Language Arts Class Descriptions

Best Books for Boys is a book club just for preteen boys. Each quarter, students read one standout novel and spend class time going deeper. Boys act out scenes, debate what characters should have done differently, write sequel pitches or alternate endings, and explore the real-world connections behind the story. Through conversation and guided activities, students begin to read more closely, noticing how authors develop characters, build suspense, and make deliberate choices about how a story unfolds.

Each quarter, one book is the teacher's selection and a second book is chosen by the class from a short, approved list. Students read assigned chapters at home and come to class prepared to share their reflections and discuss the books. All books are selected from Newbery Medalists and Honor Books, Caldecott Medal titles, Parents' Choice Award winners, and proven classics of children's fiction.
.
This year's themes and teacher's choice books: Quarter 1: Ingenuity (The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly, 2025 Newbery Medal); Quarter 2: Courage (Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson, 2024 Newbery Medal); Quarter 3: Determination (When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, 2010 Newbery Medal); and Quarter 4: Curiosity (The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers, 2024 Newbery Medal).

Level: This class is designed for 5th and 6th graders. 4th grade students reading above grade level are welcome.

Novels: The cost of a new, mass-market paperback edition of the first book title is included in the class tuition. Parents are responsible for buying or borrowing a copy of the second book from the library, once selected.

What to Bring: Current novel, paper, pen or pencil, and a highlighter. Sticky notes or adhesive flags are helpful for marking key moments.

Can your child sit in a circle for story time? Line up for lunch? Take turns talking? This one-day, 3-hour (half-day) program is a "taste" of kindergarten for 5- year-olds. Start your child's week off right with "Mornings with Miss M" at Compass Kindergarten. Children will work in a small group with an experienced early elementary educator for this dynamic, play-based program that offers regular interaction and socialization.

This fun, activity-based program will create rhythm and routine in a homeschooled kindergartner's week and give them a sense of community and a peer group. Children will practice routines and transitions as they move through the morning. Each session will include some simple structure such as a daily arrival song/greeting, circle time, story, snack time, activity, lunch, active game, and closing/goodbyes. Through games and activities, they will also practice key childhood social skills such as sharing, taking turns, and entering play with others. Academic basics such as the ABCs, days of the week, colors, shapes, and number sense will be integrated into activities involving fairy tales, nature and art. The teacher will provide ideas for parents to work on at home with their child during the week.

Compass Kindergarten is offered in three weekly sessions: Monday, Wednesday, or Friday. Registration is stand-alone for each day so parents can register for one, two, or all three. While each kindergarten class will give children the opportunities for learning and playing in a social environment along with classroom routines, each of the three days will focus on a particular area of study and discovery of how each is connected.

On Mondays, the focus will be on Language Arts where students will be exposed to folktales, seasonal stories, and classic favorites while also practicing some foundational language arts skills. The stories read in class will be used as inspiration to connect aspects of literacy such as comprehension, comparing similar/different, recalling sequences, and predicting outcomes. The Alphabet Book will be used as as "spine" to spark discussions on capital and lower case letter forms, initial letter sounds, blends, vowel sounds, rhyming words, and other pre-phonics skills. The language arts-themed kindergarten session is intended to enhance and clarify literacy skills being introduced at home, but is not a comprehensive reading curriculum.

Readiness: Students must be age five (5) by the start of the program or have the teacher's approval for younger. To be successful in this program, entering kindergartners must be able to do the following preschool-level skills: (1) be able to separate from parents with little discomfort; (2) be able to sit and listen to a story or stay on a task for 10 minutes; (3) be able to follow simple, age-appropriate directions from the teacher or another adult; (4) be able to write and recognize his/her first name; (5) be able to hold and use crayons and scissors correctly; (6) be completely self sufficient in a public restroom (wiping, flushing, washing hands, etc.)

Other Notes: Children should bring a bagged lunch and water bottle to each session. There is a $50.00 material fee for class consumables due payable to the teacher on the first day of class.

Parents can choose to drop children off for this program (different than Compass's school-year policies for 55 minute classes.)

Registration for this program is by 13-week semester with priority registration for continuing students.

Parents who are shopping around or applying to alternate kindergarten programs should review the Compass withdrawal policy.

Middle school students will learn how to improve their critical thinking for deeper understanding using strategies in reading comprehension. They will learn how to sort, analyze, describe, and compare information according to the rules of logic.

Throughout this semester, students will read a selection of short stories and excerpts. Students will learn to ask: Is this a good argument? What beliefs is it based on? Is it well constructed and convincing? Are there fallacies in it? They will discover how to define terms and break a whole concept into its component parts in order to formulate and defend their own arguments.

The semester will build toward an exciting debate in the Lincoln-Douglas format. Students will develop a law code for Wonderland and put a character on trial according to that code. Prosecution and defense will develop arguments, write speeches, and work to convict or acquit the accused.

Students should expect to spend an average of two hours per week on reading and short written responses. Topics in this series include Critical Thinking Through Short Stories (Semester 1) and Critical Thinking Through Non-Fiction (Semester 2).

In Cover-to-Cover, middle school-aged students will read renowned classics and award-winning young adult literature. This book discussion group will examine a different theme each quarter to introduce students to literary analysis. Students will read, examine, and compare two full-length novels that share similar themes through facilitated discussions and extension activities which encourage students to make personal connections to what is read. The group will evaluate themes, characters, setting, and writing style.

First quarter, students will study the genre of Science Fiction with A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle and When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead.

Assigned chapters are expected to be read at home, either as read-aloud, individual silent reading, or listening to the unabridged audiobook. Students should come to class prepared to discuss the reading. Classroom discussions will emphasize the use of textual evidence when explaining thoughts and opinions. Students will be assigned creative, short assignments to enhance and demonstrate their understanding of each novel such as quote explications, thematic questions, or imagining a conversation between characters from different books.

Topics in this Series: Science Fiction (Quarter 1); Animal Tales (Quarter 2); Dystopian (Quarter 3); and Mystery & Detective (Quarter 4).

Textbook/Materials: The cost of new, mass market paperback editions are included in class tuition because students need clean copies for annotation and must be able to reference identical page numbering.

Supply Fee: Included

What to Bring: Students should bring the current novel, paper, pen or pencil and highlighter to class each week. Some students may wish to bring paper clips, adhesive flags or post-it notes for marking pages.

Children are full of stories and bubbling over with big ideas! In this class, students will learn how to capture their creative vision into a simple story that they will write and illustrate. This quarter, our storytellers will tell the tale of a great race. They will describe who was in the chase, what was their pace, and why the great haste.

Students will learn how to build a Story Arc through guided, weekly activities. They will discover the key elements to composing a story such as crafting characters, posing a problem, advancing the action, constructing the climax, and writing the resolution- through brainstorming questions like, "Who is in your story?", "Where does this take place?", "What does that look like?" and "What happened after ____?"

Students should be able to read, write, and spell at the second grade level or higher for this class. Psst- don't tell your child, but this class helps lay the foundation in language arts for more advanced creative writing and composition. Pair this class with Acting: Kids Theater or Writing Wonders to further encourage communication and storytelling skills. The supply fee is included in the class tuition.

Topics in this series: Great Race (Quarter 1), Mythical Mountain (Quarter 2), Time Machine (Quarter 3), and Fantastical Forest (Quarter 4).

This American Literature course is designed to prepare students for college-level academic writing. Students will strengthen their critical reading and textual analysis skills by examining the concept of the American Dream and exploring what it means to be American through texts spanning the 18th century to the present. Throughout the course, students will read and respond in writing to both fiction and nonfiction works. Written assignments will emphasize rhetorical analysis, with a focus on subject, purpose, and audience.

Literature: First quarter will explore the themes of Freedom and Foundations through Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Jacobs and selections from early American writing and founding documents.

Writing Lab: An essential component of this course will be an in-class Writing Lab. Students in this class should have mastered the basics of academic writing, such as constructing a thesis statement, organizing their thoughts with effective topic sentences and transition statements. This class will strengthen students' textual analysis skills with an emphasis on rhetorical analysis- the study of how a text creates meaning. Over the course of the year, students will develop familiarity with a variety of writing styles and forms including rhetorical analysis, literary analysis, critical response, close reading, opinion essay, and personal essay.

Prerequisites: Students taking this class should have an understanding of the types of literature (from Intro to Genres) and successful completion of British Literature (or equivalent). Students are expected to take an active role in discussion and complete all writing assignments.

Class Meetings: There will be two weekly, in-person class meetings: Tuesdays and Fridays.

Topics in this Series: Freedoms & Foundations (Quarter 10), Promise & Illusion (Quarter 2), Voice & Identity (Quarter 3), and War & Memory (Quarter 4).

Workload: Students should expect to spend 2-3 hours per week outside of class.

Assignments: All assignments will be posted in a Google Classroom management site. Students will need their own gmail accounts to access Google Classroom.

Assessments: Students' written assignments will be graded using a rubric and assigned points that the homeschool parent can use when assigning an overall class grade.

Textbooks/Materials: The cost of new, mass market paperback editions are included in class tuition because students need clean copies for annotation and must be able to reference identical page numbering.

Supply Fee: Included

What to Bring: Students should bring the current literature, paper, pen or pencil and highlighter to class each week. Some students may wish to bring paper clips, adhesive flags or post-it notes for marking passages/pages. Students should also bring a laptop to class one day per week for in-class writing.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a partial credit (one quarter) or full credit (all four quarters) in English for purposes of a high school transcript.

AP students are required to register for all four quarters of Compass's World Literature AND the AP World Literature: Extended Coursework activity which covers differentiated assignments, additional instruction, and feedback on AP-style writing and test preparation.

This British Literature course focuses on developing critical reading and writing skills through the study of both canonical and postcolonial texts written in English. Drawing from a range of genres, time periods, and geographical regions, students will encounter diverse voices and perspectives.

Literature: First quarter will explore Medival England through Beowulf and other writings of the Anglo-Saxon era.

