Crofton House School
17
GROWING THROUGH SERVICE
Extending Ivy Compass to the Junior School
While Crofton House educators have
always taught in ways designed to
spark a sense of citizenship, this year
saw the Ivy Compass Program fully
integrated into the Junior School
curriculum and a dedicated Ivy
Compass teacher.
Ivy Compass activities in the Junior
School have included Junior and
Senior Kindergarten students tending
a vegetable garden, Grade 3 students
removing invasive species in the
woods, and Grade 7 students selecting
and researching a global issue (such as
homelessness or plastics in the ocean)
to learn about different perspectives
and solutions.
Like a compass, the CHS Iv y
Compass Program features four
directions - North: New Horizons,
East: Environmental Education, To develop their leadership skills
West: World Citizenship and South: and serve their school community,
Service Learning. Adapting the students in Grade 6 and 7 have begun
curriculum to the Junior School means several initiatives under Ivy Compass.
creating age-appropriate experiences “Four of us went to a leadership camp
that guide girls on a journey to learn and started to implement what we
who they are, to engage in their learned. We did a survey with Grade
community and to become active 6 and 7 students,” says Gigi Roddick
and socially responsible citizens and ’23. “Using what we found, we created
environmental stewards.
the Six Seven Olympics. It was fun to
see girls challenge and support each
Big concepts like world citizenship are other.”
also simplified for younger students.
“We try to start that on a more local Susan Hutchison, Director of the
level, like their classroom or school Junior School, comments on the
community, and build into a global introduction of dedicated time and
lens as they get older,” explains resources for Ivy Compass; “It’s a
Jasmine Hare, Ivy Compass teacher wonderful addition and ref lects
the School’s commitment to the
for the Junior School.
Ivy Compass program and the
development of the whole girl. Now,
every girl in the Junior School will
have tangible, real-life experiences
that help them understand concepts
such as environmental stewardship
and service in the community.”
Moving forward, Jasmine would like
to help younger students begin to see
the program as something that can
support putting their own ideas into
action. “I would say my biggest goal
with the program is to help students
see they can make a positive change
in their community, whether that’s in
their classroom, family, city, country,
or the whole planet.”