the provisions, but overall the bill remains a big threat.

Let's keep the pressure on... we need to push back against policies that threaten schools like Compass.

It seems that some in the legislature and in the public debate are grouping schools like Compass (which have open, nondiscriminatory enrollment, special education, and a high level of low income families) with private schools that tend to be selective and serve higher income families. 

We need our legislators to hear about the ways Compass provides an important educational choice in our region, and how we need to refrain from creating policies that will squeeze out schools like Compass.

We invite all in our community to reach out immediately to our House legislators and urge them to vote "no" on H483:

You can use the following tool to look up your representative(s) and click on their names to view them in the state’s legislative directory.

You can also leave messages for individual lawmakers by dialing the Statehouse switchboard at 802-828-2228. Give the lawmaker’s name, say you are a constituent and ask for your message to be delivered to them.


Eric Rhomberg
Director
Compass School
www.compass-school.org

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