Writing Lab: An essential component of this course will be an in-class Writing Lab. Students in this class should have mastered the basics of academic writing, such as constructing a thesis statement, organizing their thoughts with effective topic sentences and transition statements. Students will learn to write critical response papers and a complete literary analysis essay including how to support their ideas with textual evidence, organize a logical argument, and cite sources in MLA format. Over the course of the year, students will develop familiarity with a variety of writing styles and forms including rhetorical analysis, literary analysis, critical response, close reading, opinion essay, and personal essay.

Prerequisites: Students taking this class should have an understanding of the types of literature (from Intro to Genres). Students are expected to take an active role in discussion and complete all writing assignments.

Topics in this Series: Anglo-Saxon (Quarter 1), Elizabethan (Quarter 2), Roamticism (Quarter 3), and Regency (Quarter 4).

Class Meetings: There will be two weekly, in-person class meetings: Tuesdays and Fridays.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 2-3 hours per week outside of class.

Assignments: All assignments will be posted in a Google Classroom management site. Students will need their own gmail accounts to access Google Classroom.

Assessments: Students' written assignments will be graded using a rubric and assigned points that the homeschool parent can use when assigning an overall class grade.

Textbooks/Materials: Students will use clean, inexpensive copies of each novel for annotation and must be able to reference passages using consistent page numbers. Copies of the mass market paperback edition(s) is included in the class tuition.

Supply Fee: Included

What to Bring: Students should bring the current literature, paper, pen or pencil and highlighter to class each week. Some students may wish to bring paper clips, adhesive flags or post-it notes for marking passages/pages. Students should also bring a laptop to class one day per week for in-class writing.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a partial credit (one quarter) or full credit (all four quarters) in English for purposes of a high school transcript.

In this introductory high school English workshop, students will be introduced to key literary genres and analytical writing. Each quarter, the class will examine one select work or genre.

Literature: First quarter will feature The Novel: Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Sallinger. Students will learn to recognize figurative language, tone, subtext and diction, identify symbolism and imagery, and develop an awareness of narrative perspective and of the social-historical contexts in which these works were created.

Composition: Students will also learn the fundamental components of academic writing, including how to construct a thesis statement that makes an argument, how to support their ideas effectively with textual evidence, how to organize an argument logically, and how to cite sources in MLA format. Some class periods will be dedicated Writing Lab session in which students write in-class in order to get on-the-spot support and feedback from the teacher.

Topics in this Series: The Novel (Quarter 1), Poetry (Quarter 2), The Play (Quarter 3), and The Epic (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: Students should be able to read at grade level, and it is recommended that students have had a middle school writing class.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week outside of class.

Assignments: All assignments will be posted in a Google Classroom management site. Students will need their own gmail accounts to access Google Classroom.

Assessments: Students' written assignments will be graded using a rubric and assigned points that the homeschool parent can use when assigning an overall class grade.

Textbooks/Materials: Students will use clean, inexpensive copies of each novel for annotation and must be able to reference passages using consistent page numbers. Copies of the mass market paperback edition(s) is included in the class tuition.

Supply Fee: Included

What to Bring: Students should bring the current literature, paper, pen or pencil and highlighter to class each week. Some students may wish to bring paper clips, adhesive flags or post-it notes for marking passages/pages. Students should also bring a laptop for in-class writing when requested.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a partial credit in English for purposes of a high school transcript. (Full credit if all 4 quarters are taken.)

In this Senior English course, students will engage deeply with World Literature while developing advanced literary analysis skills. Students will read a diverse body of global literature to identify symbolism, imagery, recurring themes and to develop an understanding of the narrative perspectives used. Through these works, the class will also examine the cultural, social, and historical contexts that shaped literature across different regions and time periods.

This course can be taken-on level or at the Advanced Placement (AP) level which will introduce college-level analytical writing and prepare the student for the AP Literature and Composition exam. AP students must also register for the Extended Coursework option.

Literature: First quarter will examine the theme of Fate and Free Will through works such as Antigone by Sophocles, Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka and other selections.

Composition: An essential component of this course will be an in-class Writing Lab. Students in this class should have mastered the basics of academic writing, such as constructing a thesis statement, organizing their thoughts with effective topic sentences and transition statements. This class will strengthen students' textual analysis skills with an emphasis on rhetorical analysis- the study of how a text creates meaning. Over the course of the year, students will develop familiarity with a variety of writing styles and forms including rhetorical analysis, literary analysis, critical response, close reading, opinion essay, and personal essay.

Topics in this Series: Fate & Free Will (Quarter 1), Culture & Conflict (Quater 2), Conformity & Courage (Quarter 3), Power & Prejudice (Quarter 4).

Prerequisites: Successful completion of year-long coursework in British and American Literature or the equivalent.

Class Meetings: There will be two weekly, in-person class meetings: Tuesdays and Fridays.

Levels: Two levels meet together: On-Level and Advanced Placement (AP). AP requires additional reading, writing, and AP skills practice. All students register online for the same course. AP students are required to also register for the AP World Literature: Extended Coursework activity which covers differentiated assignments, additional instruction, and feedback on AP-style writing and test preparation. Once the course begins, students may move down a level (from AP to On-Level) at any time, but may not "bump up." Students taking the AP level may designate the course as SP on their transcript and add one quality point when calculating their GPA.

Workload: On-level students should expect to spend 2-3 hours per week outside of class. AP students should expect to spend 4-5 hours per week.

Assignments: All assignments will be posted in a Google Classroom management site. Students will need their own gmail accounts to access Google Classroom. AP students have an additional summer assignment. They should purchase, read, and annotate

Assessments: Students' written assignments will be graded using a rubric and assigned points that the homeschool parent can use when assigning an overall class grade.

AP Testing: The AP English Literature and Composition exam fee (May 2027) is not included in tuition. Families are responsible for registering and paying for their student's AP exam at their local public high school by the end of October 2026.

Textbooks/Materials: The cost of new, mass market paperback editions are included in class tuition because students need clean copies for annotation and must be able to reference identical page numbering.

Supply Fee: Included

What to Bring: Students should bring the current literature, paper, pen or pencil and highlighter to class each week. Some students may wish to bring paper clips, adhesive flags or post-it notes for marking passages/pages. Students should also bring a laptop to class one day per week for in-class writing.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a partial credit (one quarter) or full credit (all four quarters) in English for purposes of a high school transcript.

Be part of a team! Join the Compass Collaborative newspaper staff. The staff is a mixed-age team with students from 6th to 12th grade.

Students will learn about journalism and develop writing skills. They will craft effective articles, conduct interviews, and write reviews. Each quarter, writing assignments and responsibilities will be divided based on individual interests. Students will each contribute at least 2-3 items to the Collaborative edition each quarter including articles of their chosing (book critiques, movie reviews, field trip recommendations, short fiction, poetry, comics, jokes, tc) and assigned articles about happenings at Compass.

While research and data collection will occur outside of class, a portion of staff meetings will be dedicated to writing and editing. The newspaper advisor will use these sessions to demonstrate what constitutes 'good' writing. All staff members will practice editing skills to improve grammar, punctuation, and overall clarity and accuracy in their writing. Students will be informally paired for peer review and feedback on their writing.

All students register for the same class, and roles and responsibilities will be reviewed and delegated during the first meetings. Students should expect to work on assignments outside of class and will be expected to bring a laptop, notebook, and pen/pencil to each class meeting.

Bonjour! French Foundations is an introductory class for middle school-aged students. The class will be taught in a predominantly immersion environment. Limited cues in English will be used to prompt students or explain difficult concepts. French language instruction will be presented in a natural learning sequence beginning with nouns (such as colors, numbers, clothing, foods, animals, days/dates, etc), adjectives, greetings, and simple phrases. Students will learn beginning grammatical constructions such as noun-verb agreement, noun-adjective agreement, adjective placement, and the rules of regular verb conjugation. Students will be encouraged to speak aloud and converse with classmates, but also to learn to sound out, spell, and read beginning, written French. Aspects of Francophone culture such as holidays, foods, and traditions will be incorporated in the classes.

Each quarter introduces new themes and new vocabulary in French, so continuing students can continue to build their language basics. However, themes and units are non-sequential, so students may enroll in this level in any quarter. The goal of this introductory course is to lay foundations in sounds, vocabulary, grammar, and usage while having fun and building confidence in a foreign language. Students should be at grade level in their reading. Fluency should not be expected at this level.

Bonjour and get ready for a full year French Fundamentals! French Fundamentals is a year-long class whis covers that same content and uses the same textbook as high school French I.

This level is for middle school-aged students who have taken at least two quarters of French Foundations with the instructor, but who are not yet ready to age up and attend Friday high school classes. The expectation is that middle school-aged Fundamentals students will be ready for high school French II the following school year. Registraton for Fundamentals is by semester.

The corresponding French I description follows:

French I is a conversation-focused program in which students will build their vocabulary quickly and learn essential grammar skills in French. Vocabulary will include numbers, time, dates, seasons, school, free time activities/hobbies, likes/dislikes, personal descriptions, family relationships, emotions, food/restaurants, and places/locations in town. There will be a strong emphasis on competency using regular and irregular present tense verbs and common grammar concepts such as articles, pronouns, adjectives, and comparative phrases.

Class will be conducted primarily in French and will focus on listening and speaking skills, asking and answering questions, and correct use of grammar. At home, students will be responsible for memorizing vocabulary and grammar, completing homework assignments, and watching both grammar instruction and language immersion videos.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 30-45 minutes per day, 4 days per week on homework outside of class.

Assignments: Are sent by e-mail to parents and students. Students must have access to a computer and internet service for computer-based videos and practice tools that are assigned as homework and are essential to success in the class.

Assessments: Quizzes, tests, and individual performance reviews will be given to all students at regular intervals to provide parents with sufficient feedback to assign a grade.

Textbook: Students should purchase or rent the required textbook for this class: Bien Dit!: Student Edition Level 1 2013 (French Edition) (ISBN-13 978-0547871790)

Bonjour and get ready for a full year of beginner level high school French! This is a conversation-focused program in which students will build their vocabulary quickly and learn essential grammar skills in French.

