Volunteer for carline through October 30 using the link below. Several more people are needed for next week.

As we look toward the upcoming months, we want to prioritize in-person learning and interacting together as a community of learners. Students need to be in school. Families want to be together. How can we prioritize both?

Navigating through COVID-19 will take all of us. We need your help to continue in-person learning. We want to avoid any potential outbreak or transmission of the virus on our campus.

The 2020 Fun Run shirts are here! These wicking sport shirts are offered in youth and adult sizes and short sleeve or long sleeve. They feature a masked Kodiak bear paired with a quote by Martin Luther King, Jr: “If you can’t fly, then run, if you can’t run, then walk, if you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” Order by Sunday, November 8, 2020. Shirts will be delivered to the school and sent home with students.

The Parents Association has been hard at work planning the annual Fun Run! Depending on COVID-19 protocols and where we are on Friday, November 20, 2020, we are hoping to hold an in-person version of Fun Run. If we are not able to, we will coordinate a virtual version of Fun Run for families to participate in during the week of our Thanksgiving break. A virtual Fun Run will leverage our sense of community and social media to encourage families to take time on the break to go for a walk or run with their family. Prizes will be awarded for various feats such as best costume, most participants, and longest run.

The Fun Run shirts feature business sponsorships on the back, along with a hand-drawn design of a Kodiak bear in the mountains by 5th grader April C. '28. If your business would like to be a sponsor, please see the form below. Deadline for sponsorship is Saturday, November 7, 2020. Goodie bags will be distributed to Fun Run participants, and sponsors may include goodies and coupons.

Questions? Please contact Sponsorship Chair Lynn Shepherd at lynn@docshepherd.com or (632) 680-3442.

Snag a Kodiak Harvest Bag while supplies last! Order online today and pick up on Friday, October 23, during carline.

This week's Kodiak Harvest Bag features a dozen organic farm-fresh eggs from Yoder Family Farm in addition to carrots, chard, squash (mix), small gala apples, green apples, and onions (mix). As the season winds down and the farmers prepare for the winter, some of these items are wonderful staples for your pantry. There are only 30 harvest bags available!

In partnership with Colorado farmers and continuing to connect our kids and families to initiatives "beyond our walls," we offer our third round of the Kodiak Harvest Bag. For $30, you will receive an assortment of fresh Colorado produce.

Pick up of your Harvest Bag during carline between 3:15 and 4:00 p.m. by driving to the lower level of Louisa Performing Arts Center in-between the Middle and Upper School carline.

PAYMENT NOTE: The harvest bag purchase is run through the auction website. If you have a previous Givesmart profile, you don't need to set up a new login. Please make sure you have an active credit card on file.

Have you checked out what Chef Lori Burgess has been cooking up for students? Penne pasta with marinara sauce, chicken tenders, nacho bar, veggie salads, and more!

If you'd like to order lunch for your student, be sure to do it before the 10:00 p.m. Wednesday deadline for the following week.

For example, if you want to order lunch for Thursday, November 5, the order must be placed by 10 p.m. Wednesday, October 28. Please note that due to supply, there may be times menu items are substituted.

Children's School students are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes to school on Friday, October 30, 2020, and take part in a parade on campus. Costume accessories such as masks, wings, and wands, need to be brought to school in a separate bag and will be set aside for later in the day, as students need to be able to function in class. Sturdy shoes for the day are recommended. Face masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 must be worn.

Students will parade twice around the quad as Middle and Upper School students and faculty and staff watch in a socially-distanced fashion. PreKindergarten students parade at 8:15 a.m., and students in kindergarten through 5th grade will parade at 2:00 p.m. Students will return to classrooms for Halloween activities. Please note that parents are not able to view the parade in person this year. We will set-up a Facebook Live to stream the afternoon parade.

Middle School students will continue the tradition of carving pumpkins. They need to bring their own pumpkin to carve October 30. To allow for maximum carving time, students should hollow out their pumpkins at home, remembering to incorporate the stem or base into the design.

For your Halloween planning at home, Dr. Sarah Bartz, P'29, P'31, with Children's Hospital Colorado shared the below article. It is a great resource to help families plan Halloween fun!

Saturday’s State Cross Country meet was the final event for the adapted 2020 Fall sports season. Senior Orlando M. '21 was the lone representative for the Kodiaks, finishing 77th overall in the 2A division with a time of 20:26.

“He ran his heart out,” said coach Jolly Cunha, “and we are so proud of how far he came this season.”

Following the meet, season awards were presented as the team safely gathered for some pie and ice cream.

