2021 Back to School Guide

IN THE FALL

What happened to the lost kids

AND HOW DO THEY PLAN TO HELP THE KIDS WHO WERE LEFT BEHIND CATCH UP?

& MUCH, MUCH MORE!

A Gazette Media Special Section I July 25, 2021

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Guide 3

EL PASO COUNTY

Contents Contents El Paso County students, families, andand El Paso County students, families, staffstaff members brace for for 'new normal' members brace 'new normal'

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4-6 ....................................................................

4-6

A call to to return: Some Colorado Springs How help students transition back to schools actively recruiting students; others classes post-pandemic anticipate holding steady, project growth 7-8 ..................................................................... .....................................................................7-9

A call to return: Some Colorado Springs Howschools to helpactively students transition back to others recruiting students; classes post-pandemic anticipate holding steady, project growth

..............................................................

10-11 ..................................................................

9-11

What if you’d rather have your kidkid at home?

What if you’d rather have your at home?

Local online academies provide statewide Local online academies provide statewide opportunities opportunities ..............................................................

12-14 ..............................................................

12-14

Important School District Dates Important School District Dates

.......................................................................

1616 .......................................................................

El Paso County’s Backpack Bash expects to to El Paso County’s Backpack Bash expects givegive away freefree school supplies to 15,000 kidskids away school supplies to 15,000 .......................................................................

1717 .......................................................................

Sports willwill have lessless restrictions, butbut some Sports have restrictions, some aspects of the virtual world are are here to stay aspects of the virtual world here to stay

.............................................................

19-23 .............................................................

19-22

2021 2021

students, families, and staff members brace for ‘new normal’

By O'Dell Isaac odell.isaac@gazette.com

The 2021-2022 academic year will be a critical one for Colorado teachers, students, and parents as they all attempt to rebound from a chaotic, unprecedented school year that brought multiple coronavirus-related closures, quarantines, and shifts in learning platforms.

The suspension of face-to-face instruction has turned students’ bedrooms into classrooms, drafted inexperienced parents into the roles of teachers, and resulted in concerns about learning loss.

As the COVID-19 infection rate has seen a steady decline in El Paso County and across the state, and as more than 70% of Coloradans have had at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, many institutions, including schools, are looking forward to a return to some semblance of normalcy. Newly-reported cases have not been this low since October 2020, according to Phoebe Lostroh, a Colorado College microbiology professor who prepares a weekly coronavirus situation report for the county.

“Staff (members) are looking forward to consistency of schedules and a year with less disruptions to learning,” said Ken Duren, superintendent of Widefield School District 3. “We are all excited to have students back in the classroom in a way where relationships can be developed and maintained.”

Gov. Jared Polis recently issued a public health order requiring unvaccinated people to wear masks in medical facilities, prisons, jails, and homeless shelters – but not in public schools. Fully vaccinated people are permitted to go without masks in most indoor venues.

However, in El Paso County, where less than 60% of residents have had at least one dose of the vaccine, the decline in new cases has slowed with the arrival of the B.1.617.2 strain of the virus, also known as the Delta variant.

It is against this backdrop that students and families prepare for the “new normal” facing public schools.

Most El Paso County school districts have stated an intent to begin the school year with in-person instruction, five days a week, while following the state and county health guidance regarding masks and social distancing.

“Masks will be optional for all but encouraged for those who are not fully vaccinated,” said District 11 spokeswoman Devra Ashby.

Students who struggled to keep up with their classmates prior to the pandemic are facing the risk of falling even further behind without regular hands-on instruction from their teachers.

 Continued on page 6 4 BACK SCHOOL Guide 25, 2021 4 BACK TO TO SCHOOL Guide JULYJULY 25, 2021

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Guide 5

 Continued from page 4

With this in mind, many schools offered enrichment opportunities over the summer to help students and their families combat learning loss.

NOW NOW ENROLLING ENROLLING K-12 K-12

District 3 introduced Widefield Summer Engagement Academy, which offered a series of brief courses designed to mix one-onone learning with fun and interesting lessons ranging from acrylic painting to robot drag racing. Most districts offered a variety of free summer classes for their middle school and high school students, as well as opportunities to either recover lost credits or get a jump on the upcoming school year.

Virtual learning, which became an integral part of school instruction last year, is likely here to stay in some form, according to several school districts.

District 2’s Aspire Online Academy, Widefield’s D3 My Way, and Disrtrict 11’s Spark Online Academy are examples of dedicated online schools that will continue offering digital instruction in the coming school year and beyond.

Most districts offered a hybrid learning platform, consisting of both in-person and virtual instruction, but few hybrid options will be offered in 2021-2022 unless dictated by a spike in new COVID cases, according to spokespeople from several districts.

