That's a wrap! Dessert Theatre performances are being filmed this year to abide by COVID guidelines. The 3rd grade show Mysteries at the Mansion and the 5th grade show America, My New Home were filmed last week. Join us for the virtual premiere on Friday from the comfort of your living room.

Use the guest link below to join and enjoy this shared community experience and live audience. Families may share the link with grandparents, extended family, and friends who wish to enjoy the performances. The performance will also be uploaded to YouTube and shared out in the event your family can not attend the synchronous viewing time. Join us in celebrating our young thespians!

Upcoming Dessert Theatre Performances:

2nd & 4th Grade on March 5, 2021, 6:30 p.m.

Kindergarten & 1st Grade on March 18, 6:30 p.m.

For more than four decades, The Colorado Springs School has billed a signature theatre experience called Dessert Theatre for Kindergarten - 5th grade students. It is integrated with a robust theme of study and concentrated over several weeks. Often the topics of these grade-level plays are original scripts inspired by the curriculum the children are studying in science, history, and literature. This interdisciplinary exercise allows for complex ideas to be expressed on stage. Click here to learn more about Dessert Theatre.

Thank you for choosing CSS and for your partnership and grace in navigating this school year with us. We treasure having your family as part of the CSS community and look forward to many more years together!

February 1-16, 2021, will serve as the period of time to re-enroll your student(s). To secure your student's spot in the class and to receive the benefit of the Tuition Lock Program, re-enrollment must be complete by February 16.

In an effort to streamline the re-enrollment process, this year you will be able to access the 2021-2022 Enrollment Contract, update your Family Demographic Forms, complete the Acknowledge & Release Forms, and pay your $1,000 Tuition Deposit in FACTS Family Portal through your existing login. The need to update most Web Forms over the summer will become a thing of the past!

For a one-time purchase of $40, you will receive an assortment of Colorado produce on February 10, including a beautiful floral bouquet, dark chocolate shavings and raspberry marshmallows for hot chocolate, a dozen fresh Colorado eggs, an exquisite lavender bath bomb, and a freshly baked baguette.

With thoughtful care, we have curated a Valentine's Day artisan bag filled with goodies from Colorado. This bag will bring your sweetheart, family and/or dear friends joy all weekend long while supporting local family owned businesses:

Shoe donations have been pouring in! In partnership with the Parents Association, CSS families are invited to donate gently-used shoes. The shoe drive collection bins will be available through February 10, 2021, throughout campus. Please tie shoelaces or bundle with a rubber band to help keep shoes paired together. Shoes may be sent into school with students.

Ultimately the shoes will be donated to serve the mission of a local charity. First, our community will engage in the simple act of collecting shoes. We will then display the shoes in an art installation to deepen educational conversations about historical boycotts and segregation during Black History Month.

For more information on the shoe drive or to assist, please contact Brooke Rawls P’30, P’32, at bkrawls11@gmail.com or (317) 902-8157.

Families may order lunch online for the entire month of February instead of weekly as before.

If you prefer not to order for the month, please note that lunch orders need to be placed by 10 p.m. the Wednesday before the start of the next week. For example, if you want to order lunch for your child for Thursday, February 11, the order must be placed by 10 p.m. Wednesday, February 3.

Please note that due to supply and snow days, there may be times menu items are substituted.

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.

This week we launch the 2021 Boys’ Basketball season and celebrate a team of 17 boys, some who are playing basketball for the first time! We are excited to announce that CSS alum DeLovell Earls will be at the helm this season, joined by friend Jason Anderson who will lead the JV program. Because the girls’ team did not have enough support to field a healthy roster, Coach Vicki Vaughan will be assisting with the boys’ team. Players are Ben Mc. '21, Aadi N. '21, Owen G. '21, Aidan D. '21, William S. '21, Alex S. '21, Orlando M. '21, James H. '21, Graham B. '22, Grayson Gr. '22, Tristan T. '23, Landon M. '23, Mark M. '23, Andrew H. '23, Nathan S. '24, John B. '24, and Micah R. '24.

The season kicks off Thursday at home vs. Dolores Huerta with a JV game at 5:30, followed by a Varsity game at 7:00 p.m. With the priority for in-person learning at CSS, fans and parents will not be permitted at home games, and only parents will be allowed to certain away games. Click here to learn more.

