May 21, 2018
Dear CSS Families, Alumni, Past Parents, Grandparents, and Friends,
In the age of information, we often try to measure literally everything, from our steps to social media “likes.” This is very natural and can be helpful. However, sometimes we can make the mistake of thinking that things that are not easily measured, do not exist. This is ironic because some of the most important elements of the human experience are invisible and cannot be measured in real time. At The Colorado Springs School, we aim to instill habits of mind that are powerful predictors of success in college and life but are difficult to quantify. These include academic self-confidence, resilience, trust, and optimism. While these things cannot be measured directly – the effects they produce, academic achievement, and success in our experiential education and athletic programs are easily counted. Take a look through the many “dashboards” below that document the ways in which our community delivered the mission this year. We have much of which to be proud. Thanks for reading and for your support of The Colorado Springs School.
#1 Best Private School for College Readiness in Southern Colorado
#2 Best Private High School in Colorado
1 Apache helicopter landed on campus for Veterans Day, an important day to our community. Twenty-five percent of CSS families have a parent with military service.
2.8 Million dollars in college merit scholarships were awarded to the Class of 2018. On average, that is $135,000 in merit scholarships per graduate.
3 Seniors claimed National Merit recognition: one as a Finalist and two as Commended students.
9 Laptops were refurbished by the Intro to Computer Science class with a complete software reinstall on a Solid State Drive.
9 Children’s School assemblies were conducted. Themes included friendship, courage, cooperation, independence, sincerity and patriotism as well as Veteran’s Day, Black History, Poetry and Music.
12 International students are sharing global perspectives from Guatemala, China, South Korea, and Japan.
12 New tents purchased for the outdoor education program by the Parents Association. Thanks for your leadership and generosity for our students throughout the year.
26 Average number of miles logged by each of the 27 athletes in the K-6th Grade Landsharks Running Club. That’s a marathon!
26 The average number of days CSS students are off campus gaining real-world experiences.
28 Class of 2018’s average ACT score. National Average: 21 Colorado Average: 20.8
30 Robustly designed experiential learning opportunities were delivered and included 6 Fall Adventures, 6 Colo. Expeditions, 8 Middle School Seminars, 4 Upper School MCSs & 6 ECSes.
35 Zip codes are represented by CSS families across the region. More than 49% of students live outside the school’s 80906 zip code.
46 Percent of students in 4th - 12th grade participated in Band! Eight alumni also came back throughout the year to participate in pep band and graduation.
54 Percent of faculty & staff hold advanced degrees in addition to their tremendous life and professional experiences
57 Upper School students participated in a sport that went to Districts, Regionals, Playoffs, or State.
78 College acceptances by the Class of 2018.
93 Advanced Placement (AP) exams were taken by 52 students this year. On average, 89% of CSS students earn a score of 3 or greater, which typically earns them college credit.
100 Percent of Children’s School is on stage in Holiday Tea and Dessert Theatre. Twenty-five percent of Middle School students performed in Robin Hood and 49% of Upper School was in the cast, crew or orchestra of Get Smart and Once Upon A Mattress.
100 Percent Faculty/Staff and Board of Trustee participation in the Annual Fund.
147 tours given to prospective families during the 2017-2018 admission season…and counting! Thanks to parent ambassadors for bringing the CSS experience to life.
160 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.
172 4th-12th grade students represented the Kodiaks in 230 team competitions this year in competitive sports.
302 Students inspired by masterful teachers at CSS.
588 Years of teaching and professional service have been dedicated to CSS by its faculty and staff.
900 seeds planted in the CSS Garden. This garden is tended to throughout the summer and academic year by over 20 student and faculty volunteers, including the Upper School Botany Class.
2486 Library books were checked out by Children’s School students on-campus this year for an average of 23 books per student.
1,500 pounds of iron used for The Great Iron Pour ECS. Art electives offered: Video production, Bronze casting, Advanced Art, Ceramics, Oil painting, Glass, Stone carving, Portfolio Studio Art for Seniors
1962 is the year The Colorado Springs School was established. Cheers to 56 years of pioneering excellence in education!
6,144 number of service hours completed in 2017-2018 by our students.
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 2018-2019 school year. I look forward to seeing you at the many Ceremonies and Celebrations this week, including 5th-grade and 8th-grade Continuation Ceremonies and the 53rd Commencement Exercises of The Colorado Springs School.
All the best,
Aaron Schubach
Head of School
