The Compass School, Ashburn Virginia

This beautiful Rainbow Walk project (created by our Think Tank Preschool class) has us seeing hearts today!

Our Sound Stage Pre-Kindergarteners were getting their "Om" on yesterday!

Today is the Summer Solstice, the LONGEST and, thanks to all that extra Vitamin D- HAPPIEST day of the year!

How will you enjoy your extra moments of sunshine today?

We had a wonderful time at our Building Memories event yesterday. Happy Father’s Day to all our Compass Dads!

The brave team from Loudoun County Fire and Rescue made our Pre-Kindergarten classes' day yesterday when they came to visit. Thanks so much, guys, for your time, patience, and a great hands- on experience!

Yesterday, we were lucky enough to have a visit from Miss Spencer, the Art Instructor at The Compass School, Manassas. Our Pathfinders Toddler class especially enjoyed their time with her, creating not one but two masterpieces: Night and Day canvas paintings and watercolor art using markers and rain!

[05/17/18]   Happy Birthday to (Us),
Happy Birthday to (Us),
Happy Birthday, dear Compass Ashburn,
Happy Birthday to Us! 🎂🎈🎉

The Compass School is celebrating our FIFTH birthday today! Will you join us for birthday treats in the Plaza?

Our Inventor's Workshop Twos classroom spent yesterday creating a few Spring masterpieces- all painted using flowers as brushes!

As a Reggio Emilia inspired school, we try to use natural, open ended materials as often as possible- and this fun project certainly fit the bill.

[05/14/18]   We hope everyone had a fabulous Mother's Day weekend. Thanks to all the Compass Moms who were able to stop by our "Mom is My Sunshine" event on Friday- we loved having a chance to celebrate all that you do!

[05/13/18]   It's the final day of TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK here at The Compass School! Each day, we have celebrated the kind hearts and quick minds that shape our students' educational journey.

MISS TRINA, MISS RASHA, and MISS MERCY are floating staff members here at The Compass School- making them true renaissance women! They can be relied upon at any given time to go in an assist not only our students, but also our teaching staff.

Without you three indispensable women, we couldn’t open our doors in the morning or close them at night; Thank you!

It's TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK here at The Compass School! Each day, we will celebrate the kind hearts and quick minds that shape our students' educational journey.

Our PreKindergarten (4 and 5 year olds) classrooms, Sound Stage and Art Studio, are staffed by MISS LEIA, MISS FAYZAH, and MISS MONICA. Kindergarten readiness is the name of the game for this age group, and these teachers are the real MVPs!

Ladies, thank you so much for your ability to stay true to our Reggio philosophy while giving our Kindergarten-bound students the final skills they need to be big, bad elementary schoolers next Fall. You're the best in the game!

It's TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK here at The Compass School! Each day, we will celebrate the kind hearts and quick minds that shape our students' educational journey.

The 3 and 4 year olds in our Preschool classrooms (Think Tank and Nature Center) are taught by MISS SELINA, MISS ILU, MISS JASMINE and MISS JUNHE. If you don't have a "Threenager" of your own, you may not realize how much WORK goes into their workday.

Thank you, Preschool Team, for keeping all of your students happy, excited, and engaged- even while they're busy keeping YOU on your toes!

It's TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK here at The Compass School! Each day, we will celebrate the kind hearts and quick minds that shape our students' educational journey.

Our Twos classrooms (Trailblazers and Inventor's Workshop) are staffed by MISS ELIZABETH, MISS ZORANA, and MISS BRITTANY. If your child is between 2 and 3 years old, these brave women make learning fun and exciting (In what is arguably our busiest age group!) every day of the week.

Ladies, we appreciate your never ending patience- and that potty training expertise- so very much!

It's TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK here at The Compass School! Each day, we will celebrate the kind hearts and quick minds that shape our students' educational journey.

Our Toddler classroom, Pathfinders, is staffed by MISS CARA and MISS KRISTEN. If your child is between 16 and 23 months, their everyday whirlwind of new skills, exploration, and socialization is master-minded by these two wonderful women. Thanks, Ladies, for all that you do!

It's TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK here at The Compass School! Each day, we will celebrate the kind hearts and quick minds that shape our students' educational journey- starting with our Infant Classrooms: Explorers and Navigators.

If your child is between the age of 6 weeks and 15 months, they spend their days growing with (and being cuddled by!) MISS NIA, MISS RACHEL, MISS RUTHIE, and MISS STEPHANIE. Thank you, Ladies, for your endless patience, warm hugs, and ability to sling a mean bottle!

Every first Wednesday in May (Since 2002), the Great American Grump Out has been celebrated as a day to celebrate humor and positive behaviors in an effort to ward off stress and grumpiness!

What are you doing to keep it positive today? (We're breaking out the Popsicles!)

Our PreK friends in the Sound Stage classroom are so glad that Spring seems to finally have sprung! They used yesterday's beautiful weather as an opportunity to take their curriculum outside, collecting natural objects to explore, discuss, and use as building materials.

The Week of the Young Child™ is an annual celebration hosted by The National Association for the Education of Young Children, celebrating early learning, young children, their teachers, and families. This year's event is April 16–20, 2018 and we have fun things planned in EVERY classroom, EVERY day. If you'd like to participate, volunteer, or just get the scoop on what your child's class is up to, don't hesitate to reach out to your teacher!

[04/14/18]   It’s PLAYGROUND DAY!
See you all between 9am and Noon- & don’t forget to bring your kite flying skills. ☀️🌈

[04/13/18]   Reminder: Tomorrow (Saturday, April 14th) is our first annual Playground Day, from 9am until noon. We hope to see you there; the weather is supposed to be gorgeous!

