Compass Montessori Junior High provides a two-year academic cycle for 7th and 8th-year students.
Workshops immerse students in learning about geology, botany, freshwater ecology, elections and government, ancient civilizations, applied technology, democratic movements, the American Civil War, the Industrial Revolution, and Civil Rights.
Students receive direct daily instruction and time to practice math and Spanish language. Art, music, and physical education are integrated parts of the school year.
Throughout the program, students are introduced to adults with diverse backgrounds to learn about what they do in our local community and places as far north as the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula and as far south as Pigeon Key.
Free from rankings and grades, our students have real growth opportunities and learn at their own pace how to:
- Be a part of an authentic, working community
- Resolve conflict peacefully
- Express and relate to their emotions
- Discover their strengths
- Lead and collaborate
- Advocate for themselves and others
- Conduct themselves in professional and social situations
- Read literature, write essays, do algebra, speak Spanish, and manage responsibilities
When students graduate from our school, they have practiced skills and developed traits that support their personal growth and maturity as they transition to adulthood. As Paula Lillard Preschlack writes in her book The Montessori Potential, How to Foster Independence, Respect, and Joy in Every Child, “The more closely you look at the approach, the more you’ll see that Montessori prepares children to thrive in adulthood…” Consistent with Preschlack’s research, graduates of Compass Montessori Junior High develop and exhibit these eight traits:
- Engagement
- Focus
- Organization
- Curiosity
- Courage
- Collaboration
- Respect
- Resourcefulness
With a history dating back to 1984, our alumni community has grown … and grown up!
Each year we feature our alumni as they graduate from high school and later as their career takes shape. Meet some of our recent alumni on our Alumni page.
