COMPASS CHARTER SCHOOL

Established an urgent response mutual aid fund to support families and staff during disruptions such as the SNAP/EBT benefit interruption, including conducting immediate fundraising and redirecting unused funds to ongoing community support.

Conducts a virtual, publicly accessible admissions lottery for enrollment in pre-K through 5th grade, with applications opening October 13, 2025, for the 2026–2027 school year.

Implements a hands-on, interdisciplinary curriculum that includes weekly or biweekly Sustainability Studio sessions, visual arts instruction in painting, drawing, printmaking, collage, and sculpture, and music studio sessions once or twice weekly. The curriculum emphasizes inquiry-based learning, social justice, and environmental stewardship.

Hosts the annual Compass Eco Fair, a community event celebrating sustainability and environmental education; the 9th edition was held on May 20 as an end-of-year tradition.

Maintains ICT classrooms with two teachers per class to support the inclusion of students with special needs in general education settings.

Provides early childhood education through a pre-kindergarten program serving approximately 34–36 students annually, as reported across multiple fiscal years ending June 30 from 2021 to 2025.

Runs a student-operated farmstand for six weeks each in the fall and spring, where students engage in cooking, money management, inventory tracking, and signage production while selling vegetables to the school and local community.

Takes part in the Bridges Collaborative, a national program focused on advancing school integration and equitable education practices through professional learning and strategic planning.

Produces and publishes 'The Pathfinder', a newsletter for the Compass school community to share updates and information.

Delivers structured daily literacy blocks that include reading workshop, writing workshop, word study, and read aloud to support student reading development, with demonstrated outcomes such as a student advancing from a 3rd to 8th grade reading level in one academic year.

Reserves 40% of open enrollment seats for economically disadvantaged students in New York City to promote socioeconomic diversity and equitable access.

Builds and maintains partnerships with external organizations such as Precycle (for grocery access via discount code) and Regal Cinema (through fundraising programs), along with other collaborations established since the school opened in fall 2014.

Uses a looping model where students remain with the same teacher and classmates for two consecutive school years (K–1, 2–3, 4–5) to promote continuity and strong classroom communities.

Requires students to wear uniforms designed to support participation in play, movement, art, and garden activities as part of an active learning environment.