“These options will serve families who are thriving in an e-learning environment or need an option like this due to the pandemic or for unique needs in their family,” said Harrison School District 2 spokeswoman Christine O’Brien.

Many districts have identified staff morale as a key focus for the

upcoming school year. The need to become proficient at virtual instruction, the constant shifting between learning platforms, and the stress of having to perform under unprecedented conditions have taken a toll on teachers, some of whom have resigned out of frustration.

“They didn’t sign on for this,” said District 20 representative Allison Cortez. “None of us did.”

The new school year will look different in several ways, but area districts agree that one thing will remain constant: teachers, administrators, and school leaders will take the lessons learned from last year and figure out ways to use them to serve their students – like they do every year.

“We are not going ‘back’ to school,” Dusen said. “We are moving forward.”

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JERILEE BENNETT THE GAZETTE JERILEE BENNETT THE GAZETTE Allyson Dones glances over the top of her robotic vehicle while making a few changes to the apparatus during a summer class.

Allyson DonesSchool glances over the topone of her robotic districts vehicle while makingsummer a few changes to thecourses apparatus during a summer class.

Widefield District 3 was of several that offered enrichment to help combat Widefi eld School District 3 was one of several districts that offered summer enrichment courses to help combat the learning loss wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette) the learning loss wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette)

6 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide JULY 25, 2021 6 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide JULY 25, 2021

HOW TO HELP STUDENTS TRANSITION BACK TO CLASSES POSTPANDEMIC

By Debbie Kelly I debbie.kelly@gazette.com

If last month’s Amazon Prime Day sales are any indication, families are primed to shop for students returning to classes.

Amazon reported that Prime members globally purchased 1 million electronic tablets, 1 million headphone sets, 600,000 backpacks, 240,000 notebooks, 220,000 Crayola products and 40,000 calculators during its June 21-22 blowout.

Yep, all the coolness of trendy clothes, new school supplies, young love behind the bleachers and social media spotlighting are back this fall.

But angst often accompanies the transition from one grade level to the next, especially this year, post-pandemic, when many students missed at least some, and up to five quarters, of in-person learning due to COVID-19.

“The past 16 months have been full of changes, and even in ‘normal times,’ going back to school creates a shift in students’ lives,” says Jamie

Falasca, director of healthcare services for Diversus Health, El Paso County’s largest nonprofit provider of mental health services.

“When you couple that with all that has gone on over the last year, this can be overwhelming for students, teachers and families,” she said.

In addition to the usual stressors of reconnecting with old friends, meeting new friends, getting to know teachers, learning new material, and becoming involved with sports, clubs and other activities, students could face increased mental health needs this year, Falasca said.

To prepare for that possibility, Diversus Health will resume placing therapists onsite in the six local school districts the organization works with for mental health needs, she said.

With the pandemic, the organization expanded to include hybrid services for schools, with telehealth therapy, Falasca said, and also plans to offer group sessions for students and support for teachers this academic year.

“We did this in a small capacity last year and received feedback that it was helpful to have this type of outlet for school staff, in addition to students,” she said.

CHANCEY BUSH/THE GAZETTE As children prepare to return to classes next month, parents should be prepared for a more difficult transition, post-pandemic, experts say.

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Guide 7

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AS THE START OF SCHOOL NEARS  Continued from page 6

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Get into a routine that includes time for youth to talk to trusted adults in their lives about how they are feeling. “It’s especially vital to carve out time for this on an ongoing basis during these times,” Falasca says.

To recharge and re-center, take breaks from social media, engage with friends face-to-face and spend time outdoors, Falasca says. “For youth who will still be online or in some type of hybrid learning model, isolation still can be an issue, and social interaction is important for all youth.”

Foster feelings of connectedness and belonging by engaging in activities students like that they missed while they were not attending school in-person, such as athletics, music and theater, clubs and other activities.

Seek out support groups to build relationships and process feelings about returning to school and what last year meant. “This can also be a very positive outlet,” Falasca says.

Access available resources and ask for help when needed, Falasca says.

Information and resources are available for preventing a crisis, and crisis-level help is accessible 24/7 for students, parents and others concerned about someone who just doesn’t seem to be doing all right or is having a hard time with stress, anxiety, relationships, substance use, depression and other issues.

The Colorado Crisis Services hotline is 1-844-493-8255, or text “TALK” to 38255.

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A call to return:

SOME COLORADO SPRINGS SCHOOLS ACTIVELY RECRUITING STUDENTS; OTHERS ANTICIPATE HOLDING STEADY, PROJECT GROWTH

By Erin Prater I erin.prater@gazette.com

School staffers are calling students and making home visits to learn what their educational plans are for the coming academic year, a spokeswoman for one of Colorado Springs’ largest school districts said this month.

