Circle is

The Heartbeat of Our Community.

Foundations of Compass Circles

Circle is the heart of our experiential learning approach. Valor students and staff are placed in a community of 15-20 peers that meet weekly throughout the school year to participate in Compass Circle. In Circle, these community groups come together to support themselves and each other in their personal development. Compass Circle is a facilitated practice that includes the five key components below.

True North

In our age of information overload and increasingly busy schedules, it is more important than ever to learn strategies for finding balance and presence in our lives. True North practices are invitations for individuals and the community as a whole to simply slow down and let their minds and hearts settle so that they can engage in their lives in a balanced and present manner. The True North practice in Circle is a short, guided contemplative practice, generally led by the facilitator that helps create a collective sense of presence in the Circle.

Check-In and Check-Back

The Check-In is an opportunity for every participant to briefly share how they are doing and what they might need from Circle. In the check-in, participants choose a strong feeling word that describes their current state of being. After everyone has checked-in, the Check-Back is a built-in time for the facilitator to check back in with a few participants. Facilitators will provide the opportunity for those participants to share more about their chosen feeling word, and their circle community may offer support or celebrate with them.

Circle Work and Resonance

Circle Work is the “content” of Circle and consists of a variety of pre-planned Work that participants bring to Circle. Badge Work, Individual, Relationship, and Community Work, as well as organic Work that may surface from the Check-In. The Circle responds to all Work with Resonance – where participants in the Circle bring the person who has shared Work to the center to name what was particularly moving in their shared piece of Work and how it has made an impact on them. Resonance always ends with connection (air high-five, hug, fist-bump, etc).

Appreciations

Appreciations are an opportunity to publicly share gratitude for the specific ways individuals in our community have impacted us. Similar to Resonance, participants in Circle will individually call another to the center and share their Appreciation.

Closing

The Closing is a ritual that formally “seals,” or closes, the practice of Circle. It consists generally of two components: a reflection and a closing motto or cheer.

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Student Circle Impact

84% students reportCircle helps them learn new ways they can help their friends.

80% students report Circle helps them feel less alone.

83% students report Circle helps them become better persons.

Faculty Circle Impact

82% faculty report Circle has changed the way that they think about emotions.

80% faculty report Circle helps them become friends with people who they may not have gotten to know outside of Circle.

80% faculty report Circle helps them learn new ways they can help their colleagues.

“Making it ‘normal’ to share inner pieces of yourself is the best thing our Circle does for scholars. It creates a culture that values honesty, authenticity and vulnerability.”

FACULTY MEMBER
Valor Voyager

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