Building Character
The Compass Program
Santa Catalina believes in educating the whole child—developing strong values and upstanding character in each of our students. Our character development 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 gives us freedom to really get to know the kids and blossom as leaders.
Jasper, eighth-grade Compass leader
A Year in Compass
The Compass year begins with a sorting ceremony as new students are welcomed into their houses. Afterwards, students break off into their Compass circles for getting-to-know-you games.
Pumpkin Olympics, held around Halloween, is the first big event that Compass houses participate in. Houses compete against each other in a series of relay games, and older students can often be seen helping younger ones.
Compass circles sit together during Chapel Sing and Mass throughout the year. Not only does it reinforce the bonds within the circles, it gives eighth-graders a chance to practice their leadership skills as they keep the younger students focused.
Compass houses go Christmas caroling every year at four senior living facilities around Monterey—one of their favorite service projects.
Pep rallies are held toward the end of every sports season to celebrate our student athletes, and Compass houses cheer on their classmates during fun and friendly relay games.
The Compass year ends with the Installation Ceremony, where circle leadership is passed from one year's eighth-graders to the next.