Vocabulary will include numbers, time, dates, seasons, school, free time activities/hobbies, likes/dislikes, personal descriptions, family relationships, emotions, food/restaurants, and places/locations in town. There will be a strong emphasis on competency using regular and irregular present tense verbs and common grammar concepts such as articles, pronouns, adjectives, and comparative phrases.

Class will be conducted primarily in French and will focus on listening and speaking skills, asking and answering questions, and correct use of grammar. At home, students will be responsible for memorizing vocabulary and grammar, completing homework assignments, and watching both grammar instruction and language immersion videos.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 30-45 minutes per day, 4 days per week on homework outside of class.

Assignments: Are sent by e-mail to parents and students. Students must have access to a computer and internet service for computer-based videos and practice tools that are assigned as homework and are essential to success in the class.

Assessments: Quizzes, tests, and individual performance reviews will be given to all students at regular intervals to provide parents with sufficient feedback to assign a grade.

Textbook: Students should purchase or rent the required textbook for this class: Bien Dit!: Student Edition Level 1 2013 (French Edition) (ISBN-13 978-0547871790)

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a full credit in Foreign Language for purposes of a high school transcript.

Bonjour and welcome to the second year of high school French. This is a conversation-focused program in which students will build their vocabulary quickly and learn essential grammar skills in French. Students will cover the broad themes and vocabular for: my family and my friends, celebrations, shopping, high school, a typical day, and the good old days.

The class will begin with a review of adjective-noun agreement, negations, and regular -er, ir-, and -re verbs. They will review and continue to expand their list of irregular verbs such as avoir (to have) and etre (to be). Students will be introduced to the passe compose and Imparfait (imperfect) tenses, and they will learn how to use negations, direct and indirect pronouns, and reflexive verbs with present, past, and imperfect tenses. The class will practice comparative and superlative statements, and will continue to have brief cultural lessons integrated in their units.

Class will be conducted primarily in French and will focus on listening and speaking skills, asking and answering questions, and correct use of grammar. At home, students will be responsible for memorizing vocabulary and grammar, completing homework assignments, and watching both grammar instruction and language immersion videos.

Prerequisite: French I

Workload: Students should expect to spend 30-45 minutes per day, 4 days per week on homework outside of class.

Assignments: Are sent by e-mail to parents and students. Students must have access to a computer and internet service for computer-based videos and practice tools that are assigned as homework and are essential to success in the class.

Assessments: Quizzes, tests, and individual performance reviews will be given to all students at regular intervals to provide parents with sufficient feedback to assign a grade.

Textbook: Students should purchase or rent the required textbook for this class: Bien Dit! Level II: Student Edition Level 1 2018 edition (ISBN-13 978-0544861343)

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a full credit in Foreign Language for purposes of a high school transcript.

Bonjour et bienvenue dans notre classe de francais 3 ! Welcome to the third year of high school French. This is a conversation-focused program in which students will build more vocabulary and will be able to communicate using more and more complex sentences. The class will continue using the present tense, the future proche (a future), the passe recent (recent past), the passe-compose and imparfait (two forms of past tense) and will learn the future and the conditional forms of verb.

Vocabulary will include school activities, professions, the theme of fairy tales, nature and environment, and the media. At this point in learning French, students should be using all of the vocabulary they know to become better listeners, more fluent speakers, and stronger writers.

Class will be conducted primarily in French and will focus on listening and speaking skills, asking and answering questions, and correct use of grammar. At home, students will be responsible for memorizing vocabulary and grammar, completing homework assignments, and watching both grammar instruction and language immersion videos.

Prerequisites: French II

Workload: Students should expect to spend 30-45 minutes per day, 4 days per week on homework outside of class.

Assignments: Are sent by e-mail to parents and students. Students must have access to a computer and internet service for computer-based videos and practice tools that are assigned as homework and are essential to success in the class.

Assessments: Quizzes, tests, and individual performance reviews will be given to all students at regular intervals to provide parents with sufficient feedback to assign a grade.

Textbook: Students should purchase or rent the required textbook for this class: Bien Dit!: Student Edition Level 3, 2013 edition (ISBN-13: 978-0547871691)

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a full credit in Foreign Language for purposes of a high school transcript.

Bonjour et bienvenue dans notre classe de Francais 4 ! Welcome to the fourth year of high school French. This is a conversation-focused program in which students will communicate among each other about different topics. The class will naturally continue using the present tenses, the future tenses, the past tenses, and the conditional tense.

At this point in learning French, students should be able to communicate fluently about various topics using their knowledge. Students will also develop new vocabulary and new grammar points via the use of different readings.

Class will be conducted primarily in French and will focus on listening and speaking skills. At home, students will be responsible for memorizing vocabulary and grammar, completing homework assignments, and watching both grammar instruction and language immersion videos.

Prerequisites: French III

Workload: Students should expect to spend 30-45 minutes per day, 4 days per week on homework outside of class.

Assignments: Are sent by e-mail to parents and students. Students must have access to a computer and internet service for computer-based videos and practice tools that are assigned as homework and are essential to success in the class.

Assessments: Quizzes, tests, and individual performance reviews will be given to all students at regular intervals to provide parents with sufficient feedback to assign a grade.

Textbook:Each semester, students will read a novel in French that will be selected by the instructor. Students will be asked to reimburse her for the cost of the novel, approximately $10.00-$15.00

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a full credit in Foreign Language for purposes of a high school transcript.

Salut! French with Friends is an introductory French class for elementary-aged students. The class will be taught in a predominantly immersion environment. Limited cues in English will be used to prompt students or explain difficult concepts. French language instruction will be presented in a natural learning sequence beginning with nouns (such as colors, numbers, clothing, foods, animals, family members, days/dates, etc), adjectives, beginning verbs, greetings, and simple phrases. Songs, games, stories, and hands-on activities will be used in class to review vocabulary and phrases. Emphasis will be on conversation, but students will be encouraged to learn to spell and sound out written French. Aspects of Francophone culture such as holidays, foods, and traditions will be incorporated in the classes.

Each quarter introduces new themes and new vocabulary in French, so continuing students can continue to build their language basics. However, themes and units are non-sequential, so students may enroll in this level in any quarter. The goal of this introductory course is to lay foundations in sounds, vocabulary, and simple phrases while having fun and building confidence in a foreign language. Fluency should not be expected at this level.

Graphic Great Novels is the class for students who think they do not like reading, and for the ones who already do. Each quarter, students read three illustrated adaptations of classic novels from the Saddleback Educational Publishing Illustrated Classics Series. Children will become familiar with timeless tales from some of the world's best-known authors- Dickens, Stevenson, Twain, Dumas, Verne, Shakespeare, and more. The format makes them approachable and genuinely fun to read. Students often leave curious about the original novels- that is the point!

First quarter, students will embark on classic adventure quests from a family stranded and surviving on a deserted island in The Swiss Family Robinson by Wyss to a sea captain obsessed with capturing an elusive whale in Moby Dick by Melville. The class will search for buried treasure and fight off marauding pirates in Treasure Island by Stevenson.

Each quarter opens with an introduction to the graphic novel format, covering panels, speech bubbles, visual pacing, and how illustrators make meaning alongside words. From there, students read about half a graphic novel per week at home (25 to 30 pages), individually or as a family. In class, students discuss the stories, analyze characters and themes, and explore other versions of the same tale through excerpts, audio, or film clips. These novels are generally considered appropriate for readers ages 8 to 12.

Students who complete all four quarters will read 12 illustrated classics-three per quarter-building their own complete illustrated classic library. Because students will need the same editions of all three graphic novels, Compass will pre-purchase the book bundles. A supply fee of $48.00 is due payable to Compass on or before the first day of class.

Topics in this series include: All Out Adventure (Quarter 1), Shakespeare Shorts (Quarter 2), Blockbuster British Books (Quarter 3), and Tragic Transformations (Quarter 4)

Great Books for Girls is a book club just for preteen girls. Each quarter, students read one high-quality novel and spend class time doing more than just discussing it. Girls act out scenes, debate character decisions, write alternate endings or origin stories, and dig into the research behind the story. Through conversation and guided activities, students begin to read more closely and notice how authors build characters, develop themes, and make choices about how to tell a story.

Each quarter, one book is the teacher's selection and a second book is chosen by the class from a short, approved list. Students read assigned chapters at home and come to class prepared to share their reflections and discuss the books. All books are selected from Newbery Medalists and Honor Books, Caldecott Medal titles, A Mighty Girl book lists, Parents' Choice Award winners, and proven classics of children's fiction.

This year's themes and teacher's choice books: Quarter1: Leadership (When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller, 2021 Newbery Medal); Quarter 2: Strength (One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-Ransome, 2025 Newbery Honor); Quarter 3: Imagination (The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera, 2023 Newbery Medal); and Quarter 4: Independence (Across So Many Seas by Ruth Behar, 2025 Newbery Honor).

Level: This class is designed for 5th and 6th graders. 4th grade students reading above grade level are welcome.

Novels: The cost of a new, mass-market paperback edition of the first book title is included in the class tuition. Parents are responsible for buying or borrowing a copy of the second book from the library, once selected.

What to Bring: Current novel, paper, pen or pencil, and a highlighter. Sticky notes or adhesive flags are helpful for marking favorite passages.

Explore the world of gargantuan gods, humble heroes, and malevolent monsters! Some ancient myths have plots that rival today's comics and blockbuster movies. Many myths still have millennia-old appeal because of their timeless tales of good versus evil, life and death, creation and the afterlife. This class explores the origins of early mythology, from the Egyptians to the Greeks, Romans, Celts, Aztecs, and more through epics, plays and poetry. Readers will explore the realm of mythology through short stories, class discussion, analyses, extension activities and projects that will boost comprehension and the understanding of myths as the basis for many other forms of modern media. Students will enjoy reading and discussing battles, romance, treachery, larger than life heroes and characters, intricate gods and goddesses, and all sorts of fantastical creatures!

