Compass Charter School

I have two kids at this school both started in Pre-K. I wasn't sure what to expect because while most reviews are positive there are few very negative ones. In my experience over the past several years I can say that I feel so lucky to be a part of the PS 11 community. The Principal knows every student's name, she is always walking the halls, in the cafeteria and at every school event. This year they added two additional assistant principals, any emails I've sent have been answered same day. The school did increase in size this year (not surprising because its so wonderful more families want to come) so I can see how a new family might feel lost, but there are so many people to reach out to - class parents, PTA, School Leadership Team, teachers, aides - and if you raise your hand and ask for help people are happy to assist. They have regular coffee with the principal sessions where you can come and ask questions. The teachers have "office hours" every Tuesday afternoon to talk to parents about any concerns. In my experience the teachers are very communicative about your child's progress and work with you to come up with a plan for areas where your child may need extra help. There are lots of opportunities for parents to come into the classroom to help teach or to volunteer at lunch or chaperone trips. These help the school but also help you get a sense of what your child's day is like. The school holds a lot of events to build community - Back to School Party, Halloween Party, Lunar New Year celebration, Skate Party, Yoga in the morning, food bank drives etc. that happen on the weekends and evenings. These are excellent ways to connect with other families and the principal is always there (I think she sleeps at the school :). The school takes academics seriously by challenging students to do their best but they also focus on providing a well rounded experience - cultural celebrations, fun and educational field trips, swimming for all 3rd graders, and enrichment like art, karate, music of some sort (violin, African drumming chorus, band) and Spanish -for Every grade. But as a public school they can only do so much so they rely on having engaged parents. This school pours into these kids. My kids have really thrived here.

Our child had an awful experience here, finding none of the teachers very engaging, almost no fun projects and after school activities were fine but not nearly the variety and fun of other schools. The primary teacher was quite bad - his performance rapidly dropped over a few months and anytime we tried to ask the teacher about it, she displayed a total lack of interest or any familiarity with what he was actually doing. Worksheets and quizzes that made it home often were confusing, filled with typos, and in some cases directly contradictory to what was being taught. Tests had questions incorrectly graded, work was often (mis)graded by other students and never checked by the teacher. In all, our child significantly backslid over a few months, we felt completely ignored and blown off about any of our concerns, and our child's love of school and learning evaporated. We brought our concerns to the administration and they addressed some of them, but when we finally made the decision to leave mid-year, they had no interest in hearing or discussing our concerns. In addition to our concerns, we heard from many other parents that had similar issues with he quality of the instruction. Additionally, parents invovled on committees through the PTA frequently resigned their position, as they were blocked by the school from affecting any change (fundraising, field trips, etc. )

Our child attends pre-k this year. We've had a very good experience. The classrooms and hallways are inviting, the families are friendly, and the teachers are warm and nurturing--our child gives hers an enormous hug each morning and talks about her incessantly at home. Pre-k students are in their own wing of the building with a separate playground from the older children. They have plenty of enrichment activities throughout the week, such as visiting the music, art, and technology classrooms, as well as guest visitors (they baked bread with a baker one day, for example). We are constantly surprised by what our child comes home having learned. Even within this year I've seen it grow and predict it will continue to do so, especially if families keep getting more involved.

This is an excellent school. The principal and teachers are is very interested and involved in the students academic and character development. The teachers are qualified and well trained. The school has a history of producing great students, some who have matriculated to specialized high schools, over the decades. Many professionals in the work force have been educated at this school. This school builds a strong foundation within its students academically, mentally and spiritually. Faculty support and encourage the students. The classes are small and the students get a lot of much needed attention. My child attended this school for 10 years (Pre-K - 8th Grade) and just recently graduated in June 2020. I also attended this school and it was a pleasure to see experience that good quality private elementary education still existed for my child's generation and hopefully generations to come.