Focusing on American authors from Nathaniel Hawthorne to Ray Bradbury, this course will cover important literature as well as the historical importance of the time period in which the literature is set or written. Class time will be spent discussing important themes and literary elements and making connections between the literature and the real world.  We will cover important themes of friendship, honesty, forgiveness, prejudice, war, and more. Complete novels, plays, short stories, and poetry are included in this course, and tests and projects will be assigned throughout the year. Honors option available.

Recommended credits: 0.5

Course Meets: Tuesdays 9:30 am - 10:25 am

Coursestorm Online Enrollment is Free. Course Fee: $270. A $50 non-refundable course enrollment deposit will be billed immediately upon registration and applies toward your overall tuition.  The balance must be paid by July 1, or select a payment plan of $110 payable by July 1 and November 1.

Accepted Payment Methods: Check, Cash, Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal

Reading List: Native American short stories, early American poetry, The Scarlet Letter, The Crucible, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Up From Slavery, Shane, To Kill a Mockingbird, Farewell to Manzanar, Code Talker, Fahrenheit 451

All Payments are non-refundable

Composition II - The focus of this course is expository writing, and development of a strong essay will be our focus. Students will write on a variety of topics and will learn to write strong thesis statements and present examples in support of their positions. We will finish the course with a focus on the personal essay, which will be helpful in scholarship applications and college admissions.  This course is geared toward students who have been exposed to formal essay writing and who are ready to hone their advanced writing skills such as using transitions, improving word choice, writing clearly and concisely, and employing a variety of sentence structures.  Important grammar skills will be covered (with a focus on skills commonly tested on the SAT) and put to use in weekly writing assignments.  Composition I is not a prerequisite of Composition II, but any students who have not taken Composition I will be asked to submit a writing sample to assess readiness. 

Coursestorm Online Enrollment is Free—Course Fee: $300. A $50 non-refundable course enrollment deposit will be billed immediately upon registration and applies toward your overall tuition.  The balance must be paid by July 1, or select a payment plan of $125 payable by July 1 and November 1.

Accepted Payment Methods: Check, Cash, Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal

Recommended credits: 0.5

Course Meets: Thursdays 9:30 am - 10:25 am

Required Materials: None. Teacher-created materials will be supplied.

All Payments are non-refundable

The students will study the basic principles of:

• Newsprint
• Media Broadcasting
• Formatting a Yearbook.

They will learn investigative skills, responsible reporting, and journalistic writing techniques as they read, respond to, and write their own news, editorials, and feature articles.

They also learn components of computer graphic design as they format and produce a Compass Prep newsletter and Yearbook.

They will learn about broadcast media as they write, film, and edit news announcements that will be broadcast to the students of Compass Prep.

Coursestorm Online Enrollment is Free. Course Fee: $440. A $50 non-refundable course enrollment deposit will be billed immediately upon registration and applies toward your overall tuition.  The balance must be paid by July 1, or select a payment plan of $195 payable by July 1 and November 1.

 The course cost includes copy fees, supplies, and computer subscription access.

Accepted Payment Methods are check, Cash, Cash App, Venmo, and PayPal.

Recommended Credits: 1.0

Course Meets: Thursdays 9:30 am - 10:25 am

Required Materials: Students will need a computer for class.

All Payments are non-refundable 

Journalism 2: Advanced Media Studies

In this course, students will delve deeper into the dynamic world of journalism, focusing on advanced principles and practices that shape the industry today. This comprehensive program is designed to refine their skills and broaden their understanding of various media formats, including:

Newsprint:

Mastery of news writing techniques and the nuances of different news genres.

Analyzing and critiquing professional journalism to understand high-quality reporting.

Developing compelling news stories that engage and inform the audience.

Media Broadcasting:

Exploring the evolution and impact of broadcast media in contemporary society.

Writing, filming, and editing news announcements for broadcast, emphasizing storytelling and visual communication.

Learning the technical aspects of video production, including camera work, lighting, and sound editing.

Formatting a Yearbook:

Designing and organizing yearbook layouts with attention to visual appeal and coherence.

Incorporating advanced graphic design techniques to create visually engaging content.

Managed yearbook production timelines and ensured the accuracy and quality of published content.

Coursestorm Online Enrollment is Free. Course Fee: $440. A $50 non-refundable course enrollment deposit will be billed immediately upon registration and applies toward your overall tuition.  The balance must be paid by July 1, or select a payment plan of $195 payable by July 1 and November 1.

 The course cost includes copy fees, supplies, and computer subscription access.

Accepted Payment Methods are check, Cash, Cash App, Venmo, and PayPal.

Recommended Credits: 1.0

Course Meets: Thursdays 9:30 am - 10:25 am

Required Materials: Students will need a computer for class.

All Payments are non-refundable 

The focus of this composition course is on the four modes of writing – narration, description, persuasion, and exposition. We will focus on content and structure and cover some general grammar skills. Writing assignments vary in length and format, but we will finish the course with a focus on the five-paragraph essay.  This course is foundational for building confidence and preparing for advanced composition.  The assignments are a great mix of creative pieces and academic ones, each with a specific purpose.  Students receive in-depth, individualized feedback during all steps of the writing process, and the focus is on improvement from one step to the next.  

This course pairs well with World Literature.

Coursestorm Online Enrollment is Free. Course Fee: $300. A $50 non-refundable course enrollment deposit will be billed immediately upon registration and applies toward your overall tuition.  The balance must be paid by July 1, or select a payment plan of $125 payable by July 1 and November 1.

Accepted Payment Methods: Check, Cash, Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal

Recommended credits: 0.5

Course Meets: Thursdays 10:30 am - 11:25 am

Required Materials: None. Teacher-created materials will be supplied.

 All Payments are non-refundable

We will begin in Greece with Homer’s Odyssey, travel to England for some Shakespeare, and then take off around the world with literature selections from around the globe. Along our journey, we will discuss important themes of war, the Holocaust, friendship, truth, family relationships, and more. Students will prepare for weekly discussions by reading assigned chapters. Our class time will focus on identifying literary elements (symbolism, character, conflict, etc.) and their importance to the work, as well as discussing issues raised by the literature. 

This course pairs well with Composition I.  Honors option available.

Coursestorm Online Enrollment is Free. Course Fee: $270. A $50 non-refundable course enrollment deposit will be billed immediately upon registration and applies toward your overall tuition.  The balance must be paid by July 1, or select a payment plan of $110 payable by July 1 and November 1.

Accepted Payment Methods: Check, Cash, Zelle, Venmo, and PayPal

Recommended credits: 0.5

Course Meets: Tuesdays 10:30 - 11:25

Reading List: Mythology, The Odyssey, The Trumpeter of Krakow, Romeo & Juliet, A Single Shard, Around the World in 80 Days, Cry the Beloved Country, Night, Children of the River, The Giver

All Payments are non-refundable