On the girls’ side, Whitney R. ’21 and Mia C. ’22 are playing varsity for the Vanguard girls’ team, making an impact on a team that is already ranked #5 in the state for 3A. You can also watch and support them on the same NFHS platform (see schedule below). Kodiak Athletics appreciates your support! Go Kodiaks!

The Upper School Springs Production will be William Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors. One of Shakespeare’s earliest and shortest plays, The Comedy of Errors tells the story of Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant Dromio of Syracuse. They enter the town of Ephesus which, unbeknownst to them, houses the friends and families of their twin brothers. Hilarity ensues as mistaken identity overwhelms the plot in a series of mishaps and false accusations.

Students will perform this story outside on the CSS quad using an ensemble of 10-12 actors, musicians, and chorus members total. The ensemble will create the entire world of Ephesus using minimal sets, beautiful costumes, and ridiculous props, while the actors bring the story to life. Musicians (who may also be actors/ensemble) will accent the world of the play with their talents. Think Shakespeare in the Park brought to you by CSS. Upper School students interested in being in the production should sign up now to audition.

COVID safety strategies will be in place for all performers. Rehearsals will likely begin online and in the event of in-person rehearsals as we near the performance dates, PPE will be worn and social distancing will be observed. I understand the importance of a creative outlet. I understand even more fully the necessity of executing safety strategies. I have members in my family in the high risk category and I do not want to risk their health because of an after school activity. COVID protocols will be strictly adhered to during the rehearsal process. If you decide to audition and subsequently get a part, more information will be provided regarding our COVID mitigation strategies.

Google Meet: Click here to join

Join Gala & Auction Co-Chairs Brooke Rawls P '30, P '32, and Nancy May P'23 as volunteers come together to plan the 2021 Gala & Auction, which will be held April 17. It will be a swingin' good time whether it's a 1940's victory party with song and dance in the historic Knights of Columbus Hall or a virtual event. Time will tell, but the planning starts now! Volunteers are focused on soliciting auction items!

Find a place to put your talents on the Gala & Auction Committee, whether as an auction solicitor, class creation coordinator, sponsorship guru, decor and design leader, or in other areas. The committee welcomes anyone who would like to help with soliciting auction items or individuals who would like to donate their own baskets for auction. Connect with parents and grandparents across grade levels to plan our largest fundraising event of the year. Committee meetings are planned for 11:00 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month.

Last year, we hosted one of the region’s first virtual Gala & Auction events, resulting in a budget-busting $147,000 for student-centered learning, as well as pioneering a sense of community togetherness during stay-at-home orders.

For more information on how you can help make the Gala & Auction a success, contact Brooke Rawls P'30, P'32 at bkrawls11@gmail.com or (317) 902-8157 or Nancy May P'23 at nmay9393@gmail.com or (719) 210-9089.

Receive a gift this holiday that just isn't for you? Consider regifting for the Gala & Auction as a way to benefit CSS. All donations are eligible for an in-kind tax receipt based on the value of the item. We welcome new toys, housewares, sporting goods, games, gift cards, and more.

Items may be delivered to the Advancement Office or left at the front office of the Trianon. Be sure to include your name and phone number.

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: Thursday, March 4, 2021, 11:30 a.m.

Where: Google Meet.

Join by phone: 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.

The CSS Matchwits Team earned 1st place for 2A/1A schools in the High School Regional Championships for Knowledge Bowl/Matchwits this past weekend! The Kodiaks competed against some of the biggest top schools in the region as they battled through five challenging rounds of competition.

After holding on to 2nd place for two rounds, CSS had a tough final round against Liberty (5A) and Manitou (3A), bumping the Kodiaks to 4th place overall and 1st place for 2A/1A schools.

CSS heads to the state championship tournament in March. Congratulations, Kodiaks!

Three Kodiaks participated in the University of Colorado at Boulder Model United Nations tournament last week. This two-day event featured a unique Joint Crisis Council, where students re-imagined the Cuban Missile Crisis. Dane C. '21 played the role of Douglas Dillon, a member of President Kennedy's Executive Committee of the National Security Council. Asher D. '21 and Orlando '21 were Anastas Mikoyan and Pyotr Lomako, a former Soviet Deputy Premier and Soviet economist. For most of the conference, they were in two separate councils, and sometimes the two councils would interact with each other as they worked in "real-time" to try to prevent the Cuban Missile Crisis from escalating into global thermonuclear war! Our Kodiaks did an amazing job as diplomats and they worked together with students from 15 high schools around the state of Colorado. Congratulations, Kodiaks! #modelunitednations

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.