Parent Advisory Council

Mariecor Agravante is a working-from-home Mom, thanks to her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, her Master of Science degree in Organizational Leadership, as well as her professional experience as a writer, editor, designer (art and photography), and online educator.  She likewise has several years of experience serving on the Boards of a number of nonprofit organizations at the local, regional, and national levels.  Her children have been attending Compass since their kindergarten years.

I am mother to two boys with exceptional needs. I am also a Chapman University graduate with a degree in Social Science.  I am a certified  special needs parent advocate. I serve on the the Special Education Advisory Committee here at Compass. I love the opportunity Compass allows our scholars, to learn the way that best fit their individual needs. I am excited to continue to be a part of the learning here at Compass.

I am a full-time stay at home mom of 3 in SoCal. I have a masters degree in Education & 7 years of classroom teaching experience. Currently, I am a contracted educator for the FKCE program at both Ventura & Oxnard College. My older 2 children are part of the options program with Compass and we are loving it. My husband & I enjoy camping and traveling to show the kids the beauty of nature and historic places within our state.

I have been a proud Learning Coach for my daughter at Compass for several years and love every minute of it, even the challenging moments. I graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Bachelors of Science in Computers and a Masters of Science in Computers with a specialty in eBusiness. I am an Army veteran of six years, have lived in Australia, Israel, Germany, US Virgin Islands, Maryland, Washington, DC, Raleigh, NC, San Francisco and currently in beautiful Carlsbad, California. My son (who graduated Kuma Sum Laude with a degree in Computer Programming) and I have created a video game news website in 2013 and have over 35,000 followers. I am very excited about being on the Parents Advisory Council because I strongly believe that it we, the Learning Coaches, who truly understand what makes our children grow and thrive as online learners and we have a wealth of knowledge and advice to share with the learning community.

Samantha Herrod holds two bachelor’s degrees in fine arts from the University of San Francisco and the College of the Arts, and has had the pleasure of being a paraprofessional and instructional aide for the Los Angeles Unified School District soon after graduating. Also during that time, Samantha had the honor of being an individualized tutor for a south Los Angeles school, Locke High School, in their math program called Mother of Many.

Since that time, Samantha has dedicated her time to educating her son, who is a Compass scholar and has been for the past eight years and is on his way to high school. They are very loud and proud! She also teaches a variety of art classes, one being art therapy, in which she instructs those who are experiencing homelessness and/or suffering from mental illness, for a non profit in south Los Angeles. Samantha’s expertise in marketing and customer service are also some of her specialties.

Samantha grew up in Los Angeles, California, where she got her love for art and education from her family. Her first experience in education was at her grandmother’s daycare, where she was guided to instruct young children in primary learning. This led her to also teach her first art class for the Star Program at Fairburn Elementary.

It has always been important for Samantha to represent children and to always allow them to have their own voice. She has been allowed to continue this service, especially as a member of the Parent Advisory Council for the past four years. She was raised with the concept that children need a village, and with Compass, you definitely have your village!

I am a mother and learning coach to 5 wonderful and wild boys in Southern California. We have been with Compass for 4 years now and we love it. I have a degree in nutritional science, and a student with ASU pursuing my bachelors degree. I plan to become a college professor after the kids grow up and get families of their own. My family and I love to get outdoors and explore new places, we are always traveling.

Ms. Metztii is a proud stay at home mom with three kids and two dogs. She is an autism and women’s rights activist. Her family loves camping, hiking and are big movie and video game lovers. She currently involves herself in activism for women’s rights. Two of her children are in the spectrum, one non-verbal. Her children teach us how to see the world differently every day. She hopes more will join us to help children with ASD feel more comfortable in this world.

Leah Smith considers it a pleasure to serve on the PAC and aspires to bring the voice of other Options families to each meeting. She’s a long time Home educator of five with three graduates and two scholars. Creative, craftsy, keeps plants alive most of the time and loves a fun field trip. When she’s not elbow deep in a hands-on-project, you can find her assisting her husband in real estate and mortgage.

She is a very proud parent of a special needs child and they have been with Compass for a few years, as the brick and mortar no longer fit his unique abilities and challenges. She finds it very rewarding to work on helping her child reach his full potential, while advocating for his specific and unique needs. Apart from being creative and having a passion for teaching, writing and research.  She is heartfelt in her mission to helping other parents navigate the sometimes unforgiving and all consuming road of Special needs, so that they too have a voice. She works, as well as volunteers and is an advocate for Domestic Violence survivors and plays a Mentor and support role for those women on their path to safety and recovery. She is proud and honored to be a member of the PAC and part of the Compass Family. She hopes her role will help Parents, Scholars and Staff navigate the Compass Experience.