Druuuuuuuumroll, please...

Here they are, our new Plaza residents (And the subject of our recent #GuessOurPets trivia!)- the Anole Lizard and Leopard Gecko!

Stay tuned for names; each of our classrooms will be submitting their favorite for voting soon.

Thanks to your generous donations, The Compass School was able to drop off SIX BOXES of shoes to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office / Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) GotSneakers shoe drive this morning. Thanks so much to everyone who helped this great cause! #CompassCares #GotSneakers

[03/27/18]   Great #GuessOurPets guesses so far, Compass families!
Here's a habitat clue for Pet #2:

"______________ are found from southern Georgia and Florida to the southern tip of Mexico and the Caribbean. They are native to Cuba, the Bahamas (and surrounding islands), and throughout the Caribbean."

[03/27/18]   Let's play #GuessOurPets, The Compass School edition!

New pet #1 is "a native of the rocky, dry grassland and desert regions of south-Asian Afghanistan, Pakistan, northwest India, and some parts of Iran."

Do you think you might know who he is??

The curious Arists of our Art Studio Pre-Kindergarten classroom were some of the first students to meet our new...

🎉 SSSHHHH! IT'S A SURPRISE! 🎉

The Compass School welcomed not one but TWO new school pets today. Stay tuned to find out more about who they are- Or come sneak a peek at their new homes in the plaza during pick up or drop off this week!

Happy Spring Break, Loudoun County!

We are still accepting school age students (Kindergarten through age 12) for Drop-in Care this week. Mr. Matt and Miss Erin have some exciting plans ready; Come join in the fun!

Meteorologists are predicting a possible 10 inches of SNOW in Loudoun County from tomorrow through Thursday. The Compass School will remain open as long as it is safe to do so- don't forget that older siblings and school age children can "Drop In" and spend any Snow Days here with us!

(Please just let a member of the Administrative Team know to expect them.)

Leave it to our Trailblazers Twos class to brighten up this grey and snowy morning! Ms. Zorana and Ms. Elizabeth helped them to throw an impromptu parade around campus today, waving rainbows and wishing everyone a "colorful day!"

This week I’ve had the amazing opportunity to visit our sister schools in Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio, and today’s (last) stop is the Cyert Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I am extremely excited to bring back the information and images from our trip to Ashburn, I’ll see you all on Monday! 💜

(Pictured: myself, Ashley V.—Director at Manassas, Carla Freund—Cyert Center Director, Bailey B.—Assistant Director at Manassas)

It's almost time for summer camp! We are now taking registrations for Compass Quest 2018- Ten weeks of cool themes, fun activities, and amazing field trips.

Camp activities are open to students from Kindergarten through age 12, whether they are currently enrolled or not yet part of the Compass family- so feel free to invite your friends along!

Don't forget: Family and Employee March Madness Brackets are due by noon tomorrow, March 15th, 2018. Please see a member of the Administrative Team if you have any questions- & good luck to everyone participating!

Tomorrow, March 14th, is Pi Day, Compass Families! We hope you'll join us for "Pi(e) in the Plaza" and grab a slice.

Don't forget about Spring Pictures this week! Our Pathfinders toddler class- with help from some older siblings- got the "picture party" started bright and early this morning in the school plaza...

We are so glad last week's weather is behind us! High winds prompted us to cancel a field trip to participate in a Dr. Seuss Read Across America event with our neighbors, Waltonwood Ashburn. Just when we thought our fun was done, the kind staff and residents of Waltonwood brought the party to us- braving the weather to come read with several of our classrooms and small groups.

Waltonwood, We would like you in a house; We would like you with a mouse. We would like you here or there; We would like you anywhere!

Dreary February weather aside, it's almost time for summer camp! We are now taking registrations for Compass Quest 2018- Ten weeks of cool themes, fun activities, and amazing field trips.

Camp activities are open to students from Kindergarten through age 12, whether they are currently enrolled or not yet part of the Compass family- so feel free to invite your friends along!

[02/23/18]   🚨Don’t forget!🚨

Tomorrow (Saturday, February 24th) is Winter Open House at The Compass School. We will be there from 10:30am until 1:00pm with refreshments and activities for the whole family. Come have your face painted, jump in the moon bounce, or enjoy the fabulous “Meet and Greet” show with Reptiles Alive!

This is a free community event. All are welcome- so please bring your friends!

Our Think Tank Preschool classroom got their hands dirty answering questions about Earthworms with Ms. Selina last week!

"Where do Earthworms live? What do Earthworms eat? Do Earthworms have Valentine's Day parties underground?"

💘Happy Valentine's Day, Compass families!💘

The fun is already underway with our Love Mail station and Compass Cupids photo booth. (Both located in the plaza.)
We hope to celebrate with each of you during our class parties this afternoon!

Our Love Mail station is up in full force in the plaza! We have everything you need to make a Valentine's Day masterpiece (plus cute mailboxes to drop them in 😍) and will hand deliver them during our class parties on Wednesday afternoon.

Don't forget to drop by and craft a card for your favorite student, teacher, or friends!

Light and Shadow Play | The Compass School

How much do you know about our Light and Shadow Lab?

Read on to find out more about how our students use this exciting space to learn about the world around them- plus some ideas for Light and Shadow play at home!

https://www.thecompassschool.com/blog/light-shadow-play/

thecompassschool.com A Reggio-inspired classroom is one that has adopted the core values and beliefs of the Reggio Emilia approach. These values include the image of the child, emergent curriculum, project work, the role of the teacher, the role of the environment, parental involvement, and documentation. Each child is....