Guide to Enrolling in Compass Rose Public Schools in San Antonio for 2022–23

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Compass Rose Public Schools students outside sitting jumping

Compass Rose Public Schools is a growing network of charter schools where academic achievement coupled with personal growth is their “True North”—everything they do is oriented in that direction. The academic program is built on the rock solid foundation of a college preparatory liberal arts curriculum. The high school program is organized around Pre-AP and AP courses, which allows students to take the most rigorous course load available prior to college. Uniquely, each Compass Rose Academy campus also offers a slightly different specialty program that matches the strengths of its particular community and interests of its students, with programs in Robotics & Entrepreneurship, Computer Science & Coding, Public Health in Nature-Based Learning, and Aviation & Aeronautics.

On November 1, 2021, Compass Rose Public Schools began accepting applications for enrollment for the 2022–23 school year. Open enrollment continues until February 4, 2022, and the lottery will take place the same day. We have put together a guide to help you learn more about Compass Rose Public Schools in San Antonio and take steps to enroll your child for the next school year.

About Compass Rose Academy Campuses

Since its founding in San Antonio in 2017, Compass Rose Public Schools has grown from a single middle school serving fewer than one hundred students in its first year (Compass Rose Legacy) to four K–12 campuses (three in San Antonio and one in the greater Austin area) serving over 2,000 students just four years later. The reason for this explosive and unprecedented growth is simple—Compass Rose always puts its students and families first. The network’s team members know that students have big dreams for themselves and parents have big dreams for their children. The school’s vision is to ensure all of its students achieve academic success and build the character traits necessary to pursue those lofty dreams vigorously and with confidence.  

Compass Rose Academy is committed to community co-design when they open a new campus. This means they work with parents and other community stakeholders to develop the specialty program for a campus and to help create programs that fit the needs and desires of that particular community. The result is Compass Rose schools become part of their communities and neighborhoods in ways other schools often do not.

The founding campus, Compass Rose Legacy, on Brooks City Base, where small businesses are growing and flourishing, focuses on entrepreneurship and computer science. The specialty course sequence starts in elementary school, where students develop critical thinking skills and basic computer science and coding. In middle school, students continue their learning and application of computer science and entrepreneurial skills. In high school, students dream up, design, and have the opportunity to launch their own small businesses.

At Compass Rose Ingenuity, which opened in August 2020 at Port San Antonio, the curriculum is focused on STEM education through the lens of aviation and aeronautics. Like the Entrepreneurship program at the Legacy campus, the Aviation & Aeronautics program at Ingenuity was developed in response to what parents said they want from a school. Learning to code begins in kindergarten, and students will use these skills to eventually build and launch rockets, build airplanes, and fly drones. 

Compass Rose Public Schools recently opened a nature-based school, called Compass Rose Journey, on San Antonio’s northeast side. At Compass Rose Journey, the focus is on Public Health, teaching the importance of the health and well-being of communities where people live, learn, work, and play. The students engage in nature-based learning and place-based education, using the community as the classroom in both indoor and outdoor learning environments to develop a deep understanding of their role in contributing to a better and healthier self, community, and world. The rich learning environments enhance the school’s unique public health curriculum which includes community health, environmental health, epidemiology, and advocating for change through health policies in the local community. Some features of the campus are an outdoor learning environment representing various Texas regions, a meditation room, and a growing list of partnerships with local organizations. Compass Rose Journey is the first of its kind in the state of Texas with its nature-based learning environments, place-based partnerships, and public health curriculum. The school currently serves students in grades K–6, adding a middle school and high school in the coming years.

Also in August 2021, the network expanded to the Austin area, opening Compass Rose Destiny in the city of Manor.

Compass Rose Academy Schools is one of the few charter school networks in San Antonio that offers free transportation to students. Each campus has about 10–15 bus stops that are located strategically across the city.

Compass Rose Public Schools San Antonio bus stops 2021-2022

To read more about Compass Rose Public Schools in the news, we recommend that you click on the articles linked at the bottom of this post. Also, we invite you to join the San Antonio Charter Moms discussion group on Facebook and ask questions; the group includes current Compass Rose Public Schools families who can comment with answers based on their own experiences.

Compass Rose Academy in San Antonio

During the 2022–23 school year, Compass Rose Public Schools will have four schools in the San Antonio region. In 2019, on the district’s most recent school report card, they earned a B rating. The list below includes links to each campus’s school report cards. It’s notable that Compass Rose Legacy earned six out of seven possible distinctions on its most recent school report card—an achievement earned only by the top 5 percent of schools in Texas.

Download the free San Antonio Charter Schools app for an interactive map that includes these campuses and many more. You can also find campus information about Compass Rose Public Schools (and many other schools of choice) on our page Guide to Charter Schools in San Antonio.

Compass Rose Public Schools students raising hands

How to Enroll

Families can apply online to enroll their children at Compass Rose Public Schools. Open enrollment for 2022–23 began on November 15, 2021. On February 4, 2021, Compass Rose Public Schools will hold a random lottery. Students who are selected will receive an email inviting them to register; the remaining students will be placed on waiting lists, and will be notified if a spot becomes available. 