Where District 11’s so called “lost students” are “is an extremely hard thing to track,” said Devra Ashby, spokeswoman for the area’s third largest district, in early July.

Though the district enrolled “more new students in June than we have in years past,” the month is typically “very ‘sleepy” when it comes to enrollment,” Ashby said.

Tens of thousands of Colorado students went missing from last year’s school rosters, one of the many ripple effects of the pandemic.

A Gazette analysis of data compiled by the Colorado Department of Education shows a decrease of more than 35,000 students — more than 3% of the state’s student body — over the school year prior — a massive fluctuation compared to normal year-to-year student population changes, and the only time statewide enrollment has dropped in 37 years.  Continued on page 10

(GAZETTE FILE PHOTO) Volunteer Iva Divinnie helps with sorting and stuffing 10,000 backpacks full of donated school supplies in preparation for the Backpack Bash event, to equip El Paso County students who are in need of supplies, in Colorado Springs on July 28.

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Guide 9

Locally, District 11 lost the most students, with 2,155 disappearing from its roster when compared to the year prior — the fifth largest loss in the state.

It expected to take a hit of more than $3 million due to the drop in enrollment, Ashby said in December.

Academy District 20, the area’s largest, had expected to lose nearly $4 million due to its enrollment drop, a spokeswoman said the same month.

It lost nearly 900 students, according to state education department data.

Widefield School District 3 took the third largest hit in the region, with a loss of 500 students last school year. The financial impact is “in excess of $1.5 million,” district spokeswoman Samantha Briggs said in December.

Other Pikes Peak region school districts saw a decline of anywhere from 15 to 341 students.

Ahead of a new school year, enrollment numbers are fluid, said local districts, none of which responded with numbers to The Gazette’s request for enrollment figures.

Harrison School District 2 feels confident it knows where most of its missing students went last year, spokeswoman Christine O’Brien said.

In Colorado Springs, “pockets of our community can have really different outcomes or things that drive those numbers,” she said when discussing the region’s lost students.

In Harrison, where a majority of students are considered low-income, many families went to live with relatives elsewhere during the pandemic, either to offer or receive help, she said.

“We’ve had everybody from teachers, counselors, principals and student support staffers tracking down families,” O’Brien said. “We were so worried because our community was so hard hit with food insecurity, job loss, not being able to make rent — worried about basic needs.”

Last year the district lost nearly 350 students, according to state data.

This school year Harrison is “cautiously optimistic that enrollment will look better,” she said, adding that it’s not uncommon for enrollment to sky-rocket days before schools starts through the end of September.

Partially in response to the pandemic and the difficult economic conditions it created, the district will offer free before and after school care at all elementary schools this coming academic year, O’Brien said.  Continued on page 11

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“We were looking at this anyway, and when the pandemic hit, we realized how many of our families felt like they couldn’t work because they could no longer afford child care,” she said. “Just worrying about children being in child care situations that weren’t optimal or being alone before or after school, we decided we had to.”

Fountain-Fort Carson District 8 is “projecting flat enrollment” for the upcoming school year, spokeswoman Christy McGee said, adding that the district has a “highly mobile population” due to its large percentage of military families. The district lost just over 300 students last school year when compared to the year prior, according to state data. But its enrollment has remained relatively stable, with a five-year percent change rate of just over 2%.

Meanwhile, District 49 — which became the second largest Pikes Peak region school district this past academic year — expects enrollment growth to “return to a normal pace” of 3-5% this academic year, a spokesperson told The Gazette. The district gained 94 students last school year, making it the only area district to grow during the pandemic aside from Hanover, which gained five students.

Widefield School District 3 has been attempting to recruit students with “a lot of digital advertising,” Briggs said, adding that schools have been reaching out to community members via emails and flyers in hopes of bringing students back.

Statewide, the youngest student populations took the worst hit last year, with a 23% reduction in preschoolers and a 9% reduction in kindergarteners.

This year districts are hoping those students return in a big way.

“That’s the hope, that we have a strong kindergartener class,” Briggs said.

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JULY 25, 2021 BACK TO SCHOOL

Guide 11

WHAT IF YOU’D RATHER HAVE YOUR KID AT HOME?

School is back in session, but for some families that might look different as Colorado enters a new stage of the pandemic.

