Children's School Profile for Success

This information articulates the qualities and characteristics most consistently found in successful students at the Colorado Springs School. As students are constantly growing, changing and developing, this profile is offered not as an absolute, but as a guideline for prospective students and their families who are considering application for enrollment.

Depending on the needs of a particular student, teachers are willing to make certain appropriate accommodations. We can work with students:

who are motivated and have a willingness to learn age-appropriate self-advocacy skills
who have certain compensatory strengths and strategies
whose families are committed to providing support for their child and to working with the school faculty and staff
whose families are aware of their child's learning needs and are willing to provide outside support

Attributes of students who benefit most from our Children's School:

Intellectual Curiosity
We look for students of average to superior cognitive ability who have a range of interests, are open-minded, curious and questioning, have the potential to make connections across disciplines and think critically. At the elementary level, students should begin to show age-appropriate abstract thinking skills and demonstrate strong oral and written language skills.

Motivation
We seek students who work for the sake of learning, not just for a reward or grade. Their academic achievement should be consistently on or above grade level. Successful Children's School students have a positive attitude, put forth their best effort, and are willing to take intellectual risks. They actively participate in and contribute to classroom activities and strive to apply organizational skills.

Creativity
We appreciate students who are creative problem-solvers and divergent thinkers. We look for students who value the creativity of others.

Flexibility
We look for students who can handle multiple transitions in a day, who are open to new ideas, and who can maintain focus in a variety of settings.

Social Maturity
We seek students who demonstrate self-control, accept responsibility for their own actions, and behave respectfully, cooperatively, and thoughtfully toward others. We value students who are community-minded and tolerant of diversity.

Self-Knowledge and Self-Advocacy
We seek students who know (or are willing to learn) about their own strengths and weaknesses. This includes developing an understanding of their own learning style and personal and social development.

Health and Wellness
We look for students who have an interest in fitness activities and who practice good health and hygiene habits. We expect students to demonstrate emotional well-being through their coping skills and degree of self-confidence.

Attributes of parents well-suited for our Children's School:

Partnership
We look for parents who want to make a commitment to our school community, who support the school's values, and who are willing to communicate and work through problems in a team-building manner. We need our parents to be accessible, open to further evaluation of their child, and willing to act on school recommendations made by faculty or outside professionals.

Trust
We ask that our parents trust our curriculum and our program choices, and respect the professionalism of our faculty and administration. We also seek parents who have patience and realistic expectations for their child in the learning process.

Commitment to the School's Mission
We seek parents who share our common goal of educating the whole child. The Colorado Springs School prepares its students for college. The Colorado Springs School teaches thinking and problem solving skills and sends forth life-long learners who are resourceful, responsible, independent individuals.