WESTMINSTER — Compass School was recently designated as a Whole Child Certified school by Educate the Whole Child, a national educational advocacy group promoting holistic education.
In a ceremony at the school on Oct. 19, Chris Nye and Tom McGuire from Educate the Whole Child presented the award to the school community.
Compass School is a state-approved grades 7–12 independent school serving families from towns in southeastern Vermont and adjoining towns in New Hampshire.
“As an objective observer of some truly beautiful schools over several decades, my threshold to be deeply impressed by a school is high,” said Tom McGuire, one of the leaders from EWC who made a number of observational visits to the school as part of the certification process. “Compass School exceeded all expectations intellectually, pedagogically, and spiritually.”
McGuire said that, in his observations at Compass over several days, “it became clear that the staff poured seamless energy into the learning environment for all grades to ensure that children entered classrooms resilient, calm, relaxed, and ready to enjoy learning. The learning environment evinces respect, joy, relevancy, social justice, gender equity, and awareness of individual exceptionalities.”
Compass junior Cooper Lawrence, a student member of the school's board of directors, accepted the award on behalf of the student body.
Compass director Eric Rhomberg celebrated this recognition, calling it an “affirmation of our work.”