Kodiak ROAR, January 7, 2021
Middle and Upper School students were given space today to express their voices in a safe setting about the events that occurred Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol. Middle School students briefly wrote about what civil discourse means to them and were invited to express their feelings and concerns. "It's really hard to believe it actually happened," one 8th grader said.

Head of School Tambi Tyler and Nicole Goyette, Middle & Upper School Division Director, held a restorative circle with Upper School students on the quad during which the events were placed in a historical and educational context. Several students shared their thoughts and feelings.

"There is no getting around it that you are coming of age during an extraordinarily turbulent moment in history," Ms. Tyler said. "Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Democracy works when we all commit ourselves to it. The stakes are high. Schools are not partisan, not 'red' or 'blue,' but rather we are safe and brave environments where you learn to engage in reasoned, respectful debate, critical thinking, and a place where you can have a free exchange of ideas without fear of judgment or reproach."
ROAR: Reminders
Save the Date: Virtual Open House on Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Join us for our Virtual Open House highlighting our PreKindergarten through 12th grade programs. Please note that this event can be navigated as a "Choose Your Own Adventure" novel. The evening will feature 20-minute breakout sessions for each division such as Meet the Teachers, Academic & Student Life, How to Get Into College, Student Panel Live Chats, and Why Experiential Learning Matters. We look forward to sharing our story with you!

CSS families will receive Zoom links to join the event. This virtual event is designed for both current families and curious prospective families. All are welcome. We encourage you to invite friends, neighbors, colleagues and business associates. Prospective families should RSVP with the Admission Office at (719) 434-3500 or register with the following inquiry link.
Students Must Use Lifetouch IDs to Receive Lunch
Middle & Upper School students need to present their Lifetouch School ID when picking up lunch from Maytag.

Lunch orders may be placed now for the week of January 19-22. Burritos, steak fingers, pizza, Greek salad, and more!

Orders must be made by 10 p.m. Wednesday, January 13, to allow ingredients to be ordered ahead of time for the week of January 19-22.
Gala & Auction Committee Seeks Volunteers; First Meeting is Jan. 12
Gala & Auction Committee Meeting
Tuesday, January 12, 2021, 11:00 a.m. to noon
Google Meet: Click here to join

Join Gala & Auction Co-Chairs Brooke Rawls P '30, P '32, and Nancy May P'23 for a January 12 meeting 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!

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. 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 at bkrawls11@gmail.com or (317) 902-8157 or Nancy May at nmay9393@gmail.com or (719) 210-9089.

Regift Rally

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.
CSS Community Pledge
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.
ROAR: Opportunities
Winter Celebration of the Arts Recap
We enjoyed celebrating with families on December 12, 2020, for the {Virtual} Winter Celebration of the Arts, which featured our arts programs while celebrating students and faculty. The arts have been an uplifting part of your student's experience this year, and we want to highlight the adaptations, innovations, and depth of these programs. We realize we've lost out on some incredible performances but want you to have a glimpse of the process involved in nurturing a spirit of creativity. Enjoy this 30-minute video of art, drama, theatre, band, and music classes!

If you would like to see a recording of the entire Winter Celebration of the Arts program -- including introductions by Nicole Goyette, Middle & Upper School Division Director, and Jody Bates Bliss, Children's School Division Director, and closing by Head of School Tambi Tyler -- please click the link below.
Parents Association Meeting in February
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, February 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.
ROAR: Achievements
Upper School Radio Play Receives Statewide and Local Kudos
The Upper School mystery-thriller radio play, released in December, is receiving kudos locally and statewide. It has been featured on Colorado Public Radio and in The Gazette and Broadmoor Friends & Neighbors.

Jonathan Andujar, Play Director and Theatre Teacher, chose the radio play format as a way to adapt to COVID-19, allowing students to explore a creative outlet that they haven’t experienced before.

Trap by Stephen Gregg is an incomprehensible plotline: every person in the audience of a high school play falls unconscious — every person but one. Using interviews with witnesses, loved ones, first responders, and the investigators pursuing the case, a theatre ensemble brings the story of the strange event to life, documentary-style. But as the strands weave together into an increasingly dangerous web, it becomes clear that this phenomenon might not be entirely in the past. Unnerving, exhilarating, and wildly inventive, you’ve never walked into anything quite like Trap. The play is suitable for Middle School students and older audiences due to its mature content and themes.

Based on royalty agreements, the distribution of this play is reserved for a limited audience of friends and family of The Colorado Springs School.

Click here to view the radio play program.

Click here to read the CSS feature story “Theatre Students Explore Creative Outlet Through Radio Play.”

Click here to listen to a Colorado Public Radio “Colorado Matters” segment about the radio play featuring interviews with two students, Whitney R. ‘21 and Haegan M. ‘23, and Mr. Andujar.

Click here to read the Colorado Public Radio interview.

Click here to read The Gazette’s feature story “Colorado Springs theater teacher adapts to COVID-era learning with radio drama production.”
CSS Model United Nations Students Attend International Virtual Conference
“Les espoir du monde reposent sur les jeunes” (The world’s young people are its greatest source of hope). These words from the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, were part of the opening ceremony that greeted 10 CSS Upper School students on Wednesday as they began our school's second year of participation in FERMUN, the Geneva Model United Nations Conference.

Kodiaks had the unique opportunity of meeting today with the Under-Secretary General of the UN, Fabrizio Hochschild Drummond, originally from Chile. He gave a fascinating talk about the major challenges that the world is confronting today, with a focus on COVID-19, inequality, rising xenophobia, climate change, and the digital divide. Throughout his talk and extended Q & A session, he urged our students to work toward greater international cooperation and to have the courage to try, in the words of Gandhi, to “be the change” we want to see in the world.

Kodiaks were divided into different councils: the World Health Organization (WHO), International Labor Organization (ILO), and the Security Council (SC). In each council, Kodiaks are with approximately 16-24 students from more than 44 countries around the world. They are debating and practicing diplomacy as they attempt to build consensus and propose plans to solve real-world problems. Each council will tackle two different topics; the WHO, for example, will look at how to prepare for and manage future pandemics and how to combat misinformation in times of health crisis. Some of the councils are English only, but most of our students are participating in the English/French bilingual councils, where students can choose to use either language. They will be in these councils through Friday, when FerMUN wraps up.

“It was really fun, and I’m so excited to get to work with everyone!" 11th grader Chloe L. '22 said on opening day. "Today we started with cyberterrorism and we will move into universal healthcare tomorrow."
Dessert Theatre Season Kicks off with 3rd & 5th Grade
Dessert Theatre kicked off this week with 3rd and 5th grade. Dessert Theatre, which began 48 years ago at The Colorado Springs School, is more than acting. The program allows kindergarten through 5th grade students the freedom to explore the world through characters while solving problems and growing their communication skills and confidence.

Why do we do Dessert Theatre?
The discipline of theatre enables a child to become more in tune with his/her own unique attributes and gifts. Children are free to identify and solve problems within the rehearsal process, promoting their intellectual curiosity. They grow in their ability to express ideas clearly, helping to build confidence in their own communication skills. Theatre is a truly collaborative art form where children learn to be responsible for themselves and others. This social cooperation reinforces and motivates positive behavior, building personal integrity. The very process of developing a character challenges the child to see the world from a different point of view and teaches him/her how to bring intellect and emotion together. Plus, the art of presenting theatre engages whole minds through the genuine application of literacy and the integration of knowledge across the curriculum.

Stay tuned for performance details adhering to COVID-19 protocols!
Submit Student Achievements & Photos
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!
ROAR: Requests
2020-2021 Calendar
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.
The Colorado Springs School | www.css.org