October 21, 2022







A MESSAGE FROM



Lower School Division Director


Mr. Nathan J. Mylin


Fall Greetings, Lower School Families!


This has been a very exciting October, with many great school events and projects. It is always a pleasure working each day alongside your children and seeing the joy and smiles on their faces. This month, our PreK classes fell for their Fall Harvest Festival, our Kindergarteners “ate up” Apple Day and are “pumped” for Pumpkin Day, and 1st graders got hyped about Hibernation Night, their first overnight experience with CSS! Check out these other exciting events and activities occurring in the Lower School division at the end of October and into the Thanksgiving break!


Fifth Grade Science Shadow Project


This year, The Class of 2030 has added a new dimension to 5th Grade experiential education at CSS, with the introduction of the 5th Grade Science Shadow Project. An integral part of this new project, students have been tasked with shadowing a person in a science-related career of their choosing. Occupations, so far, have included paleontologists, a space engineer, veterinarians, an ecologist, and many more. This project is designed as an extended learning experience, whereby students venture out into the community. (At least one student even plans to travel to another state to complete their science shadow experience!) As time permits, the remainder of the day will be spent at home planning a presentation for their peers. There are some parameters for the presentation, but there is also a lot of room for creativity in how each student can report on their shadow experience. I look forward to hearing all about it!

The Great Pumpkin Drop

2 p.m. | Quad


All Kindergarten through 5th Grade families are welcome to join us on Thursday, Oct. 27, at 2 p.m. on the Quad for CSS's first-ever Great Pumpkin Drop! Our young CSS engineers have been using the Engineer Design Process to create protective pumpkin pods. The goal: for each class to create a pumpkin pod to protect their classroom pumpkin from cracking or smashing after sustaining a 75-foot drop.


Colorado Springs Fire Department's Station #4 will be joining us with their fire truck to lift each class pumpkin up to the designated height... and then drop them one at a time! Classes that succeed in keeping their class pumpkin intact with no damage will receive a fun pumpkin prize! Please mark your calendar for this exciting event. Parents are welcome to take their child(ren) home following the event after signing out with their child’s respective teacher.

Halloween Parades

8:15 a.m. & 2:45 p.m.


On the morning of Friday, Oct. 28, at 8:15 a.m., PreK students will have a Halloween Parade around the Children’s Academic Center (CAC). Later in the day, at 2:45 p.m. after experiencing some classroom holiday fun, Kindergarten through 5th Grade students will participate in a Halloween Parade around the Quad. Parents, Middle and Upper School students, and faculty are invited to attend the parade to cheer them on!


Students are encouraged to either wear or bring their costumes to school on this day. All handbook dress code rules apply for Halloween costumes. In addition, students may not bring simulated weapons to school, may not obscure their faces completely with a mask, and may not have excessive blood or gore as part of their costumes while at school.

VIEW ALL-SCHOOL CALENDAR

Upcoming Event: Nov. 18, STEAM Day and Fun Run

Stay tuned for more information to come about this fun-filled day for students and families!

Parent-Teacher Conferences Begin Monday, Oct. 31


Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Monday, Oct. 31, throughout the day (no school for students). Conferences will be held in person in approximately 20-minute sessions. It is imperative that parents attend these in-person conferences with teachers, where student progress will be reviewed, and strengths and areas of challenge identified. Parents are encouraged to read their child(ren)’s report card before attending on conference day. Report card comments will be posted in the FACTS Portal on Friday, Oct. 28, to allow parents time to preview them prior to conference day. In many cases, it is fine for your child to attend the conference with you, and your teacher will provide guidance on this. Childcare will be made available during your conference time – if needed – in one of the 1st Grade classrooms in the ECC building. 

You're Invited: Community-Wide Veterans Day Ceremony


Parents, grandparents, and family members are encouraged to join us in this yearly celebration of veterans on Nov. 11 at 8:15 a.m. The CSS community will gather at the Trianon flagpole to show its gratitude for the individuals currently serving our country and those who have served in the past. If you plan to attend, kindly RSVP by Thursday, Nov. 10, at bit.ly/veterans-day-22.

Watch highlights from last year's ceremony.

LOWER SCHOOL VOICES

Third graders Kaylee A. and Noah M. commented on their favorite parts of the Engineering Design Process and this year’s Great Pumpkin Drop thus far:

Kaylee: I liked drawing my schematic (blueprint) because I like to draw. This is the third draft of my design.

Noah: I really liked measuring the materials, but I like building the pumpkin pod even more! This is also the third draft of my design.

The Colorado Springs School

21 Broadmoor Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80906

Work: (719)434-3537, ext.530

nmylin@css.org | www.css.org