At the Compass Rose Public Schools website, families can learn more about the enrollment process and fill out forms to join the interest list and schedule campus tours. Calling a campus that you are interested in is also a good way to get information.

We also recommend following Compass Rose Public Schools social media accounts:

In addition, please join the San Antonio Charter Moms discussion group on Facebook to post questions and search previous discussions about Compass Rose Public Schools.

student desk teacher

Facts About Compass Rose Public Schools

Compass Rose Public Schools leaders have set thoughtful goals for the 2021–22 school year, including universal reading growth and support for students’ social and emotional well being. Likewise, in 2020, they carefully planned for a safe reopening during the Covid-19 pandemic. Their preparation means that the distance learning program is rigorous and is based on the school’s core values—Respect, Integrity, Growth, Honesty, and Teamwork. The school has always used blended learning to help students develop essential technology skills and to offer a personalized experience, and that facility with online learning has served them well for providing effective remote education.

Compass Rose schools build their vibrant and unique school culture through a deep commitment to involving students and their families in the school community. Before the pandemic, our team had the opportunity to observe the teacher hiring process and how it incorporated feedback from parents and students. Each prospective teacher presented a demo lesson in front of current faculty, teachers, and students. After the candidate stepped out, the students and their parents shared their praise and critiques. The school leaders take that information into account when making hiring decisions. Through this process, Compass Rose Academy has recruited teachers like Michael Osikoya, a former oil industry worker who has been recognized for his dedication to his students.

Compass Rose Public Schools teacher Michael Osikoya (photo: Luke VanDeWalle)

Michael Osikoya, teacher at Compass Rose Public Schools (photo: Luke VandeWalle)

The curriculum has built-in opportunities for students to express themselves. During the advisory period, students build social-emotional skills, community identity, and a one-on-one relationship with a trusted teacher. Classroom discussions encourage students to think critically and challenge themselves.

Students take ownership of their learning. At quarterly student-led conferences, held in groups in the cafeteria and large classrooms, each student brings a binder of their work to a meeting with their teachers. There is a discussion between the student and teachers about each grade and the coursework that led to each grade. Parents can listen in and ask questions of the teachers. The process of student-led conferences helps students to grow, invites parents to ask questions and learn what’s behind each grade, and encourages students and families to raise their expectations of what’s possible.

One of the founding beliefs at Compass Rose Academy Schools is that every student should have the opportunity to pursue their dreams and achieve big goals. All students take a College and Career Pathways course that provides structure for their college search process and helps them explore career possibilities. 

College field lessons are opportunities for students to visit college campuses, talk with current college students, and envision themselves as college students. During the 2019–20 school year, the 8th and 9th grade students traveled to Houston to visit Rice University and NASA, and the 6th and 7th grade students visited UTSA. In the past, students have also visited Texas A&M University San Antonio. In the future, once the public health situation improves, high school students may travel to the east coast to visit colleges. College field lessons give students a sense of what college is like and helps them to see college as part of their future.

students on a field lesson at UTSA

Students on a field lesson at UTSA

Compass Rose Public Schools is a partner of Choose to Succeed, a nonprofit organization working to attract the nation’s best public charter schools to San Antonio.

BES (formerly known as Building Excellent Schools) helped launch Compass Rose. Founder Paul Morrissey was a 2015 BES Fellow. 

By helping students set their expectations high, and offering them a structured and supportive environment, Compass Rose Public Schools prepare all its students for successful and fulfilling lives. In the future, Compass Rose graduates will be our community’s leaders, based on their facility with technology, their cultural competency, and skill at self-advocacy.  

If you like what you have learned so far about Compass Rose Academy Schools, we recommend that you apply for enrollment now. You are also welcome to join the San Antonio Charter Moms discussion group to learn more and interact with current Compass Rose Public Schools families.

Charter Moms Chats

Watch Ryane Burke, Executive Director at Compass Rose Public Schools, and school principals Gabrielle Patton from Compass Rose Legacy, Melissa Sanchez from Compass Rose Ingenuity, and Brittany Thompson from Compass Rose Journey speak with Inga Cotton on Charter Moms Chats on October 19, 2021 at 4:00 PM Central live on Facebook and YouTube.

Ryane Burke is the Executive Director of Compass Rose Public Schools. Ryane works in close partnership with school leaders across five Compass Rose schools to build joyful, engaging and growth-focused classroom learning experiences. She is also the proud mother of two beautiful and energetic children.

Gabrielle Patton is the Principal at Compass Rose Legacy Elementary School.

Melissa Sanchez is the Principal at Compass Rose Ingenuity Elementary School.

Brittany Thompson is the Principal at Compass Rose Journey.

Watch Ryane Burke, Executive Director of Compass Rose Public Schools, speak with Inga Cotton on Charter Moms Chats on October 27, 2020 at 4:00 PM Central live on Facebook and YouTube.

Read More About Compass Rose San Antonio Schools

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