First quarter, the class will explore Hero Myths, the exciting tales of bravery, cleverness, and courage that inspired legends across cultures. As examples, students will read about Hercules and his Twelve Labors, Theseus defeating the Minotaur, and Thor's encounter with the giant Utgaroa-Loki, where strength alone was not enough to win. They will also discover tricksters and epic heroes like Sun Wukong, Anansi, and Gilgamesh, whose adventures shaped the storytelling traditions of their worlds.

Topics in this Series include: Heroes (Quarter 1); Monsters (Quarter 2); Gods and Goddesses (Quarter 3), and Origin Tales (Quarter 4).

Parlez-vous fun? Whether you are a seasoned francophone or simply a fan of all things French, this lively club is your passport to language, culture, and connection. Students will practice conversational French in a relaxed, welcoming setting while diving into games, short TV clips, current events, and even French cartoons. From bonjour to bon appetit, every meeting offers something new to explore.

Throughout the quarter, members will celebrate French culture and traditions, learning about holidays, customs, and everyday life across the French-speaking world. And because no French experience is complete without food, the club will head to the kitchen once or twice each quarter to prepare (and enjoy!) classic treats like crepes, madeleines, and macarons.

Come for the conversation- stay for the culture, camaraderie, and cuisine!

If your child is going to read, let's make it unforgettable. Rich stories, vivid characters, and books they actually want to open. No dry passages. No busywork. Just real literature that pulls them in and keeps them thinking long after the last page.

Strong reading and writing skills do not just matter in language arts. They drive success across every subject. This dynamic weekly reading group is built for small cohorts of 6 to 10 students working at a similar level. The setting allows kids to feel confident, appropriately challenged, and genuinely engaged. Guided by an experienced language arts teacher, students move through a literature-based curriculum that connects everything they learn.

In this class, books are the center of it all. Vocabulary grows naturally from the story. Grammar is taught in context. Writing assignments are meaningful and tied directly to characters, themes, and ideas. The result is a cohesive and immersive approach to language arts that sticks. Each week, students explore engaging texts while building critical skills such as comprehension, prediction, visualization, and verbal expression. Reading should feel like an adventure. In this class, it is.

Books covered in this level include:
Semester 1:

• Frog & Toad Together
• Poppleton in Winter
• Henry & Mudge
• Frecklejuice

Semester 2:

• Owl at Home
• The Fire Cat
• The Stories Julian Tells
• The Day the Crayons Quit

Placement: Readiness matters. Because this is a comprehensive program, students should be working at a similar level in reading, comprehension, and writing. Parents are encouraged to use results from a nationally normed assessment, such as those used for the Virginia Evidence of Progress to confirm their child's grade level equivalency.

This program is designed for students who thrive in a traditional literature-based setting. Students who are more than one year behind in language arts, or who show a significant gap between reading and writing skills, may be better supported in the Reading Ready program or through private tutoring. Students with diagnosed learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, or language processing disorders may benefit more from the structured literacy approach offered in the Reading Ready program.

Homework: Learning continues at home in a simple, manageable way. Families receive themed activities that reinforce skills without adding stress. For many learners, Reading Rally can serve as a complete language arts program, covering reading, comprehension, writing, spelling, and grammar without the need for additional curriculum.

Supply Fee: There is a supply of $26.00 due first semester ($31.00 for second semester) due payable to Compass on/before the first day of class for the semester set of books.

If your child is going to read, let's make it unforgettable. Rich stories, vivid characters, and books they actually want to open. No dry passages. No busywork. Just real literature that pulls them in and keeps them thinking long after the last page.

Strong reading and writing skills do not just matter in language arts. They drive success across every subject. This dynamic weekly reading group is built for small cohorts of 6 to 10 students working at a similar level. The setting allows kids to feel confident, appropriately challenged, and genuinely engaged. Guided by an experienced language arts teacher, students move through a literature-based curriculum that connects everything they learn.

In this class, books are the center of it all. Vocabulary grows naturally from the story. Grammar is taught in context. Writing assignments are meaningful and tied directly to characters, themes, and ideas. The result is a cohesive and immersive approach to language arts that sticks. Each week, students explore engaging texts while building critical skills such as comprehension, prediction, visualization, and verbal expression. Reading should feel like an adventure. In this class, it is.

Books covered in this level include:
Semester 1:

• My Father's Dragon
• Alexander and the Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
• Sarah, Plain and Tall
• The Great Kapok Tree

Semester 2:

• Because of Winn-Dixie
• Charlotte's Web
• The Hundred Dresses
• Flora and Ulysses

Placement: Readiness matters. Because this is a comprehensive program, students should be working at a similar level in reading, comprehension, and writing. Parents are encouraged to use results from a nationally normed assessment, such as those used for the Virginia Evidence of Progress to confirm their child's grade level equivalency.

This program is designed for students who thrive in a traditional literature-based setting. Students who are more than one year behind in language arts, or who show a significant gap between reading and writing skills, may be better supported in the Reading Ready program or through private tutoring. Students with diagnosed learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, or language processing disorders may benefit more from the structured literacy approach offered in the Reading Ready program.

Homework: Learning continues at home in a simple, manageable way. Families receive themed activities that reinforce skills without adding stress. For many learners, Reading Rally can serve as a complete language arts program, covering reading, comprehension, writing, spelling, and grammar without the need for additional curriculum.

Supply Fee: There is a supply of $29.00 due first semester ($32.00 for second semester) due payable to Compass on/before the first day of class for the semester set of books.

If your child is going to read, let's make it unforgettable. Rich stories, vivid characters, and books they actually want to open. No dry passages. No busywork. Just real literature that pulls them in and keeps them thinking long after the last page.

Strong reading and writing skills do not just matter in language arts. They drive success across every subject. This dynamic weekly reading group is built for small cohorts of 6 to 10 students working at a similar level. The setting allows kids to feel confident, appropriately challenged, and genuinely engaged. Guided by an experienced language arts teacher, students move through a literature-based curriculum that connects everything they learn.

In this class, books are the center of it all. Vocabulary grows naturally from the story. Grammar is taught in context. Writing assignments are meaningful and tied directly to characters, themes, and ideas. The result is a cohesive and immersive approach to language arts that sticks. Each week, students explore engaging texts while building critical skills such as comprehension, prediction, visualization, and verbal expression. Reading should feel like an adventure. In this class, it is.

Books covered in this level include:
Semester 1:

• The One and Only Ivan
• How to Eat Fried Worms
• Holes
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Semester 2:

• Number the Stars
• Esperanza Rising
• The Westing Game
• Bridge to Terabithia

Placement: Readiness matters. Because this is a comprehensive program, students should be working at a similar level in reading, comprehension, and writing. Parents are encouraged to use results from a nationally normed assessment, such as those used for the Virginia Evidence of Progress to confirm their child's grade level equivalency.

This program is designed for students who thrive in a traditional literature-based setting. Students who are more than one year behind in language arts, or who show a significant gap between reading and writing skills, may be better supported in the Reading Ready program or through private tutoring. Students with diagnosed learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, or language processing disorders may benefit more from the structured literacy approach offered in the Reading Ready program.

Homework: Learning continues at home in a simple, manageable way. Families receive themed activities that reinforce skills without adding stress. For many learners, Reading Rally can serve as a complete language arts program, covering reading, comprehension, writing, spelling, and grammar without the need for additional curriculum.

Supply Fee: There is a supply of $31.00 due first semester ($29.00 for second semester) due payable to Compass on/before the first day of class for the semester set of books.

If your child is going to read, let's make it unforgettable. Rich stories, vivid characters, and books they actually want to open. No dry passages. No busywork. Just real literature that pulls them in and keeps them thinking long after the last page.

Strong reading and writing skills do not just matter in language arts. They drive success across every subject. This dynamic weekly reading group is built for small cohorts of 6 to 10 students working at a similar level. The setting allows kids to feel confident, appropriately challenged, and genuinely engaged. Guided by an experienced language arts teacher, students move through a literature-based curriculum that connects everything they learn.

In this class, books are the center of it all. Vocabulary grows naturally from the story. Grammar is taught in context. Writing assignments are meaningful and tied directly to characters, themes, and ideas. The result is a cohesive and immersive approach to language arts that sticks. Each week, students explore engaging texts while building critical skills such as comprehension, prediction, visualization, and verbal expression. Reading should feel like an adventure. In this class, it is.

Books covered in this level include:
Semester 1:

• Tuck Everlasting
• Bound
• Maniac Magee
• Bud, Not Buddy

Semester 2:

• Out of My Mind
• The Crossover
• Island of the Blue Dolphins
• Hatchet

Placement: Readiness matters. Because this is a comprehensive program, students should be working at a similar level in reading, comprehension, and writing. Parents are encouraged to use results from a nationally normed assessment, such as those used for the Virginia Evidence of Progress to confirm their child's grade level equivalency.

This program is designed for students who thrive in a traditional literature-based setting. Students who are more than one year behind in language arts, or who show a significant gap between reading and writing skills, may be better supported in the Reading Ready program or through private tutoring. Students with diagnosed learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, or language processing disorders may benefit more from the structured literacy approach offered in the Reading Ready program.

Homework: Learning continues at home in a simple, manageable way. Families receive themed activities that reinforce skills without adding stress. For many learners, Reading Rally can serve as a complete language arts program, covering reading, comprehension, writing, spelling, and grammar without the need for additional curriculum.

Supply Fee: There is a supply of $30.00 due first semester ($31.00 for second semester) due payable to Compass on/before the first day of class for the semester set of books.

If your child is going to read, let's make it unforgettable. Rich stories, vivid characters, and books they actually want to open. No dry passages. No busywork. Just real literature that pulls them in and keeps them thinking long after the last page.

Strong reading and writing skills do not just matter in language arts. They drive success across every subject. This dynamic weekly reading group is built for small cohorts of 6 to 10 students working at a similar level. The setting allows kids to feel confident, appropriately challenged, and genuinely engaged. Guided by an experienced language arts teacher, students move through a literature-based curriculum that connects everything they learn.

