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 by November 12, 2020. 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.

The mountain town Pow Wow at 89,500 feet, where residents ski everywhere, and children learn at school how to make skis and design ski runs. Alien-like creatures whose river contains a green liquid called glassay that cures COVID-19 in two days with one gulp. Raindrops that are citizens of a megacloud, where slavery has never existed because they learned what it did to the United States and wish not to repeat those mistakes but to fix them.

These are some of the elements of culture that 8th graders imagined for their Civilization Projects in Ancient Civilizations history class.

“This is an extensive project that requires students to think creatively about ancient civilizations of the past, while at the same time letting their creativity and imaginations take them places they never dreamed,” said teacher Amos White, who has taught at CSS for 22 years.

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 by 11:59 p.m. Sunday, November 8, 2020.

The Parents Association has been hard at work planning the annual Fun Run! Stay tuned for emerging details.

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.

Please consider volunteering for carline November 6-13 using the link below.

On the heels of re-opening campus in August, CSS was devastated by yet another hail storm, and our roofs sustained severe damage. After multiple insurance assessments and reviews, we know our roofs need replacing before winter poses additional strain. The coordination of roof replacement is a challenging process that requires the mobilization of heavy machinery and likely disruptions of electrical systems and campus wifi. All of this poses additional challenges to our day-to-day operations.

Due to these circumstances and other unforeseen variables such as weather and other pivots related to COVID-19, we have no choice but to strategically move all students to e-Learning, beginning November 16, 2020, through December 18, 2020, the start of winter break. We have several buildings to undergo replacement, and we will no doubt experience weather delays and other concerns. We are mindfully making this pivot to e-Learning with plans to return to on-campus learning on January 5, 2021, with our primary buildings ready to serve students. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

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.

Enjoy these images of Halloween celebrations on campus last Friday. Prekindergarten students had their own parade this morning, followed by kindergarten through 5th graders parading around the quad this afternoon. Middle School students carved pumpkins. View more photos here.

Pumpkins and gourds provided kindergarten students with plenty of math and science fun on Friday. They learned about weighing and measuring. They practiced counting. They guessed if their pumpkin or gourd would float or sink before dropping it into a bucket of water. Most of all, they had fun! View more photos here.

Congratulations to the CSS Model United Nations team for another excellent conference. Asher D. '21, Alair F. '21, Chloe L. '22, Audrey B. '22, Dane C. '21, and Nathan G. '23 spent the weekend debating and practicing diplomacy at the virtual SOCOMUN, the Southern Colorado Model UN Conference based out of Adams State University. While everyone did a great job, two of our students received Honorable Mention (3rd place): Chloe as the Delegate of Mexico in the Human Rights Council, and Dane as the Delegate of Vietnam in the Advanced Security Council. Congratulations, Kodiaks!

Dani Gee recently presented the "Evolution of Rock Guitar" in the Louisa Performing Arts Center to the Upper School Vocal Ensemble and to Upper School band students. Mrs. Gee is the daughter of our very own Deanna Kirkham, who teaches Vocal Ensemble and other music classes.

Mrs. Gee, a professional jazz guitarist, spoke about how guitar music changed from the 1940s to the 1980s. She touched on the different kinds of amplification, distortion, equipment, effects, styles and genres, not to mention many of the legendary artists. She also demoed examples on electric guitar and even took challenging requests.

The presentation is one way CSS teachers are adapting to COVID-19. Vocal Ensemble isn't able to practice singing because of restrictions, so Mrs. Kirkham brought in Mrs. Gee to engage students through music in another form. Students had many questions and requests for Mrs. Gee.

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.