Most Valuable Runner: Orlando M. ’21

Most Valuable Runner: Heather H. ’21

Most Improved Runner: Andrew H. ’23

Most Improved Runner: Lucia S. ’24

Kodiak Coaches’ Award: Alex H. ’24

All-Conference (Black Forest League): Orlando M. '21

All-Conference (Black Forest League): Heather H. '21

The boys’ tennis team celebrated their season last weekend with some pizza and tennis before presenting their awards.

Most Valuable Player: Tristan T. ’23

Most Improved Player: Asher D. ’21

Kodiak Coaches’ Award: Owen G. ’21

Kodiak Coaches’ Award: Aidan D. ’21

Congratulations, Kodiaks!

There are known and unknown risks in navigating these uncertain times. But individuality and isolation from one another are not long-term solutions to the adversity presented by our current world. Instead, we aim to build and promote a community that is solution-minded, embraces the mindset and practice of "we before me", and collectively adheres to the guidelines of medical professionals and elected officials. The Community Pledge has been written in the spirit of developing a common language and understanding by which we will all commit for the 2020-2021 school year.

As a result of COVID-19, CSS applied for and was subsequently funded with a Payroll Protection Plan (PPP) loan through the CARES Act. We're proud to put these dollars to work for our school. As a result of this loan/grant, CSS is a Federal Funds Recipient for the next several weeks. Members of the CSS administration have participated in several training sessions on Title IX (and Section 504, Title VI, and the Age Discrimination Act among other pieces of relevant Federal legislation), which apply to us as temporary federal funds recipients. Read the full notice here.

Through the robust network of the CSS community, alumni, parents, faculty/staff, and past parents assist students in exploring their passions and career interests through Senior Capstones. These independent projects conducted over several weeks in May forge real-world opportunities and connections as seniors prepare to make their way in a dynamic world. Students have taken on research and writing projects, shadowed engineers, medical professionals, and artists. They have coordinated large-scale events, interned with local companies, interviewed industry experts, and gained valuable professional skills.

As mentorship is central to our mission and to the Capstone process, we encourage you to take this brief survey to learn more about how you can engage with a senior. Learn more here.

The Parents Association Board will hold virtual meetings for the foreseeable future on the first Thursday of each month. Anyone is welcomed to join.

Next Meeting: 11:30 a.m. Thursday, November 5, 2020

Where: Google Hangout, Let's chat during lunch!

Join by phone: +1 540-680-4396 (PIN: 349712789)

Click here to learn more about the role of the Parents Association in building community in our school. Email the Parents Association at parentsassociation@css.org.

Learning math while jumping around? That's what 1st grade students did during a lesson on subtraction.

Using a number line with 0 through 10, students hopped to different numbers to figure out equations. 10-8? Start on 10, hop 8 spots, and land on 2. Teacher Ellen Crow also shared another way. Start on 10 and hop to 8. How many hops? 2. There's your answer.

"Oh my gosh," Leo P. '32 said.

"Right? Mind blown," Mrs. Crow said.

She teaches this hands-on lesson because she believes learning is not a passive activity.

"One way to keep students excited about and engaged in their learning is to have them get up and move," Mrs. Crow said. "By incorporating movement into a lesson on subtraction strategies, students have an opportunity to get the wiggles out, explain their thinking to their peers, and solidify their understanding. They are excited to learn, and watching that happen is one of the greatest gifts of being a teacher."

When AP Biology students set out to test how different variables affect the rate of photosynthesis, they began by punching holes in spinach leaves to make leaf discs. The experiment is based on a floating leaf technique.

"They suck all of the gas out a leaf so that it sinks in water, and as it goes through photosynthesis, gases start to build up in the leaf and it starts to float," said teacher Natalie Hanson. "How long it takes to float tells you how fast photosynthesis is happening in that little leaf disc."

Students used a syringe to create a vacuum that sucked out the gas. Then they put the leaves in different treatments and measured the rate of photosynthesis using three different variables: light intensity, carbon dioxide levels, and the wavelength of light. Some of the leaf discs floated within seconds. View more photos here.

Parents, teachers, and students are encouraged to submit nominations and digital photos of student achievements to Anslee Wolfe, Communications and Marketing Manager, at awolfe@css.org. These extracurricular achievements make us a well-rounded school and highlight the many unique talents and passions of our student body. A diverse selection of achievements is highlighted in ROAR and shared on social media. We also welcome alumni achievements!

Due to COVID-19 we will continue to make adjustments to the Major Dates calendar. We will continue to update school's google calendar as we progress from week to week. We are adhering to local, state, and federal guidelines regarding on-campus, in-person learning. As a result, planning for the 2020-2021 school year is ongoing and requires the school to respond with agility, grace, and a heavy dose of patience. View the calendar here.