In this class, books are the center of it all. Vocabulary grows naturally from the story. Grammar is taught in context. Writing assignments are meaningful and tied directly to characters, themes, and ideas. The result is a cohesive and immersive approach to language arts that sticks. Each week, students explore engaging texts while building critical skills such as comprehension, prediction, visualization, and verbal expression. Reading should feel like an adventure. In this class, it is.

Books covered in this level include:
Semester 1:

• The Giver
• Dragonwings
• Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
• The Dark Is Rising

Semester 2:

• The Outsiders
• My Brother Sam Is Dead
• M.C. Higgins, the Great
• The Boy in the Striped

Pajamas

Placement: Readiness matters. Because this is a comprehensive program, students should be working at a similar level in reading, comprehension, and writing. Parents are encouraged to use results from a nationally normed assessment, such as those used for the Virginia Evidence of Progress to confirm their child's grade level equivalency.

This program is designed for students who thrive in a traditional literature-based setting. Students who are more than one year behind in language arts, or who show a significant gap between reading and writing skills, may be better supported in the Reading Ready program or through private tutoring. Students with diagnosed learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, or language processing disorders may benefit more from the structured literacy approach offered in the Reading Ready program.

Homework: Learning continues at home in a simple, manageable way. Families receive themed activities that reinforce skills without adding stress. For many learners, Reading Rally can serve as a complete language arts program, covering reading, comprehension, writing, spelling, and grammar without the need for additional curriculum.

Supply Fee: There is a supply of $31.00 due first semester ($36.00 for second semester) due payable to Compass on/before the first day of class for the semester set of books.

For many neurodivergent students, language arts can present unique and persistent challenges. Dyslexia, dysgraphia, expressive and receptive language disorders, ADHD, and related differences can make reading feel like a significant hurdle- one that often creates a ripple effect across other areas of academic growth. These students benefit most from targeted, structured support guided by certified specialists in structured literacy and language-based learning differences.

Reading Ready: A Language Arts Dys-covery is a specialized, needs-based language arts program designed for small cohorts of 3-4 students with similar abilities. Each group will use carefully selected, research-based materials designed to support developing readers, such as Orton-Gillingham- aligned programs, the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) curriculum, Lindamood-Bell comprehension program, and/or Handwriting Without Tears, along with additional resources chosen by the instructor to meet the specific needs of the group.

Reading Ready meets twice per week and is a guided by certified specialists in structured literacy and language-based learning differences. Families are discouraged from introducing additional language arts curriculum while enrolled in Reading Ready so there is no confusion among teaching methods.

ATTENTION!

Assessments: Parents may not register for the Reading Ready program until their student has completed an in-person evaluation with one of the reading specialists. The evaluation will consist of the CUBED 3rd Edition, a comprehensive literacy assessment by the Language Dynamics Group that measures language, decoding, and reading comprehension to ensure accurate group placement.

Cost: The placement evaluation must be scheduled and paid for through Compass at a cost of $60 for returning Reading Rally students (enrolled spring semester 2026) and $140 for new students. The fee is due prior to the assessment and is not refundable in the event the family decides not to register for a reading group.

Schedule: Reading Ready classes for K-8th grade meet twice per week, either on Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Thursday. Placement in a specific section is determined only after a student has been evaluated; parents should not assume a particular day or time in advance. Because reading groups are carefully leveled and not interchangeable, refunds will not be issued based on scheduling preferences. Families are strongly encouraged to receive their reading group assignment before registering for other classes. Teens interested in structured language arts classes are encouraged to inquire about available timeslots.

Attendance: Consistent attendance is essential to keep this small group progressing together. If a student misses more than one consecutive class, a one-on-one make-up session will need to be scheduled (and paid for) to cover missed material and ensure the student remains on pace with the group.

Parent Support/Homework: This program is designed for homeschooled students and relies on consistent parent support to ensure steady progress. Students must complete practice work at home to reinforce the skills introduced in class. Families should plan for approximately 20-40 minutes of homework, three to four days each week.

Supply Fee: A supply fee of $45.00 - $50.00 is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class for consumable materials such as program workbooks or manipulatives from evidence-based curricula such as Story Grammar Marker, Framing Your Thoughts, Visualizing and Verbalizing, and/or Handwriting Without Tears. The exact amount will be determined after the initial assessment, as each student will be placed in an intervention group and receive materials specific to their program.

Tuition: The semester tuition is based on a minimum of three students in a class. In the event only two students are assigned to one level, the families will be asked to pay the upcharge to a 2-person semi-private class (+$714-$740/each). With only one student, a class section will be canceled, or the family will have the option to pay the upcharge to 1:1 instruction (+2400-$2500)

For many neurodivergent students, language arts can present unique and persistent challenges. Dyslexia, dysgraphia, expressive and receptive language disorders, ADHD, and related differences can make reading feel like a significant hurdle- one that often creates a ripple effect across other areas of academic growth. These students benefit most from targeted, structured support guided by certified specialists in structured literacy and language-based learning differences.

Reading Ready: A Language Arts Dys-covery is a specialized, needs-based language arts program designed for small cohorts of 3-4 students with similar abilities. Each group will use carefully selected, research-based materials designed to support developing readers, such as Orton-Gillingham- aligned programs, the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) curriculum, Lindamood-Bell comprehension program, and/or Handwriting Without Tears, along with additional resources chosen by the instructor to meet the specific needs of the group.

Reading Ready meets twice per week and is a guided by certified specialists in structured literacy and language-based learning differences. Families are discouraged from introducing additional language arts curriculum while enrolled in Reading Ready so there is no confusion among teaching methods.

ATTENTION!

Assessments: Parents may not register for the Reading Ready program until their student has completed an in-person evaluation with one of the reading specialists. The evaluation will consist of the CUBED 3rd Edition, a comprehensive literacy assessment by the Language Dynamics Group that measures language, decoding, and reading comprehension to ensure accurate group placement.

Cost: The placement evaluation must be scheduled and paid for through Compass at a cost of $60 for returning Reading Rally students (enrolled spring semester 2026) and $140 for new students. The fee is due prior to the assessment and is not refundable in the event the family decides not to register for a reading group.

Schedule: Reading Ready classes for K-8th grade meet twice per week, either on Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Thursday. Placement in a specific section is determined only after a student has been evaluated; parents should not assume a particular day or time in advance. Because reading groups are carefully leveled and not interchangeable, refunds will not be issued based on scheduling preferences. Families are strongly encouraged to receive their reading group assignment before registering for other classes. Teens interested in structured language arts classes are encouraged to inquire about available timeslots.

Attendance: Consistent attendance is essential to keep this small group progressing together. If a student misses more than one consecutive class, a one-on-one make-up session will need to be scheduled (and paid for) to cover missed material and ensure the student remains on pace with the group.

Parent Support/Homework: This program is designed for homeschooled students and relies on consistent parent support to ensure steady progress. Students must complete practice work at home to reinforce the skills introduced in class. Families should plan for approximately 20-40 minutes of homework, three to four days each week.

Supply Fee: A supply fee of $45.00 - $50.00 is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class for consumable materials such as program workbooks or manipulatives from evidence-based curricula such as Story Grammar Marker, Framing Your Thoughts, Visualizing and Verbalizing, and/or Handwriting Without Tears. The exact amount will be determined after the initial assessment, as each student will be placed in an intervention group and receive materials specific to their program.

Tuition: The semester tuition is based on a minimum of three students in a class. In the event only two students are assigned to one level, the families will be asked to pay the upcharge to a 2-person semi-private class (+$714-$740/each). With only one student, a class section will be canceled, or the family will have the option to pay the upcharge to 1:1 instruction (+2400-$2500)

For many neurodivergent students, language arts can present unique and persistent challenges. Dyslexia, dysgraphia, expressive and receptive language disorders, ADHD, and related differences can make reading feel like a significant hurdle- one that often creates a ripple effect across other areas of academic growth. These students benefit most from targeted, structured support guided by certified specialists in structured literacy and language-based learning differences.

Reading Ready: A Language Arts Dys-covery is a specialized, needs-based language arts program designed for small cohorts of 3-4 students with similar abilities. Each group will use carefully selected, research-based materials designed to support developing readers, such as Orton-Gillingham- aligned programs, the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) curriculum, Lindamood-Bell comprehension program, and/or Handwriting Without Tears, along with additional resources chosen by the instructor to meet the specific needs of the group.

Reading Ready meets twice per week and is a guided by certified specialists in structured literacy and language-based learning differences. Families are discouraged from introducing additional language arts curriculum while enrolled in Reading Ready so there is no confusion among teaching methods.

ATTENTION!

Assessments: Parents may not register for the Reading Ready program until their student has completed an in-person evaluation with one of the reading specialists. The evaluation will consist of the CUBED 3rd Edition, a comprehensive literacy assessment by the Language Dynamics Group that measures language, decoding, and reading comprehension to ensure accurate group placement.

Cost: The placement evaluation must be scheduled and paid for through Compass at a cost of $60 for returning Reading Rally students (enrolled spring semester 2026) and $140 for new students. The fee is due prior to the assessment and is not refundable in the event the family decides not to register for a reading group.

Schedule: Reading Ready classes for K-8th grade meet twice per week, either on Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Thursday. Placement in a specific section is determined only after a student has been evaluated; parents should not assume a particular day or time in advance. Because reading groups are carefully leveled and not interchangeable, refunds will not be issued based on scheduling preferences. Families are strongly encouraged to receive their reading group assignment before registering for other classes. Teens interested in structured language arts classes are encouraged to inquire about available timeslots.

Attendance: Consistent attendance is essential to keep this small group progressing together. If a student misses more than one consecutive class, a one-on-one make-up session will need to be scheduled (and paid for) to cover missed material and ensure the student remains on pace with the group.

