End of an era: Park City School District retires The Compass after decades of community classes

A copy of Park City School District’s Compass catalog highlights community education classes and enrichment opportunities. The district is discontinuing the longtime program and printed magazine due to declining enrollment. Photo: The Compass

The longtime catalog connected residents with classes, camps and community learning opportunities

PARK CITY, Utah — After decades of arriving in Park City mailboxes, The Compass is ending, taking with it a source of classes and camps for residents, from cooking and fitness to chess, art, language classes, and summer camps.

That run is coming to an end.

Park City School District is discontinuing its Compass Community Education program and printed magazine because of sustained low enrollment, district spokesperson Colton Elliott told TownLift Thursday.

“As self-directed learning has grown and local organizations increasingly offer their own programming directly, class registrations through Compass have steadily declined,” Elliott said.

The district’s Leisure Learning community education program dates to 1998, according to previous reporting. Over the years, The Compass became its public-facing guide, connecting children and adults with enrichment programs offered through the school district and community partners.

In 2022, TownLift reported that Compass coordinator Jane Toly published the catalog of year-round classes and camps as part of the district’s broader Community Education Department. Programs ranged from adult education and English language learning to aquatics, after-school programming and leisure classes.

By 2023, the district mailed The Compass to homes three times a year for fall, winter/spring, and summer sessions, with additional copies available at schools, libraries, and the district office. That summer’s lineup included cooking classes and Power Chess, and the district had introduced a new online registration system.

In 2024, TownLift highlighted offerings including dog training and puppy socialization, Mathnasium programs for students, and a larger slate of adult classes planned for the fall.

By summer 2026, The Compass advertised weeks of youth camps and classes including babysitting training, chef school, science programs, yoga, art, chess and Lego activities.

The classes themselves will not necessarily disappear.

Elliott said local partner organizations will increasingly host programs and handle registration through their own systems. The district expects to continue working with those organizations and to continue hosting some of the most popular classes.

“Community enrichment remains a priority for PCSD, and many of the classes community members have come to enjoy will still be available,” Elliott said.

The district said administering the program and publishing the magazine internally no longer represents the most effective use of district resources as registration habits shift.

“We’re grateful for the community’s support of Compass over the years and to our local partners for continuing to offer these enrichment opportunities,” Elliott said.