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. An international trip is being planned for May 2027, available to all literature students. Honors option available.

Prerequisites: None

Grade Recommendations: 9-11th grade

Recommended credits: 0.5

Class Size: Min 8/Max 14

Course Meets: Tuesdays 8:30 am - 9:25 am

Coursestorm Online Enrollment is Free. Course Fee: $280. 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 $115 payable by July 1 and November 1.

Accepted Forms of Payment: Zelle (preferred), Venmo, PayPal, cash/check

Required textbook & materials: 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 (information about specific editions/translations will be sent out in May)

All Payments are non-refundable

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.

Prerequisites: None

Grade Recommendations: 10-12th grade

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 Forms of Payment: Zelle (preferred), Venmo, PayPal, cash/check

Recommended credits: 0.5

Class Size: Min 8/Max 14

Course Meets: Thursdays 8:30 am - 9:25 am

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

All Payments are non-refundable

The first part of the course will focus on logical fallacies, knowledge of which will provide an essential lifetime framework for filtering good and bad reasoning, as well as writing and speaking effectively. This mastery of informal logic is a foundational subject by which other subjects are evaluated, assessed, and learned.  In the second part of the course, students will combine their knowledge of logic and fallacies with a study of rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, and logos) to begin crafting convincing arguments in a series of creative and academic writing assignments.

Prerequisites: None

Grade Recommendations: 10-12th grade

Coursestorm Online Enrollment is Free. Course Fee: $370. 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 $160 payable by July 1 and November 1.

Accepted Forms of Payment: Zelle (preferred), Venmo, PayPal, cash/check

Recommended credits: 1.0 (fulfills the .5 credit requirement for composition)

Class Size: Min 8/Max 14

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

Required textbook & materials: The Art of Argument (Revised) Student Edition; other materials will be supplied by the instructor

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.

Prerequisites: None

Grade Recommendations: 8-10th grade

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 Forms of Payment: Zelle (preferred), Venmo, PayPal, cash/check

Recommended credits: 0.5

Class Size: Min 8/Max 15

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. 

An international trip is being planned for May 2027, available to all literature students. 

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

Prerequisites: None

Grade Recommendations: 8-10th grade

Coursestorm Online Enrollment is Free. Course Fee: $280. 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 $115 payable by July 1 and November 1.

Accepted Forms of Payment: Zelle (preferred), Venmo, PayPal, cash/check

Recommended credits: 0.5

Class Size: Min 8/Max 14

Course Meets: Tuesdays 10:30 - 11:25

Required textbook & materials: 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 (information about specific editions/translations will be sent out in May)

All Payments are non-refundable

Writing Fiction: Bringing Your Stories to Life

Are you ready to unleash your imagination and craft compelling narratives? The Writing Fiction course, inspired by Sharon Watson’s acclaimed book, invites high school students into the enchanting world of storytelling. Whether you dream of penning epic novels or weaving concise short stories, this course will ignite your creativity and hone your literary skills.

• Storytelling Mastery: Dive into the art of storytelling. Learn how to build scenes, create memorable characters, and evoke emotions that resonate with readers.
• Conflict and Tension: Ramp up the drama! Explore techniques to infuse conflict, suspense, and unexpected twists into your narratives.
• Point of View: Choose your lens. Understand the impact of different perspectives—first person, third person, and beyond.
• Dialogue Magic: Craft authentic conversations that breathe life into your characters. Learn the nuances of dialogue tags, subtext, and pacing.
• Character Empathy: Make readers care. Develop protagonists and antagonists that evoke empathy, curiosity, and investment.
• Setting and Atmosphere: Transport your audience. Master the art of descriptive settings—from bustling city streets to mystical realms.
• Self-Critique and Peer Review: Sharpen your writer’s eye. Evaluate your work and provide constructive feedback to fellow storytellers.
• Literary Insights: Explore classic and contemporary fiction. Uncover timeless storytelling techniques from beloved authors.

Whether you have a love for writing or are reluctant to pen your ideas, this course will help bring out the writer in your student.

Coursestorm Online Enrollment is Free. Course Fee: $450. 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 $200 payable by July 1 and November 1.

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

Recommended Credits: 1

Course Meets: Thursdays, 12:00-12:55pm

Class size: Min 8/Max 16

Required Materials: Writing Fiction by Sharron Watson ISBN9781463582081 https://a.co/d/gfQpZAk  and Last Book In The Universe by Rodman Philbrick ISBN-10. 0439087597 https://a.co/d/0B2b1FH 

All Payments are non-refundable!

Journalism 1 - Intro to Media Studies 

From breaking news to yearbook pages, every story matters! Step into the role of a real journalist with Journalism I.  This writing-intensive course is designed to develop students’ skills in news reporting, nonfiction writing, media analysis, graphic design, and photojournalism. By studying current international and national events, students learn to gather information, evaluate sources, and communicate news clearly and accurately. The instruction covers journalistic style, interviewing techniques, research methods, and ethical reporting. Students will practice the responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence as a support tool for brainstorming, research, drafting, and revision while maintaining academic integrity and proper attribution. The course also emphasizes hands-on experience in local reporting within students’ communities and co-op, where they will conduct interviews and produce publishable news stories for newsletters, podcasts, and video newscasts. Students will also use graphic design and photography to create a memorable yearbook for Compass Prep. Journalism I may be counted as an elective or as the composition portion of the English credit. 

Coursestorm Online Enrollment is Free. Course Fee: $450. A $50 non-refundable course enrollment deposit will be billed immediately upon registration and applies toward your overall tuition.  The balance of $400 must be paid by July 1, or select a payment plan of $200 payable by July 1 and November 1.

Accepted forms of payment: Preferred method - Zelle. Also accepted: Venmo, Cash App, Check, Cash. If you wish to pay with PayPal, please request an invoice, as a 3% fee will be applied. All payments are nonrefundable.

Class Size: Min 6/Max 15

Day: Tuesday, 12:00 pm -12:55 pm

Instructor: Ruthanna Marshall

Recommended credit: 1.0

Required materials: Students will need a laptop for class. Write With World II is the textbook that we will use for reference and assignments, along with teacher-created materials. The textbook is out of print, so students can rent one from Mrs. Marshall for $15 for the year (limited supply) or purchase a used copy from an online bookstore (make sure you get Volume 2).  The course cost includes copy fees and online subscriptions. 

All Payments are non-refundable