Parent Support/Homework: This program is designed for homeschooled students and relies on consistent parent support to ensure steady progress. Students must complete practice work at home to reinforce the skills introduced in class. Families should plan for approximately 20-40 minutes of homework, three to four days each week.

Supply Fee: A supply fee of $45.00 - $50.00 is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class for consumable materials such as program workbooks or manipulatives from evidence-based curricula such as Story Grammar Marker, Framing Your Thoughts, Visualizing and Verbalizing, and/or Handwriting Without Tears. The exact amount will be determined after the initial assessment, as each student will be placed in an intervention group and receive materials specific to their program.

Tuition: The semester tuition is based on a minimum of three students in a class. In the event only two students are assigned to one level, the families will be asked to pay the upcharge to a 2-person semi-private class (+$714-$740/each). With only one student, a class section will be canceled, or the family will have the option to pay the upcharge to 1:1 instruction (+2400-$2500)

For many neurodivergent students, language arts can present unique and persistent challenges. Dyslexia, dysgraphia, expressive and receptive language disorders, ADHD, and related differences can make reading feel like a significant hurdle- one that often creates a ripple effect across other areas of academic growth. These students benefit most from targeted, structured support guided by certified specialists in structured literacy and language-based learning differences.

Reading Ready: A Language Arts Dys-covery is a specialized, needs-based language arts program designed for small cohorts of 3-4 students with similar abilities. Each group will use carefully selected, research-based materials designed to support developing readers, such as Orton-Gillingham- aligned programs, the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) curriculum, Lindamood-Bell comprehension program, and/or Handwriting Without Tears, along with additional resources chosen by the instructor to meet the specific needs of the group.

Reading Ready meets twice per week and is a guided by certified specialists in structured literacy and language-based learning differences. Families are discouraged from introducing additional language arts curriculum while enrolled in Reading Ready so there is no confusion among teaching methods.

ATTENTION!

Assessments: Parents may not register for the Reading Ready program until their student has completed an in-person evaluation with one of the reading specialists. The evaluation will consist of the CUBED 3rd Edition, a comprehensive literacy assessment by the Language Dynamics Group that measures language, decoding, and reading comprehension to ensure accurate group placement.

Cost: The placement evaluation must be scheduled and paid for through Compass at a cost of $60 for returning Reading Rally students (enrolled spring semester 2026) and $140 for new students. The fee is due prior to the assessment and is not refundable in the event the family decides not to register for a reading group.

Schedule: Reading Ready classes for K-8th grade meet twice per week, either on Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Thursday. Placement in a specific section is determined only after a student has been evaluated; parents should not assume a particular day or time in advance. Because reading groups are carefully leveled and not interchangeable, refunds will not be issued based on scheduling preferences. Families are strongly encouraged to receive their reading group assignment before registering for other classes. Teens interested in structured language arts classes are encouraged to inquire about available timeslots.

Attendance: Consistent attendance is essential to keep this small group progressing together. If a student misses more than one consecutive class, a one-on-one make-up session will need to be scheduled (and paid for) to cover missed material and ensure the student remains on pace with the group.

Parent Support/Homework: This program is designed for homeschooled students and relies on consistent parent support to ensure steady progress. Students must complete practice work at home to reinforce the skills introduced in class. Families should plan for approximately 20-40 minutes of homework, three to four days each week.

Supply Fee: A supply fee of $45.00 - $50.00 is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class for consumable materials such as program workbooks or manipulatives from evidence-based curricula such as Story Grammar Marker, Framing Your Thoughts, Visualizing and Verbalizing, and/or Handwriting Without Tears. The exact amount will be determined after the initial assessment, as each student will be placed in an intervention group and receive materials specific to their program.

Tuition: The semester tuition is based on a minimum of three students in a class. In the event only two students are assigned to one level, the families will be asked to pay the upcharge to a 2-person semi-private class (+$714-$740/each). With only one student, a class section will be canceled, or the family will have the option to pay the upcharge to 1:1 instruction (+2400-$2500)

For many neurodivergent students, language arts can present unique and persistent challenges. Dyslexia, dysgraphia, expressive and receptive language disorders, ADHD, and related differences can make reading feel like a significant hurdle- one that often creates a ripple effect across other areas of academic growth. These students benefit most from targeted, structured support guided by certified specialists in structured literacy and language-based learning differences.

Reading Ready: A Language Arts Dys-covery is a specialized, needs-based language arts program designed for small cohorts of 3-4 students with similar abilities. Each group will use carefully selected, research-based materials designed to support developing readers, such as Orton-Gillingham- aligned programs, the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) curriculum, Lindamood-Bell comprehension program, and/or Handwriting Without Tears, along with additional resources chosen by the instructor to meet the specific needs of the group.

Reading Ready meets twice per week and is a guided by certified specialists in structured literacy and language-based learning differences. Families are discouraged from introducing additional language arts curriculum while enrolled in Reading Ready so there is no confusion among teaching methods.

ATTENTION!

Assessments: Parents may not register for the Reading Ready program until their student has completed an in-person evaluation with one of the reading specialists. The evaluation will consist of the CUBED 3rd Edition, a comprehensive literacy assessment by the Language Dynamics Group that measures language, decoding, and reading comprehension to ensure accurate group placement.

Cost: The placement evaluation must be scheduled and paid for through Compass at a cost of $60 for returning Reading Rally students (enrolled spring semester 2026) and $140 for new students. The fee is due prior to the assessment and is not refundable in the event the family decides not to register for a reading group.

Schedule: Reading Ready classes for K-8th grade meet twice per week, either on Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Thursday. Placement in a specific section is determined only after a student has been evaluated; parents should not assume a particular day or time in advance. Because reading groups are carefully leveled and not interchangeable, refunds will not be issued based on scheduling preferences. Families are strongly encouraged to receive their reading group assignment before registering for other classes. Teens interested in structured language arts classes are encouraged to inquire about available timeslots.

Attendance: Consistent attendance is essential to keep this small group progressing together. If a student misses more than one consecutive class, a one-on-one make-up session will need to be scheduled (and paid for) to cover missed material and ensure the student remains on pace with the group.

Parent Support/Homework: This program is designed for homeschooled students and relies on consistent parent support to ensure steady progress. Students must complete practice work at home to reinforce the skills introduced in class. Families should plan for approximately 20-40 minutes of homework, three to four days each week.

Supply Fee: A supply fee of $45.00 - $50.00 is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class for consumable materials such as program workbooks or manipulatives from evidence-based curricula such as Story Grammar Marker, Framing Your Thoughts, Visualizing and Verbalizing, and/or Handwriting Without Tears. The exact amount will be determined after the initial assessment, as each student will be placed in an intervention group and receive materials specific to their program.

Tuition: The semester tuition is based on a minimum of three students in a class. In the event only two students are assigned to one level, the families will be asked to pay the upcharge to a 2-person semi-private class (+$714-$740/each). With only one student, a class section will be canceled, or the family will have the option to pay the upcharge to 1:1 instruction (+2400-$2500)

For many neurodivergent students, language arts can present unique and persistent challenges. Dyslexia, dysgraphia, expressive and receptive language disorders, ADHD, and related differences can make reading feel like a significant hurdle- one that often creates a ripple effect across other areas of academic growth. These students benefit most from targeted, structured support guided by certified specialists in structured literacy and language-based learning differences.

Reading Ready: A Language Arts Dys-covery is a specialized, needs-based language arts program designed for small cohorts of 3-4 students with similar abilities. Each group will use carefully selected, research-based materials designed to support developing readers, such as Orton-Gillingham- aligned programs, the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) curriculum, Lindamood-Bell comprehension program, and/or Handwriting Without Tears, along with additional resources chosen by the instructor to meet the specific needs of the group.

Reading Ready meets twice per week and is a guided by certified specialists in structured literacy and language-based learning differences. Families are discouraged from introducing additional language arts curriculum while enrolled in Reading Ready so there is no confusion among teaching methods.

ATTENTION!

Assessments: Parents may not register for the Reading Ready program until their student has completed an in-person evaluation with one of the reading specialists. The evaluation will consist of the CUBED 3rd Edition, a comprehensive literacy assessment by the Language Dynamics Group that measures language, decoding, and reading comprehension to ensure accurate group placement.

Cost: The placement evaluation must be scheduled and paid for through Compass at a cost of $60 for returning Reading Rally students (enrolled spring semester 2026) and $140 for new students. The fee is due prior to the assessment and is not refundable in the event the family decides not to register for a reading group.

Schedule: Reading Ready classes for K-8th grade meet twice per week, either on Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Thursday. Placement in a specific section is determined only after a student has been evaluated; parents should not assume a particular day or time in advance. Because reading groups are carefully leveled and not interchangeable, refunds will not be issued based on scheduling preferences. Families are strongly encouraged to receive their reading group assignment before registering for other classes. Teens interested in structured language arts classes are encouraged to inquire about available timeslots.

Attendance: Consistent attendance is essential to keep this small group progressing together. If a student misses more than one consecutive class, a one-on-one make-up session will need to be scheduled (and paid for) to cover missed material and ensure the student remains on pace with the group.

Parent Support/Homework: This program is designed for homeschooled students and relies on consistent parent support to ensure steady progress. Students must complete practice work at home to reinforce the skills introduced in class. Families should plan for approximately 20-40 minutes of homework, three to four days each week.

Supply Fee: A supply fee of $45.00 - $50.00 is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class for consumable materials such as program workbooks or manipulatives from evidence-based curricula such as Story Grammar Marker, Framing Your Thoughts, Visualizing and Verbalizing, and/or Handwriting Without Tears. The exact amount will be determined after the initial assessment, as each student will be placed in an intervention group and receive materials specific to their program.

Tuition: The semester tuition is based on a minimum of three students in a class. In the event only two students are assigned to one level, the families will be asked to pay the upcharge to a 2-person semi-private class (+$714-$740/each). With only one student, a class section will be canceled, or the family will have the option to pay the upcharge to 1:1 instruction (+2400-$2500)

For many neurodivergent students, language arts can present unique and persistent challenges. Dyslexia, dysgraphia, expressive and receptive language disorders, ADHD, and related differences can make reading feel like a significant hurdle- one that often creates a ripple effect across other areas of academic growth. These students benefit most from targeted, structured support guided by certified specialists in structured literacy and language-based learning differences.

