Thank You

The Compass Fund Receives Grants

The Compass Fund would like to thank our many contributors. Without your generosity, our program would not be a success. In the last five years, 280 children have been assisted by The Compass Fund. Because of your great efforts, we were able to distribute approximately $579,000 towards the children and their education. The Compass Fund has also been able to donate money towards the schools' wish lists to cover worthwhile projects. In future publications, we will recognize a partial list of our contributors along with the state that they reside. The following people are recognized at this time. Your donation is very much appreciated!

Schools

Solomon Schechter Academy
By Tinita Larmann, Board Member

The Compass Fund offers New London children scholarships to a variety schools. Among the many schools that the children are able to attend is Solomon Schechter Academy of New London. Solomon Schechter is another "choice" that the families of New London are able to make because of your donations.

Karen Rosenberg is the principal of the school. You can tell as soon as you meet Karen that she has something very special tucked away in New London. It's not a large school, but what it lacks in size, it makes up in heart. The school is located beneath a synagogue. The halls are lined with art that make a mural of Judaic customs. Students and teachers contribute to a unique classroom environment with emphasis on academics along with daily study of the Jewish faith. The staff-to-student ratio is approximately 1:3. This allows the students to get the academic attention they need.

The Solomon Schechter community is made up of children and families of many diverse cultures. No matter what your religious background, the family circle includes the children, the teachers, the administration, all the way to the Rabbi. All of these people are so proud to be a part of such a great facility.

Solomon Schechter encompasses everything that all quality educational programs would wish for a student. They have a solid academic environment and the same code of conduct that The Compass Fund shares. This Code of Conduct consists of Respect, Honesty, Participation, Responsibility, Inclusion, and Kindness. Without these six concepts children will not grow to become educated citizens who can flourish in life.

The Compass Fund would like to invite you to explore the possibilities of Solomon Schechter Academy. A visit would help you understand the pride and accomplishments of such a understated institution.

If have any questions, feel free to contact Karen Rosenberg at 860-443-5589.
She would be glad to introduce you to her "family".

Our Mission:
To provide families the ability to choose a school that best fits their child's needs.

HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT RATE

As America moves towards a knowledge based economy, education is becoming increasingly essential for success in the workforce with each passing year. Researchers say that people without a high school diploma earn an average of just $20,000 a year, compared to $30,000 a year for those who graduate from high school and $45,000 a year for people with bachelor degrees, this according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Low-income and minority students are most at risk for dropping out. Nationally, students from low-income families are six times more likely to drop out than are wealthier students.

The data nationally is a wake-up call, in the sense that overall, we are seeing far too many students dropping out. In today's economy, a meaningful high school diploma is absolutely essential, a bare minimum to a successful future.

The decision to drop out of high school does not happen suddenly; it is prompted by years of problems, such as a lack of success in classes, a lack of connection to the school community and a high rate of absenteeism. Two critical points in a student's education are forth grade and ninth grade. This can often predict if a student is at risk of dropping out of high school.

Starting in fourth grade, children who have started to fall behind in reading and math, find it very difficult to catch up. That's why it is so important to have children reading at grade level by grade three. Everything beyond that requires a tremendous amount of intervention to get a student back on track.

In seventh and eighth grades, students who frequently miss school and fall behind in course work, find it increasingly hard to keep pace. By ninth grade there is a whole group of students who are disengaged from school. That why it is so important to create smaller school communities and have strong advisory systems in place. Teachers and students must get to know one another better.

Federal law requires that states improve their graduation rates, as part of no child left behind.

Schools that fail to meet improving graduation rates are subject to sanctions, such as having to offer tutoring, school choice, or intervention from the State Education Department. Much of this information was reprinted and researched from a number of groups including Rhode Island Kids Count, U.S. Census Bureau and the Connecticut Department of Education.

Student Report

The two boys pictured are brothers who currently reside in New London with their mother, Christine Dunn. Cameron Dunn is a third grader at St. Mary's in New London. He has been in our program since kindergarten. Christian started at St. Mary's in pre-school. This was before The Compass Fund had the ability to the sponsor the Pre-K program. For that first year of Pre-K, it was a struggle for Christine, but she wanted both boys to go to the school of her choice. Christine initially found out about our program from the nurse at St. Mary's, Anna Tejara. Anna was familiar with Christine's wishes to choose a quality educational program for her boys. Anna knew that as a single mother, Christine was not going to be able to provide this opportunity on her own. Every year, Christine gets anxious when it is time to reapply for the boys scholarships. She says she is so grateful for the opportunity that The Scholarship is helping her provide. She doesn't want it to end.

The boys' grandfather noticed the progress of both Cameron and Christian. Apparently, when entering the program, Cameron was very active and had a hard time concentrating. His mother informs me that over the last four years, he has impressed the school and his family with his intelligence. The teachers can't say enough about what an asset he is to his class. Christine is also proud about Christian's accomplishments. Where Cameron was an active child, Christian was very shy and introverted. He has become a great personality at St. Mary's. The Dunn family is very grateful and is proud to be partnered with The Compass Fund.

Website

You are invited to go to www.thecompassfund.org to take a look at our new and exciting website. We worked hard to make the website more user friendly, and included information about The Compass Fund’s Mission as well as our continued commitment to the children receiving scholarships. You will also be able to view The Compass Fund Wish list (see above). We now have the ability to accept donations online as well as through the mail. Please feel free to give us a call if you have any questions.

Click here to view the current newsletter in PDF format.

Previous Newsletters

• November 2006
• July 2006
• May 2006
• Fall 2004

The Compass Fund Scholarship Foundation of Connecticut
95 Glastonbury Boulevard #22, Glastonbury, Connecticut, 06103