In honor of Veterans Day on Wednesday, Head of School Tambi Tyler welcomed retired army veteran and CSS parent, Ed Malone P'32, P'31 to campus for a special message to students and to wish all service members of our community thanks for their service. View a video of his message here.

Humbly, nearly a quarter of CSS parents have served or are currently serving in the military. We recognize and honor this service throughout our community and deeply appreciate the sacrifices made by their families. Thank you to all the service members in our community and the families that support their dedication and sacrifice.

This afternoon, Health Coordinator Dr. Melissa Hocate sent a message about COVID-19: As you might have heard yesterday evening on the news, El Paso County is moving to level "Orange" on the COVID-19 dial (effective Friday, November 13 at 5:00 p.m.), which places us in Safer-at-Home Level 3 due to the significant rise in COVID cases within our county. Although the county’s metrics position us firmly into Stay-at-Home levels, the Governor and Colorado Department of Public Health (CDPHE) are balancing economic considerations and have not assigned this elevated order. Read her full letter here.

Please join Dr. Leon Kelly and Dr. Melissa Hocate on Wednesday, November 18, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. for continued COVID-19 education and the outlook for months to come. Click here for the Google Meet link to join this parent education meeting.

Get your favorite Kodiak gear! Adidas sweatshirts, jackets, pants, hats, backpacks, and more. These items make perfect holiday gifts for moms, dads, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, teachers, and coaches!

While we're still pushing toward the Annual Fund challenge and have 15 Claremont level gifts to go, CSS accepts gifts 365 days a year.

The powerful combination of tuition and philanthropy bridges the gap of the true cost of educating a CSS student. During a typical year, that gap represents about $2,600, but after spending nearly $150,000 in COVID-19-related expenses, the average gap per student soars beyond the budget. Your philanthropic dollars to the Annual Fund applies to the school's operating budget and signature programs in addition to mitigation costs.

For nearly 60 years, parents, grandparents, alumni, alumni parents, foundations, and friends have collectively lifted up The Colorado Springs School. From acquiring our 28-acre campus to maintaining and building 10 buildings, which house distinctive learning spaces for our current thinkers and problem-solvers, we acknowledge that we stand on the shoulders of giants. At this historic time in history, we must protect the school's assets and leverage our resources innovatively to deliver the school's mission of preparing students for a dynamic world.

This year, an inspired group of donors has stepped forward with a $50,000 challenge gift to launch our Annual Fund. We've been challenged to secure 60 gifts at the Claremont Society level of $1,962 or more. To meet the challenge, these gifts must be paid in full or coordinated through an automatic recurring monthly payment ($1,962/10 months = $196 per month) with the Advancement Office.

But wait! Can't give a Claremont Society level gift of $1,962? Give a personally meaningful gift to unify our support as a community. Every gift counts -- high parent participation across the board demonstrates a core commitment that is viewed favorably when we apply for grants and funding outside of the school.

Inspired by Bronnie Ware's quote, "Embrace the seasons and cycles of your life. There is magic in change," we've focused our lens on magic moments.

While the year has been marked by pivots and adjustments, The Colorado Springs School is committed to delivering unparalleled educational experiences whether on campus or during e-Learning. Together, let us be inspired, show gratitude, and be humbled by all that we have accomplished and will continue to work toward.

This fall a motivated group of CSS student and parent volunteers, who are avid cycling enthusiasts, jumped at the opportunity to construct an on-campus mountain bike trail on the back acreage of campus, just south of Tutt Field House. The Kodiak trail consists of numerous lines with two bridges, turns, berms, rollers, drops, and a small pump track–all adding up to a short course, both challenging and exciting. Read the full story here.

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.

As we transition to e-Learning, look for emerging details about the Fun Run going virtual and running from home! We will underscore the importance of health and fitness during this time and present a slate of activities and challenges that can be done in the spirit of Fun Run.

Fun Run shirt orders are expected to be delivered to campus next week and can be picked up in Front of the Trianon on Friday, November 20, 2020, from 11:00 - 5:30 p.m. (same time as Harvest Bag pickup)!

In celebration of Thanksgiving, we have curated an extra special edition Kodiak Harvest Bag to highlight the beautiful bounty our Colorado Farms have lovingly worked hard to produce. This bag exemplifies the true simplicity of what many of us appreciate as people. The connection to land, food, family and friends. We hope that you enjoy this harvest bag and reflect upon all the beauty nature brings us, and how it continues to keep things steady despite the bigger changes around us. We wish you and your families a happy, healthy Thanksgiving and thank you for being a wonderful part of our community!

Pre-order your bag today for $40. Harvest Bags will be available for pick-up in front of the Trianon at CSS between the hours of 11:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. on Friday, November 20. A pick-up reminder will be emailed Friday morning with a number you can text when you arrive in front of the Trianon. Your Special Edition Kodiak Harvest Bag will be hand-delivered to your car.

Thank you for supporting Colorado Farms and family-run businesses.

First grade students celebrated with a publishing party on Friday during which they took turns reading stories they wrote. They came up with their own ideas and illustrated their stories. After the young authors edited and revised their pieces, their teachers Caren Goldberg and Ellen Crow published the final versions for them to share with classmates, families, and friends.

The authors dedicated their stories to someone special and wrote a summary on the back. One summary read, "Have you ever been scard befor? Well I have been!"

Titles included "Teeth Can Foll Out," "The Time I Went to the Zoo," "The Bik Fol," "Building My Shed," and "I Brnd My Fot."

Haley H. '32 titled her story, "The Gote at the Stat Fair."

"It was really fun to write," she said.

Some special guests came to hear the authors read, including Head of School Tambi Tyler, Children's School Division Director Jody Bates Bliss, and Kindergarten teacher Kim Jarolimek. The publishing party wrapped up with donut holes and juice. Congratulations, authors! View more photos here.

Upper School students in David Benson's AP History class recreated the June 1812 Senatorial debate and voted about the declaration of war against Great Britain. Students were divided into four groups, and over the course of 85 minutes, they practiced their skills of diplomacy and debate as they immersed themselves into their roles as early 19th century senators.

Students forged two alliances, one for declaring war and one for avoiding war. At the end, they came back together for one final debate and a vote. Students used primary sources to develop their characters.

After the first round of debate, students were free to adapt their characters in whatever way they wanted with the option of creating an alternative history based on the real events of 1812. They did an amazing job, with every single one participating in a dynamic and dramatic debate.

The building behind Mr. Benson is the original United States capitol building before it was burned to the ground by the British during the war of 1812.

Congratulations to the Pride Predators with a 1st place finish and undefeated season in Champions League Premier 2 for soccer! CSS 6th grader and goalkeeper Sophia S. '27 conceded only one goal in all of league play! The team moves up to Premier 1 in the Spring.

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.