Frequently Asked Questions

The Compass Membership is an ongoing professional learning package comprised of three main benefit clusters:

1. On-Demand Training: Access to Compass member online courses with automated processes for easy whole-team or department registration. Courses include evergreen modular courses, shorter course options under five hours, seasonal book studies on trending topics, bulk registration options, and automatic tracking of course completion and credits.
2. Conference Support – Discounts on conference registration, including 30% off per staff member (40% for the whole staff). Free tickets are provided for school leadership. DIY STEM Camp coverage resources are available for schools sending large numbers of staff.
3. Expanded Professional Development – Special discounts on in-person training based on length. Free pre-training pulse checks and post-training microlearning are available by request. There’s an option to purchase into a new Shared OverDrive ebook collection for an additional cost per-student.

 

To find out if you are a Compass Member, check with your school or district administration OR view our Membership Look Up Database. An annual membership code controlling access to benefits is distributed via quarterly emails to district leadership, physical cards shared at in-person events or mailed to principals, and by request through a link on our website. Your school or district should have the code if you are a current member.

To receive graduate credit for your online course completion, you’ll need to register with the university offering the credit for your course and fulfill any additional requirements specified. This process should be done after completing all course assignments on Canvas. A capstone assignment may also be required. Courses often partner with universities like USF for credit, where you can register online or via mail with payment. Specific information on enrolling in graduate credit is available at the end of each course.

Once you complete a course, the time to receive your grade, CEU, or graduate credit can vary. Most coursework is scored within one business week of submission. For CECH/CEUs, certificates are automatically processed and available shortly after course completion. For graduate credits, the timing may depend on the university’s processing times and any additional requirements you need to complete. It’s suggested not to pursue both CECH/CEU and graduate credit for the same course simultaneously for efficiency. To request to expedite any of these items, email the course instructor.

Additional information can be found here: bhssc.pdx.catalog.canvaslms.com.

Booth and exhibit space can be reserved through the same online conference portal used for attendee registration. Keep an eye on our website and social media for announcements about when registration for the upcoming year’s conference opens. If you’re interested in being a presenter at the conference, watch for the call for proposals on our social media channels.

Compass Members receive discounted pricing on conference registration. For the most current membership discount information, check the registration page when it opens or contact the Compass Membership coordinator. Your discount code will be the same code that you use for annual online courses and on-demand training.

CECHs (Continuing Education Contact Hours), formerly known as CEUs, are available for those who participate in the online course component of the conference. This online course will be available for registration through our course catalog. Once you complete the course requirements, your CECH credits will be automatically tracked and awarded. You’ll receive an email with instructions on how to access your CECH certificate and transcript through the course portal. Please note that CECH credits are just one option for fulfilling professional development requirements, as determined by the South Dakota Department of Education (SDDOE).

If you are wanting to know more about our trainings, we encourage you to visit our professional development page. If you want to request more information, please complete the request information form. If you have further questions, please contact Kyle Laughlin.

We may have positions available, please reference career opportunities for any positions that are currently available.

We can find and locate information, resources, and/or research that is the most recent and up to date. Depending on what you’re looking for, please put in a request for information and we will be in touch.

The Paraprofessional’s Toolkit is a series of training opportunities. Each tool covers a specific topic, and we’ll cover a wide range of topics that paraprofessionals are expected to support in their day-to-day routines at school. This interactive and engaging training is one of the very few opportunities specific to paraprofessionals available today.

The team at Compass support teachers in special education in a variety of ways. Some of our professional learning opportunities that are special ed-specific include managing behaviors, paperwork, data collection, collaborating with general education and more. All of our supports (coaching, data analysis, usage support, and general support) are completely customized to fit your school’s needs.