May 16, 2017
Dear CSS Families, Alumni, Past Parents, Grandparents, and Friends,
From sun rocks and s’mores on Colorado Expeditions to MS Seminar III and Walkabout to Senior Skip Day and AP tests in the Upper School, the end of the academic year is a time of hard work, reflection, and celebration.
We had a great 2016-2017 school year. While it’s impossible to quantify the passion and talents of our teachers and students, please take a quick look at the “numbers” for 2016-2017.
#1 We were ranked the Best K-12 Private School in Southern Colorado by Niche.
We were ranked Best Private School for College Readiness in Southern Colorado.
We were ranked Best Private School by the Colorado Springs Business Journal.
We won 1st place in the Middle School Matchwits league championship.
We won 1st place in the Matchwits 2A State Championship. Overall, our Matchwits program has won 3 state titles and taken second place one time in the last 10 years.
2 Seniors were selected for the Gazette’s Best & Brightest out of 20 awardees.
3 Million dollars in college merit scholarships were awarded to the Class of 2017. On average, that is $90,000 in merit scholarships per graduate.
8 Students competed in the Model United Nations International Conference in Munich, Germany. The students took four top honors.
9 Children’s School assemblies were conducted. Themes ranged from friendship, courage, cooperation, independence, sincerity, and patriotism to Veteran’s Day, Black History, Poetry, and Music.
12 Core members of the Robotics Club put in a total of 430 hours working on projects in the new Innovation Lab.
12 Advanced Placement (AP) courses were offered to our Upper School students this year.
15 International students are sharing global perspectives from China, Spain, Vietnam, South Korea, Guatemala, and Brazil.
23 The average number of days CSS students are off campus gaining real world experiences.
23 Percent of Middle School students performed in the play Oh Ho Ho…Oh No!
28.2 The average ACT Score for the Class of 2017. The National Average is 21 and the Colorado Average is 20.
31 Zip codes are represented by CSS families across the region. More than 53% of students live outside of the school’s 80906 zip code.
32 Robustly designed experiential learning opportunities, including 6 Fall Adventures, 6 Colorado Expeditions, 10 Middle School Seminars, 4 Upper School Mission Centered Seminars, and 6 Experience Centered Seminars.
51 Percent of Upper School students were in the cast, crew, or orchestra of Midsummer/Jersey and Little Women the Musical.
52 Percent of those who took the ACT scored in the top ten percent in the nation.
58 Percent of faculty and staff hold advanced degrees, in addition to their tremendous professional and life experiences.
59 Percent of students in 4th - 12th grade participated in Band! All 4th & 5th graders are in the Band class.
65 Percent CSS parent participation in the Annual Fund.
73 Percent of those who took the SAT scored in the top ten percent in the nation.
81 Percent of Upper School students reported “Very Much” in response to our school’s emphasis for understanding of information and ideas in class on the High School Student Survey of Engagement. NAIS schools average 67% and public schools average 36%.
97 Middle and Upper School students used the high-level programming language Python as part of the new Computer Science Curriculum.
100 Percent of Children’s School is on stage in Holiday Tea and Dessert Theatre.
100 Percent Faculty/Staff and Board of Trustee participation in the Annual Fund.
105 Healthy lunches were served daily in the CSS Dining Hall, from sandwiches and hot meals to soups and a salad bar, promoting nutrition and wellness.
117 College acceptances by the Class of 2017 in 28 states, the District of Columbia, and three international countries.
120 Alumni and guests returned to campus for the 80s Alumni Reunion and Founders’ Day Ceremony, connecting our past and our present.
126 Advanced Placement (AP) exams were taken by 52 students this year. On average, 85% of CSS students earn a score of 3 or greater, which typically earns them college credit.
196 4th-12th grade students represented the Kodiaks in 390 team competitions this year in competitive sports.
198 Hours of imaginative play with the newly purchased Big Blue Blocks during recess and extended care.
301 Students attended CSS this school year, representing a 10% increase in enrollment for the first time in more than a decade.
571 Years of teaching and professional service have been dedicated to CSS by its 53 full-time faculty and staff.
1200 Pounds of clay have been fired in the new kiln purchased by the Parents Association. Art electives included: Advanced Art & Portfolio Studio, Studio Drawing, Printmaking, Metal Sculpture, Darkroom Photography, Ceramics & Video.
1400 Solar panels are owned by CSS. The panels are located in local solar gardens and on the roof of the Children’s School. We cover 75% of the electrical usage on campus with these panels.
1962 is the year The Colorado Springs School was established. Cheers to 55 years of pioneering excellence in education!
2053 Library books were checked out by Children’s School students on-campus this year for an average of 20 books per student.
110,415 Miles driven in CSS vans, buses, and rentals: 27,500 miles for experiential trips and competitions and 84,664 miles on our four daily bus routes and the late route.
We are proud of what our students and teachers have accomplished this year, and (after a restful summer) we are ready to build upon our success during the 2017-2018 school year. I look forward to seeing you at the many Ceremonies and Celebrations next week, including 5th grade and 8th grade Continuation Ceremonies and the 52nd Commencement Exercises of The Colorado Springs School.
All the best,
Aaron Schubach
Head of School