Reading Ready: A Language Arts Dys-covery is a specialized, needs-based language arts program designed for small cohorts of 3-4 students with similar abilities. Each group will use carefully selected, research-based materials designed to support developing readers, such as Orton-Gillingham- aligned programs, the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) curriculum, Lindamood-Bell comprehension program, and/or Handwriting Without Tears, along with additional resources chosen by the instructor to meet the specific needs of the group.

Reading Ready meets twice per week and is a guided by certified specialists in structured literacy and language-based learning differences. Families are discouraged from introducing additional language arts curriculum while enrolled in Reading Ready so there is no confusion among teaching methods.

ATTENTION!

Assessments: Parents may not register for the Reading Ready program until their student has completed an in-person evaluation with one of the reading specialists. The evaluation will consist of the CUBED 3rd Edition, a comprehensive literacy assessment by the Language Dynamics Group that measures language, decoding, and reading comprehension to ensure accurate group placement.

Cost: The placement evaluation must be scheduled and paid for through Compass at a cost of $60 for returning Reading Rally students (enrolled spring semester 2026) and $140 for new students. The fee is due prior to the assessment and is not refundable in the event the family decides not to register for a reading group.

Schedule: Reading Ready classes for K-8th grade meet twice per week, either on Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Thursday. Placement in a specific section is determined only after a student has been evaluated; parents should not assume a particular day or time in advance. Because reading groups are carefully leveled and not interchangeable, refunds will not be issued based on scheduling preferences. Families are strongly encouraged to receive their reading group assignment before registering for other classes. Teens interested in structured language arts classes are encouraged to inquire about available timeslots.

Attendance: Consistent attendance is essential to keep this small group progressing together. If a student misses more than one consecutive class, a one-on-one make-up session will need to be scheduled (and paid for) to cover missed material and ensure the student remains on pace with the group.

Parent Support/Homework: This program is designed for homeschooled students and relies on consistent parent support to ensure steady progress. Students must complete practice work at home to reinforce the skills introduced in class. Families should plan for approximately 20-40 minutes of homework, three to four days each week.

Supply Fee: A supply fee of $45.00 - $50.00 is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class for consumable materials such as program workbooks or manipulatives from evidence-based curricula such as Story Grammar Marker, Framing Your Thoughts, Visualizing and Verbalizing, and/or Handwriting Without Tears. The exact amount will be determined after the initial assessment, as each student will be placed in an intervention group and receive materials specific to their program.

Tuition: The semester tuition is based on a minimum of three students in a class. In the event only two students are assigned to one level, the families will be asked to pay the upcharge to a 2-person semi-private class (+$714-$740/each). With only one student, a class section will be canceled, or the family will have the option to pay the upcharge to 1:1 instruction (+2400-$2500)

For many neurodivergent students, language arts can present unique and persistent challenges. Dyslexia, dysgraphia, expressive and receptive language disorders, ADHD, and related differences can make reading feel like a significant hurdle- one that often creates a ripple effect across other areas of academic growth. These students benefit most from targeted, structured support guided by certified specialists in structured literacy and language-based learning differences.

Reading Ready: A Language Arts Dys-covery is a specialized, needs-based language arts program designed for small cohorts of 3-4 students with similar abilities. Each group will use carefully selected, research-based materials designed to support developing readers, such as Orton-Gillingham- aligned programs, the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) curriculum, Lindamood-Bell comprehension program, and/or Handwriting Without Tears, along with additional resources chosen by the instructor to meet the specific needs of the group.

Reading Ready meets twice per week and is a guided by certified specialists in structured literacy and language-based learning differences. Families are discouraged from introducing additional language arts curriculum while enrolled in Reading Ready so there is no confusion among teaching methods.

ATTENTION!

Assessments: Parents may not register for the Reading Ready program until their student has completed an in-person evaluation with one of the reading specialists. The evaluation will consist of the CUBED 3rd Edition, a comprehensive literacy assessment by the Language Dynamics Group that measures language, decoding, and reading comprehension to ensure accurate group placement.

Cost: The placement evaluation must be scheduled and paid for through Compass at a cost of $60 for returning Reading Rally students (enrolled spring semester 2026) and $140 for new students. The fee is due prior to the assessment and is not refundable in the event the family decides not to register for a reading group.

Schedule: Reading Ready classes for K-8th grade meet twice per week, either on Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Thursday. Placement in a specific section is determined only after a student has been evaluated; parents should not assume a particular day or time in advance. Because reading groups are carefully leveled and not interchangeable, refunds will not be issued based on scheduling preferences. Families are strongly encouraged to receive their reading group assignment before registering for other classes. Teens interested in structured language arts classes are encouraged to inquire about available timeslots.

Attendance: Consistent attendance is essential to keep this small group progressing together. If a student misses more than one consecutive class, a one-on-one make-up session will need to be scheduled (and paid for) to cover missed material and ensure the student remains on pace with the group.

Parent Support/Homework: This program is designed for homeschooled students and relies on consistent parent support to ensure steady progress. Students must complete practice work at home to reinforce the skills introduced in class. Families should plan for approximately 20-40 minutes of homework, three to four days each week.

Supply Fee: A supply fee of $45.00 - $50.00 is due payable to the instructor on or before the first day of class for consumable materials such as program workbooks or manipulatives from evidence-based curricula such as Story Grammar Marker, Framing Your Thoughts, Visualizing and Verbalizing, and/or Handwriting Without Tears. The exact amount will be determined after the initial assessment, as each student will be placed in an intervention group and receive materials specific to their program.

Tuition: The semester tuition is based on a minimum of three students in a class. In the event only two students are assigned to one level, the families will be asked to pay the upcharge to a 2-person semi-private class (+$714-$740/each). With only one student, a class section will be canceled, or the family will have the option to pay the upcharge to 1:1 instruction (+2400-$2500)

Wannabe Writers is a beginning writing class for first and second graders. Students will use creative journaling and illustrations to respond to simple writing prompts. The class will explore the use of various punctuation for simple sentences and will use new vocabulary words to express an idea. Each week, students will share their completed writing and drawings with their classmates. For this level, students must be able to read a Level 1 reader independently and possess the readiness skills outlined below. Children may repeat this class each quarter as new prompts and writing techniques will be introduced each session, and assignments will not be repeated.

Note: This class is designed for students to enjoy a fun, new dimension of writing with peers and a teacher, but this will not take the place of a comprehensive language arts curriculum and regular writing practice.

Writing Readiness: Enrolling students must be able to (1) recognize, spell and write his/her first and last name; (2) recognize and write all upper case and lower case letters and know the corresponding sounds; (3) spell and pronounce simple blends, (4) recognize the following sight words: all, am, are, at, ate, be, black, brown, but, came, day, did, do, eat, four, get, go, good, have, he, in, into, is, like, must, new, no, now, on, our, out, please, pretty, ran, ride, saw, say, she, so, soon, that, the, there, they, this, to, too, under, want, was, well, went, what, white, who, will, with, yes; (5) spell and write all 2-letter sight words unaided; (6) be familiar with simple sentence structure; and (7) hold and use a pencil correctly.

Wee Writers is a simple journaling class for emergent kindergarten writers ages 5 and 6. Beginning writers will use basic sight words and phonetics while writing about feelings and experiences. Students will learn basic sentence structure with noun-verb construction, initial capital letter, and ending punctuation. Beginning sentences such as, "I lik cak." or "I drnk wtr." would be typical of emergent writers. Students will illustrate their journal entries and have opportunities to share and discuss their writing with peers. Children may repeat this class each quarter as new writing activities will be introduced each session.

Note: This class is designed for students to enjoy a fun, new dimension of writing with peers and a teacher, but this will not take the place of a comprehensive language arts curriculum and regular writing practice.

Writing Readiness Enrolling students must be able to (1) recognize and write his/her first name; (2) recognize and write each letter of the alphabet and know the corresponding sounds; and (3) hold and use crayons and scissors correctly.

Social Readiness: Students must be age five (5) by the start of the class. To be successful in this program, kindergartners must be able to do the following preschool-level skills: (1) be able to separate from parents with little discomfort; (2) be able to sit and stay on a task for 10 minutes; (3) be able to follow simple, age-appropriate directions from the teacher or another adult; (4) be completely self-sufficient in a public restroom (wiping, flushing, washing hands, etc.)

Students will become immersed in the imaginary worlds they construct in this unique course that encompasses elements of fiction writing, sociology, and anthropology. Worldbuilding is the foundation of speculative fiction, such as sci-fi and fantasy, role-playing games, videos, comics, and other visual media. Countless examples of Worldbuilding exist in the movies and books we consume every day such as Tolkien's Middle Earth, the many elaborate settlements of the Star Wars franchise, and the popular RPG, Dungeons and Dragons.

In this course, students will develop a fictional locale. Will it be a small village in a known place, a new planet, or an original universe? Students will be guided through an interactive, iterative process of "top-down" design of their unique world, determining broad characteristics first then then elaborating with increasing detail. Builders will make coherent and integrated decisions on geography, climate, ecology, flora, fauna, inhabitants, races, history, social customs, language, religion, origin story, powers/magic, legal system, currency, and technology. The class will read excerpts and watch clips of well-known fictional works which will provide strong examples of each of the elements.

First semester, the develop their own perfectly polished, harmonious haven, Utopian Universes. Students, along with their instructor, will develop an in-class world as an example. Students will use the lessons and exercises reviewed in class to further develop their individual world project.

Students will be expected to keep a notebook of decisions and details as they progress through designing the elements of their world. Students will have the option to purchase a discounted student subscription to World Anvil, a web-based subscription service which allows students to create maps, timelines, and other tools to organize their made-up world. Each student will be expected to make a PowerPoint presentation at the end of the semester which addresses each of the built-world elements.

