Alex S. '21 sets off the Paiute deadfall trap he built with two other students this week during the Wilderness Survival ECS. This type of trap is named after the native Paiute peoples, who were nomadic hunters and gatherers who depended on wild plants and animals. But these simple types of traps have been used for thousands of years by people across the world. Paiute deadfall traps have about an 80% success rate of being triggered and catching prey where some other traps like a supported loop snare only have about a 10-15% success rate. Paiute deadfalls traps take about an hour to make the first time but then can be recreated in less than 10 minutes. The rock needs to be three times the weight of the prey in order to be successful.

The Wilderness Survival From Past to Present ECS explores Native women to mountain men and modern day adventurers in Colorado and beyond. The other ECS offerings are: Artful Recovery; The Science and Art of Rock Climbing; The Great Iron Pour; Playwriting and Performance; The Science and Statistics of Epidemics.

ECSs take place each March during which students undergo a three-week study that immerses them in academic subjects through a hands-on, interdisciplinary approach.

ECSs approach broad, interdisciplinary questions to optimize the teaching of critical thinking, organized inquiry, in-depth analysis, and synthesis of information. They demand direct, active participation and primary research in an environment outside of the classroom. Academic requirements include oral and written presentations, term papers, group work and projects, or final exams.

Follow along with this year's ECSs on our social media channels. Students write ECS blogs that are posted here.

The ECS experience, which sets our students apart as they move into the collegiate world and beyond, is a continuum of seminar programs in Children's School and Middle School.

Our youngest thespians take the stage this evening for Dessert Theatre. 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!

View the 2nd grade Go Home, River and the 4th grade Some Folks Say, which premiered March 5, 2021.

View the 3rd grade Mysteries at the Mansion and the 5th Grade America, My New Home, which premiered February 5, 2021.

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.

Join us April 17, 2021, for the school's largest fundraising event! Meal tickets are on sale!

Google Meet: Click here to join

Your Gala Checklist:

For more information on how you can connect and 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. Please direct any sponsorship questions to Jessica L. James, Director of Advancement and Communications at jjames@css.org or (719) 434-3506.

The Gala & Auction's virtual program will feature our community's talents as we celebrate and are uplifted by our student's voices and talents. Students are encouraged to submit a video of an original piece of poetry, an inspirational reading, a musical performance, a science experiment, a dance routine, etc., to uplift the entertainment portion of our evening. Sibling performances are encouraged. We'd even welcome family, alumni, and faculty/staff submissions! Based on the number of submissions received, a committee will select diverse pieces to share on the night of the gala.

Let's raise readers! The CSS Scholastic Book Fair runs through Sunday, March 21, 2021. Selections include books for young children, young adult, and even adults. Support our school while helping your child discover new books, favorite characters, complete series, and more! You'll love the fun new option to shop for Book Fair exclusives directly from the interactive booklist and enjoy free shipping on book-only purchases of more than $25.

Consider creating an e-Wallet account for your child by adding funds and then your child can shop the book fair using the amount you set. You may also invite family and friends to add to your child's e-Wallet.

Interested in donating to the library to help teachers purchase their book wish lists? Click here.

Kodiak Athletics is excited to announce that we are approved to offer Season C sports that began practicing last week from 2:15-3:45 p.m. Keep in mind sports are competitive and will play against other schools, and sports teams will practice four days a week. All Middle School students will have a study hall on Wednesday afternoon instead of sports and activities.

Activities will again be offered starting on Tuesday. Activities will be offered three days a week (Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday) from 2:15-3:10 p.m.

So, talk it over with your parents and be prepared to sign up Thursday afternoon for either a Sport or Activity that will begin next week. Season C will end on April 24 and Season D will begin on April 26. We hope to be able to offer Boys' Lacrosse and Girls' Soccer, along with Mountain Biking again, in April/May.

Because of COVID, all athletes for sports will be asked to complete a consent form signed by a parent. CSS will continue to enforce strict regulations around COVID, and no fans will be allowed to watch volleyball as it's an indoor event. Volleyball players will remain masked during all practices and games. Since soccer is an outdoor sport, the variances allow for soccer players to remove their masks only during game play. Please email Coach Vaughan at vvaughan@css.org if you have questions. Tune into www.csskodiaks.com for Kodiak athletics.

The National Honor Society (NHS) celebrates its centennial anniversary this month. Through regular engagement in student activities and high visibility within the school, NHS improves the culture and quality of not just its members, but of the student body at large. Join us as we celebrate 100 years and counting of student excellence and innovation. Throughout the month of February, our NHS began honoring the organization through four focused presentations produced by member committees that highlighted the four tenets of the NHS: Leadership, Character, Scholarship, and Service. When we're all back together again in April, we'll share a special celebration as we wind down the year and prepare to start the next 100! As usual, we will close the year with our formal induction ceremony on April 26. Stay tuned for more details.

The Gazette is accepting applications for the 2021 Best and Brightest, which features high school seniors while highlighting their academics, service, and community engagement. It also comes with a $500 scholarship. The deadline to apply is April 2. Click here to learn more and to apply. The Gazette features each student to receive the award.

Some past CSS students who have received this distinction are Bee Franklin, Robin Tsamo, Harry Gilbert, and Tye Tutt.

Families may order lunch online for the entire month of March.

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, March 11, the order must be placed by 10 p.m. Wednesday, March 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.

Proudly announcing the 2A Knowledge Bowl STATE CHAMPIONS!

After an intense two-day state tournament, it all came down to the final round for the Kodiaks: Aadi N. '21, Owen W. '21, Micah R. '24, Nathan G. '23, and Dane C. '21. Going up against Caprock Academy and Dolores Huerta, the Kodiaks were actually down by eight points, when suddenly the team caught fire and the momentum changed. The Colorado Springs School team answered nine straight questions to reclaim the lead and ultimately the state title!

The team was also supported with strong backup from Adhista E '24, Alex H. '24, and Oliver P. '24.

Congratulations, Kodiaks!

Third graders are out of this world! They created models of the solar system, and each student focused on one planet to research. "We were impressed by their creativity, unique designs, and artistic expression! We even had a few students extend their learning at recess by building their own solar system."

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 calendar. We will make changes to the 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.

First Day of School, PreK - 12: August 25, 2021 (some Back-to-School events, First Day of Sports and Orientations to occur the week prior; details to follow)

Thanksgiving Break: November 22 - November 26, 2021; Classes resume on Monday, November 29, 2021

Winter Break: December 20, 2021 - January 3, 2022; Professional Day January 3, 2022, Classes resume for Semester II on Tuesday, January 4, 2022.

Spring Break: March 21 - March 25, 2022; Professional Day on March 28, Classes resume on Tuesday, March 29, 2022.

Graduation: Thursday, May 26, 2022, 8:30 a.m.

Late Start Wednesdays: The school plans to continue the late start Wednesday schedule next school year. This collective planning and collaboration time amongst our entire faculty/staff has proven beneficial to execute the school's signature programs and prioritize academic goals for students' benefit.