“Beauty is truth’s smile when she beholds her own face in a perfect mirror.”
— Rudolf Steiner
Let Truth and Beauty Be Your Guide
“Beauty is truth’s smile when she beholds her own face in a perfect mirror.”
— Rudolf Steiner
Let Truth and Beauty Be Your Guide
Compass Rose Enrichment is a Waldorf-inspired enrichment program serving students in the middle grades (5-8) in Vista and Escondido, California. Our program is holistic, arts-based, and academically strong — designed to educate the whole child in body, mind, and heart.
We believe that education should be rich in meaning, grounded in beauty, and offered with reverence. Our students don't just acquire knowledge — they develop deep understanding, persistence, creativity, and the courage to think for themselves.
Our small group setting is intentional. It allows for genuine community, personalized attention, and a pace that honors each student's natural development.
Ashley Holzhauer brings over 20 years of teaching experience to Compass Rose Enrichment, including 15 years in California's public school system. She holds a California teaching credential with authorizations in biology, health, general sciences, and K–8 multiple subjects.
Ashley has worked with an exceptional range of learners — from gifted and talented students to those with dyslexia and dysgraphia — and holds deep expertise in Orton-Gillingham methods and other specialized learning supports.
During her time at Dublin Unified School District, Ashley served as a department chair and instructional coach, leading the district's transition to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). She conducted workshops and trained teachers across California in partnership with K–12 Alliance and WestEd.
Since 2019, Ashley has homeschooled her own daughter using Waldorf methods, developing her practice in curriculum design, holistic education, and the integration of science within the Waldorf framework. She also brings extensive experience as a college prep entrance exam tutor, math tutor, and writing tutor.
Ashley's teaching philosophy is captured in the school motto: Let Truth and Beauty Be Your Guide. Her aim is to provide an education full of meaning and beauty so that students develop in a balanced way in their thinking, feeling, and willing.
Our program may not be the right fit for students who prefer worksheet-based, check-the-box learning. Compass Rose asks students to engage deeply, move through creative process, and find meaning — not just completion.
Our days are carefully crafted to nourish both the active and the reflective sides of learning.
Students arrive during an open drop-off window and enjoy at least 30 minutes of free, unstructured play with their classmates before class begins. Community-building is a core part of our program.
Class opens with a morning circle — singing, rhythmic movement, and coordination work to engage the whole child and prepare them for learning. From there, we move into our main lesson block, with a mid-morning break woven in naturally.
After lunch and additional free play, we continue with afternoon work. Our small group setting means that social-emotional learning is woven into the fabric of every day — and at least once monthly we dedicate focused time to age-appropriate SEL topics: learning the difference between being nice and being kind, navigating conflict, understanding humor, and building the skills to be a good community member.
All Compass Rose courses are taught in the Waldorf tradition: holistic, reverent, and arts-based. Instruction includes drawing, painting, modeling, hands-on activities and games, storytelling, and crafts — woven naturally into each subject to build deep knowledge and genuine understanding. Topics listed below reflect content covered; each class goes far beyond a topic list.
Ashley offers science daily, paired with at least one additional course.Students develop an understanding of core physics principles through observation and experimentation. Topics include: acoustics and sound waves, optics and light (color, lenses, reflection/refraction), warmth and thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, and introductory mechanics (levers, pulleys, simple machines).
Astronomy: Students explore the movements of stars, moon, and sun relative to earth — including seasonal changes, the procession of the equinoxes, and planetary motion. Noted astronomers (Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Kepler) are studied throughout.
Mineralogy: Students explore the gifts of minerals from igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks — granite, quartz, chalk, metals, and gems. Geological processes and how substances like oil, glass, and semiconductors arise in the earth.
Grammar: A fun journey through story and games covering the eight parts of speech, clauses, pronoun and verb usage, verb tenses, and punctuation — all taught with creativity and humor.
Creative Writing — Wish, Wonder, and Surprise: Students read and discuss literature organized around these themes and use those readings as a springboard for short stories, journal entries, descriptive writing, and poetry.
Students will explore each of the ancient cultures of Persia, Mesopotamia, Sumer, Akkad, and Egypt through myths, legends, primary sources, and key historical figures while using writing and various artistic media to express their understanding.
Interest list now forming — please inquire.
(This course will plan to meet Tuesday afternoons.)
Handwork, art, farming, and more. Interest list now forming — please inquire.
Compass Rose Enrichment begins in early September. Classes are held on Mondays and Wednesdays. Please inquire for additional scheduling details: compassroseenrichment@proton.me
We welcome families who are ready to engage fully in a meaningful educational experience. Enrollment is a thoughtful process — we want to make sure Compass Rose is a great fit for your child and your family.
Compass Rose is a non-sectarian, non-religious, and non-discriminatory organization and welcomes people of all backgrounds.
Complete our enrollment application using the link below. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and are emailed to compassroseenrichment@proton.me.
Apply NowAfter your application is received, you'll be invited to schedule a tour and brief interview. This is a chance for us to meet your family and for you to experience the Compass Rose environment.
A modest $25 application fee is due prior to your tour. This fee helps us reserve time for your family and is applied toward your enrollment.
Once we've reviewed your application and met your family, we'll extend an enrollment offer.
[Parent testimonial — coming soon]
— [Family Name], Vista CA
[Parent testimonial — coming soon]
— [Family Name], Vista CA
