As of Monday, February 8, faculty and staff became eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in phase 1B.2. The goal is for this phase to be completed within three to four weeks, but completion is dependent on vaccine supply. In an effort to assist our faculty and staff, CSS Health Coordinator Dr. Melissa Hocate pre-registered and actively researched the avenues to secure vaccines for the faculty and staff. Many of our faculty and staff have already received their first dose of the vaccine and already have their second doses scheduled! This, no doubt, will provide many with an added layer of protection and a sense of security. We are excited and relieved to be a part of the process and look forward to a new normal.

We want to say thank you to all the families who have already committed to returning to CSS for the 2021-2022 school year. This year, we streamlined the re-enrollment process and moved entirely to a digital process. Families were able to complete re-enrollment within the FACTS Family Portal. I hope you enjoyed the ease of the online process, and I hope everyone will take advantage of this contactless option to re-enroll because it will continue to be of service to you.

The deadline to re-enroll was Tuesday, February 16. Our Admission staff is now actively interviewing prospective students and is enthusiastic about offering open spots to a strong pool of new applicants.

Families who did not complete the re-enrollment packet may still access the packet through the Family Portal or may contact Joy Maguire-Parsons, Director of Admissions, at (719) 434-3520 or joym-p@css.org for assistance.

Shoes from the “Soles for Service” drive have been arranged as an art installation that shows the Civil Rights Movement's power and its ability to make a change for African Americans through boycotts, protests, and sit-ins. We will take some time to address the shoes, why they are there, what they represent, and how they encompass unity and collective voice. The shoes are thoughtfully aligned in two-by-two pairs to show solidarity, unity, collective vision, and messaging. The Civil Rights Movement is about people, and each shoe stands as a visualization of the persons involved across the Civil Rights Movement.

This morning, I briefly shared a message across campus via the public announcement system to introduce the art installation. Teachers will have the opportunity to expound on the topics of unity, racism, collective voice/group think, principles, segregation, support of mankind, leadership, equality/ Black History Month, nonviolence/civil disobedience, boycotts, sit-ins, and messaging. The art installation intends to spark conversations with your children about the Civil Rights Movement, its legacy, and how it continues today.

The installation will remain on display through Friday, February 26. As Black History Month comes to a close, the shoes will be collected and donated to various Colorado Springs community charities. We appreciate your generosity and support of the Soles for Service Shoe Drive, and we look forward to many ways to help others.

We are happy to announce that we have welcomed Mark Perdew as the new physical education teacher to our CSS faculty. Coach Perdew is stepping into the role vacated by Coach Collin's departure. Coach Perdew previously served as the Head Soccer Coach for both the Middle and Upper School Girls’ Soccer team here at CSS, as well as a substitute PE teacher. He is familiar with our families and we are excited to have him aboard for the remainder of the year.