Topics in this Series: Utopian Universe (Semester 1), Underworlds (Semester 2).

Prerequisites: Reading/writing at grade level.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 2 hours per week outside of class.

Assignments: Will be posted in a Google Classroom.

Assessments: The instructor will assign points for a final semester presentation and completed "Creative Sparks" which are written responses to weekly prompts. Parents may use the student's earned points versus total possible points to calculate a grade for the class.

Lab/Supply Fee: Included

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in language arts (creative writing) for purposes of a high school transcript.

Students will become immersed in the imaginary worlds they construct in this unique course that encompasses elements of fiction writing, sociology, and anthropology. Worldbuilding is the foundation of speculative fiction, such as sci-fi and fantasy, role-playing games, videos, comics, and other visual media. Countless examples of Worldbuilding exist in the movies and books we consume every day such as Tolkien's Middle Earth, the many elaborate settlements of the Star Wars franchise, and the popular RPG, Dungeons and Dragons.

In this course, students will develop a fictional locale. Will it be a small village in a known place, a new planet, or an original universe? Students will be guided through an interactive, iterative process of "top-down" design of their unique world, determining broad characteristics first then then elaborating with increasing detail. Builders will make coherent and integrated decisions on geography, climate, ecology, flora, fauna, inhabitants, races, history, social customs, language, religion, origin story, powers/magic, legal system, currency, and technology. The class will read excerpts and watch clips of well-known fictional works which will provide strong examples of each of the elements.

First semester, the develop their own perfectly polished, harmonious haven, Utopian Universes. Students, along with their instructor, will develop an in-class world as an example. Students will use the lessons and exercises reviewed in class to further develop their individual world project.

Students will be expected to keep a notebook of decisions and details as they progress through designing the elements of their world. Students will have the option to purchase a discounted student subscription to World Anvil, a web-based subscription service which allows students to create maps, timelines, and other tools to organize their made-up world. Each student will be expected to make a PowerPoint presentation at the end of the semester which addresses each of the built-world elements.

Topics in this Series: Utopian Universe (Semester 1), Underworlds (Semester 2).

Prerequisites: Reading/writing at grade level.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 2 hours per week outside of class.

Assignments: Will be posted in a Google Classroom.

Assessments: The instructor will assign points for a final semester presentation and completed "Creative Sparks" which are written responses to weekly prompts. Parents may use the student's earned points versus total possible points to calculate a grade for the class.

Lab/Supply Fee: Included

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in language arts (creative writing) for purposes of a high school transcript.

Write to the Point is a writing class for 7th, 8th, and 9th grade students preparing for high school composition. The class builds the fundamentals of writing through weekly assignments across a variety of formats.

First Semester focuses on learning to get to the point. Just as journalists work within column space and essayists work within word limits, students will learn to make their point and support it well within the boundaries of each assignment. Students will practice effective paragraph structure, including opening statements, a clear thesis, supporting details, and strong closing sentences. From there, they will build toward linking multiple paragraphs together. The class will review grammar, agreement, and tense. Students will also develop practical habits of revision, editing, and peer feedback. Students choose their own topics throughout the semester, which makes the writing more meaningful and class discussions more interesting.

Part of each session is dedicated to sharing and reviewing writing completed at home through peer editing or collaborative Google Docs. Students should bring a laptop and charging cord each week.

Topics in this series include Paragraphs and Articles (Semester 1) and Essays and Short Stories (Semester 2).

Clear writing is power, and in today's world, the students who communicate ideas precisely are the ones who succeed. "Write to Work" equips high school students with the skills to write professional emails, craft persuasive proposals, create user guides, summarize data, and explain complex ideas clearly and confidently. No matter what the student's future field, clear professional writing is essential. Colleges expect it. Employers demand it. This course moves beyond essays and creative writing to focus on real-world communication- the kind used in offices, labs, startups, and organizations every day. Students will learn to write with clarity, structure, and purpose and gain a practical skill set that sets them apart in any future field.

First semester, students will build a strong foundation in professional business communication through practical, real-world writing tasks. The course begins with email etiquette and tone, teaching students how to communicate clearly and professionally in digital settings. From there, students will draft memos and internal communications, write precise instructions, and develop career-ready materials including resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, and professional bios. As the semester progresses, students will craft persuasive business proposals and executive summaries, write structured informational reports, and learn the basics of writing market research and data findings. They will also practice customer service writing by responding to or writing product complaints, compose press releases, create compelling product descriptions, and write thoughtful product or service reviews. By the end of the semester, students will have assembled a polished portfolio of authentic business documents that reflect clarity, professionalism, and practical workplace readiness.

Topics in this Series: Business Writing (Semester 1), Technical Writing (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester.

Prerequisites: Students should be on-level for high school reading and comprehension.

Schedule: This is a 12-week class that will not meet on September 18, 2026, or October 2, 2026.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 2-4 hours per week outside of class on class reading and activities.

Assessments: The instructor will award points for completed assignments that parents can use to assign a grade.

Textbook/Materials: All materials will be links to open-source materials or scans of documents provided by the instructor and posted to the class Canvas site.

Lab/Supply Fee: None

What to Bring: Notebook or paper, pen, or pencil.

Credit: Homeschool families may wish to count this course as a component (partial) credit in English for purposes of a high school transcript.

Calling all serious writers! Build the foundation of great storytelling as you develop skills in plot, characterization, worldbuilding, and purposeful prose. Students will explore what makes stories compelling, from avoiding common pitfalls to crafting strong narrative voice and structure. Why are "adverbs evil"? Where do even bestselling books fall short? Why is "lying" sometimes essential in first-person narration?

Regular workshopping is a core part of the class. Students will share their writing, receive peer feedback, and refine their ideas in a supportive, structured setting as they begin developing original pieces across genres.

Students will also gain insight into how authors develop their work and move toward publication, whether writing a fantasy novel, a short story, or a children's book. This class is taught by a traditionally published novelist.

Writers @ Work is a fundamental writing class that will prepare seventh and eighth grade students for high school level composition. Writing is not only a critical skill for high school and beyond, it gives teens a voice! In this class, teens will gain confidence, increase writing fluency, and learn how to incorporate writing into schoolwork and hobbies. The objective of this class is for each student to progress and improve his/her own writing. This class does not have a fixed curriculum trying to achieve the same outcome and same skillset for each child, because each student comes to class with different writing experience and varying needs. Instead, through personalized feedback from the instructor and peer feedback exercises, student writers will improve their writing skills from where they started.

Students will always be encouraged to write about what interests them, but prompts will also be offered. They will write for a few minutes in class each week and will be expected to write short assignments at home and submit their work to the instructor for feedback. Students will receive individual feedback to work on aspects of their writing such as organizing thoughts, defining a purpose and audience for the paper, formulating a topic sentence or main idea, developing supporting details, using correct sentence structure (for example, initial capitalization and end punctuation).

The instructor will model the steps of the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing. Writing tips will be introduced throughout the year pulling from both a "toolbox" of grammar rules (i.e. sentence structure, complex and compound sentences, independent and dependent clauses, parts of speech, agreement, tense, use of dialogue and quotation marks, correct use of punctuation) and stylistic techniques (i.e., using metaphors, adding details, and building tension). Examples and exercises will be presented from a variety of styles and genres.
Students should be on or near grade level in reading to take this class.

Writers @ Work is offered both semesters under the same class name, but students may take it each semester to continue to improve their writing skills.

Writing is not only a critical skill for school and life, it gives kids a voice! In this class, fifth and sixth graders will gain confidence, increase writing fluency, and learn how to incorporate writing into everyday work and play. The objective of this class is for each student to progress and improve his/her own writing. This class does not have a fixed curriculum trying to achieve the same outcome and same skillset for each child, because each student comes to class with different writing experience and varying needs. Instead, through personalized feedback from the instructor and peer feedback exercises, student writers will improve their writing skills from where they started.

Students will learn the steps of the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing. Key skills practiced at this level include organizing one's thoughts, defining a purpose and audience for the paper, formulating a topic sentence or main idea, developing supporting details, using correct sentence structure (for example, initial capitalization and end punctuation). Students will always be encouraged to write about what interests them. They will write for a few minutes in class each week and will be expected to write short assignments at home and submit their work to the instructor for feedback. Each week, the instructor will share brief lessons on grammar (such as correct capitalization, agreement, tenses, parts of speech, use of adjectives/adverbs), and/or style (for example, using metaphors, adding details, building tension). Examples and exercises will be presented from a variety of styles and genres with the instructor using models from fiction, poetry, and non-fiction.

Students should be on or near grade level for reading. Writing Well is offered each quarter under the same class name, but students may take it each quarter to continue to improve their writing skills.

Writing is not only a critical skill for school and life, it gives kids a voice! In this class, third and fourth graders will gain confidence, increase writing fluency, and learn how to incorporate writing into everyday work and play. The objective of this class is for each student to progress and improve his/her own writing. This class does not have a fixed curriculum trying to achieve the same outcome and same skillset for each child, because each student comes to class with different writing experience and varying needs. Instead, through personalized feedback from the instructor and peer feedback exercises, student writers will improve their writing skills from where they started.

Students will learn the steps of the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing. Key skills practiced at this level include organizing one's thoughts, defining a purpose and audience for the paper, formulating a topic sentence or main idea, developing supporting details, using correct sentence structure (for example, initial capitalization and end punctuation). Students will always be encouraged to write about what interests them. They will write for a few minutes in class each week and will be expected to write short assignments at home and submit their work to the instructor for feedback. Each week, the instructor will share brief lessons on grammar (such as correct capitalization, agreement, tenses, parts of speech, use of adjectives/adverbs), and/or style (for example, using metaphors, adding details, building tension). Examples and exercises will be presented from a variety of styles and genres with the instructor using models from fiction, poetry, and non-fiction.

Students should be on or near grade level for reading. Writing Wonders is offered each quarter under the same class name, but students may take it each quarter to continue to improve their writing skills.