The Compass Program
Our character education program, Compass, provides time and space for children in different grade levels to come together on a regular basis, strengthening the school community through leadership opportunities, social connections, and service projects. Students learn to work and play cooperatively, to find joy in success, to heed the messages of their mistakes, and to value their inner lives with attention paid to their moral and spiritual development.
Compass Houses
Students are placed into four houses named for the pillars of Santa Catalina's mission—Excellence, Spirituality, Responsibility, and Service. Each house has about eight smaller circles made up of students from Kindergarten to Grade 8. Eighth graders serve as circle leaders, and faculty members act as facilitators.
Students congregate with their fellow "housemates" during regular activities such as pep rallies, Pumpkin Olympics, chapel, and community service activities.
A fifth house, the House of Kindness, includes our PreK students. Once they enter Kindergarten, they can't wait to be sorted into the four main houses.
Leadership
Leadership development is a core component of Compass. Students are provided with opportunities to stretch themselves during the course of each year by means of leadership roles in the classroom, on the playground and athletic field, and in service work.
Eighth graders serve as Compass leaders for their circles. They gather weekly for a leadership class, where they anticipate upcoming activities, such as service projects, and prepare to implement them in their individual circles. The curriculum also involves leadership exercises, discussions, and reflection, with servant leadership as the focus, considering characteristics of a leader who leads for the good of all. Compass leaders begin to understand which characteristics within themselves they can best draw on as they guide their circles.
Service
Many of the Compass activities focus on community service. Whether they are taking care of their campus by recycling, reaching out to the local community by collecting donations for the food bank, or writing cards to orphans from Ukraine, students are taught to look beyond themselves and become sensitive to the needs of those around them.
The Cougar Creed
I am a Santa Catalina Cougar.
I am special and I am worthy.
I believe in myself.
I accept the challenge to be the best that I can be.
Just for today: I will listen, I will see, I will speak, and I will feel.
I will learn about my place in the world.
Yesterday’s mistakes are behind me.
Today’s successes are now before me.
This day is mine to master, for it will not come again.
Every day of my life I will do the best I can to be the best I can be.
I am a Santa Catalina Cougar.