Compass houses welcome new friends

New Santa Catalina Lower and Middle School students were welcomed into their Compass houses during a sorting ceremony on October 19.

As part of the Compass character development program, students are placed into one of four houses named after the pillars of Catalina’s mission: Excellence, Spirituality, Responsibility, and Service. Each year, new students and teachers, as well as the entire kindergarten class, are sorted into one of the houses.

For each house, eighth-graders read off the names of new members and introduced them to the leaders of their Compass circles, smaller groups within the house. The ceremony concluded with everyone joining hands in a giant circle and raising their arms in a wave as the Lion King song “Circle of Life” played through the speakers. Afterward, the Compass circles—made up of students from a mix of grades—spread out across campus to play getting-to-know-you games.

Check out photos from the ceremony on SmugMug.