February 18, 2016
Dear CSS Families,
In spite of (or, alternatively because of) the recent “snowpocalypse,” our students/athletes/actors have been shining in the classroom, on our courts, and on our stages. These great achievements are due in part to the efforts of our exemplary faculty, coaches, and the members of our parent community who work together to create and support the programs and experiences that set CSS apart from other choices in our region. Here is a partial list of the events and activities that have recently taken place on our campus:
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Family Fun Basketball Night - Thanks to our basketball teams for playing their hearts out and to all our spirited fans who attended. The pep band, under the tutelage of the incomparable Mr. Moorhead, gives our players a distinct home court advantage in the Tutt Field House!
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Our 1st graders recently completed their Famous Americans presentations. Far from nervous, some of the students even closed their speeches by singing songs about their Famous Americans. Many of the trifold boards are on display both in ECC and CAC, so please take the time to stop by and take a look.
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Our 2nd grade inventors met with their 3rd grade “clients”, designed innovative new products, and demonstrated their inventions to an audience of peers and parents!
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Our 5th grade and 3rd grade actors opened the Dessert Theatre “season” with two stellar shows that showcased both interstellar space pirates and a medieval epic complete with “witches” and swordplay!
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From the lost city of Atlantis to the anatomy of the narwhal, our young 4th grade scholars owned the stage and delivered informative Powerpoint presentations in front of a live audience in LPAC.
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Thanks to the sponsorship of our Parents Association, I recently presented at the Parent Coffee Connection about the mental and physical benefits of both exercise and sports and gave an overview of future athletic initiatives at CSS. Additionally, the Parents Association just announced a thoughtful and generous gift of items that will impact our robust arts and athletic programs.
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Over the course of two separate evening events, our Middle School and Upper School faculties recently welcomed current Children’s School and Middle School families to learn more about the CSS difference in our Middle and Upper School.
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Our 8th graders were hosted by the students and faculty of the Upper School, and they had a chance to see the rigor of our high school academic program first hand. On the other side of campus, PreK students joined Mrs. Leachman in the Kindergarten classroom for lunch and a glimpse of life at the next grade level, which was an equally important milestone to mark.
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Most recently, our Mission Day featured adventurer Jake Norton as the keynote speaker and allowed for a diverse array of seminar options presented by guests speakers, including Anna Martinez ‘98 who gave an informative presentation on careers in the law, based on her work as an attorney.
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At the end of last month, our internationally renowned Model UN team hosted more than 200 high school students on campus for a 2-day competition. The event even drew a delegation from Turkey, expanding our global perspectives and providing real-world opportunities for diplomacy and Colorado hospitality. Thank you to all the families who hosted our visiting students from Turkey.
Upcoming events at CSS
- Tonight we will have an evening presentation from Upper School Students and Upper School Parent Advisory Team featuring panel discussions about the Upper School experience. We welcome all Middle School parents to join.
- We are in our final week of re-enrollment for returning students. The deadline is Friday, February 19th. Please contact the Admission Office to schedule an appointment if you have questions or would like assistance completing the process.
- Middle School Seminar II and Upper School Experience Centered Seminars are in their final preparation phases.
- This week we will roll out our offering of Summer Camps to be hosted on campus.
Looking forward to next school year, our teachers and Division Leads have created several exciting ways to advance our learning environment.
- The newly developed online learning management system, Google Classroom, has already made a debut in several Middle School and Upper School classes this semester, and it will be implemented in all Middle and Upper school classes next August. CSS is joining a growing group of innovative institutions who are early adopters of this powerful but simple new system that blends well with the file sharing and organizational structure of the Google Apps suite, including calendar, email, and drive. Google Classroom will simplify document and assignment management for our students and teachers.
- In Middle School athletics, we will be making a transition to membership in the CCAL league for volleyball and basketball next year. Participation in this league will have several effects, including shorter basketball seasons at this level and more local competition, which should reduce travel time on game nights for our young scholar-athletes.
As you can tell, it is an exciting time at The Colorado Springs School. Thank you for being part of this great school. As always, please feel free to reach out to me directly if you have questions or concerns.
Warm regards,
Aaron Schubach
Head of School
The Colorado Springs School