LOCAL ONLINE ACADEMIES

On July 3, Gov. Jared Polis’ office celebrated a milestone in Colorado’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic as the state met President Joe Biden’s July 4 deadline for 70% of the state’s population to be inoculated with at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

By Esteban Candelaria I esteban.candelaria.@gazette.com

Still, that announcement came as cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant have exploded in Colorado in recent weeks, becoming the dominant variant of the virus throughout the state. In El Paso County, Delta variant cases have exploded from around 34 in mid-June to 246 as of July 5.

provide statewide opportunities

Persisting concerns over the pandemic, ranging from trouble accessing vaccines to fears over contracting the virus, are among the reasons families want their students to continue learning from home, district officials said.

But for some families, the decision to stay home goes beyond the pandemic, Harrison District 2 spokeswoman Christine O’Brien said, because the remote learning model just works better for them.

That includes students who travel frequently or who use certain learning accommodations, as well as those who juggle jobs and athletics. Families have also cited being able to access their students’ education from anywhere as a reason for wanting to stick to remote learning, because that accessibility allowed students to travel back and forth between family members that were out of town as they needed to. The issue is a prevalent one for districts in and around Colorado Springs. In Colorado Springs District 11, around one in four families said they’d rather stick to online learning if given a choice.

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12 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide JULY 25, 2021

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After District 2 officials polled families in January, O’Brien estimated that between 1,000-1,200 families were interested in forgoing in-person learning in favor of online options.

But in several districts in the Pikes Peak region, students that want to stay at home are being funneled into new online schools, like District 2’s Aspire Online Academy, which is opening for the upcoming fall semester.

“The online academy’s response — our district’s whole response — is that it’s another option in order to support diversity and variety in learning styles,” Aspire Online Academy principal Talya Young said. “So our goal is to provide an opportunity — that is, to have another choice.”

But what these online academies currently lack in physical learning spaces is made up for in accessibility to students, as many of the academies — including Colorado Springs

District 11’s all-new Spark Online Academy — are open to students throughout Colorado.

 Continued on page 14

For now, many of these online schools have set up shop in temporary homes, like Aspire Online Academy, which will headquarter elementary school teachers in Centennial Elementary School and junior high teachers in Pikes Peak Elementary.

That’s just a temporary measure for the 2021-2022 school year, Young said. After that, districts have planned for online schools to be housed in brick-and-mortar schools.

In Colorado Springs District 11, that plan for traditional buildings for online schools is a part of the district’s master plan for school facilities, which started before the pandemic.

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JULY 25, 2021 BACK TO SCHOOL

Guide 13

 Continued from page 13

“We have a certification from the Colorado Department of Education for a multi-district online school, and so we are enrolling students from all over the state — mostly in our region here,” principal Julie Johnson said.

Ashby said the online academies also provide some needed relief to teachers beleaguered by changing learning formats over the past year.

After statewide pandemic mitigation protocols first mandated instructors — many of whom had never taught a class online — to make their courses compatible with virtual tools last spring, Ashby said some teachers were faced with teaching online and in-person classes almost simultaneously after in-person learning policies were eased back to encourage hybrid formats.

District leaders feel the online schools don’t just respond to concerns over the pandemic many families still have, but also provide opportunities for students that require the accessibility that online learning provides, as well as for those just wondering if there’s a better way to finish their K-12 education.

“Regardless whether it’s a pandemic or just the fact that we’ve all learned that we can work and go to school in a variety of different ways now that we’ve been tested with a pandemic, we really want to make sure we provide that opportunity and respond,” O’Brien said.

“We knew we couldn’t keep with that model. We had to direct students and families to a different type of model where they would have that fully-engaged, full-online teacher in place, rather than having somebody who is trying to teach in person and online,” Ashby said.

Taking into consideration the fatigue and sedentary lifestyle that comes along with online schooling, some schools, like Spark Online, have plans to factor in-person activities into their curriculum and extra-curricular offerings, like spaces for students to make art or experiment in robotics.

For the most part, these in-person activities aren’t mandatory parts of the online schools’ curriculums, but are there for students in the Colorado Springs region that still want hands-on, face-to-face activities in their academic schedules.

ESTEBAN CANDELARIA Spark Online Academy principal Julie Johnson in front of Trailblazer Elementary School, the online academy’s temporary home for the 2021-22 school year. After that, Spark Online will receive a new home, per the Colorado Springs District 11 master plan for facilities started before the COVID-19 pandemic.

21-22

Enrollment NOW OPEN

Pre-K to 8th Schedule A Tour 719.495.7360 www.grandpeakacademy.org 14 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide JULY 25, 2021

Before and after school clubs: Art, Band,Choir, Student Council, Tutoring, Lego, Basketball, Volleyball, Dance, Homework Club, Adult English Classes and More!

Art, Computer Technology, Science, Physical Education, and Music are offered to all grade levels!

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Guide 15

DISTRICT

CONTACT INFO

Academy 20 asd20.org, 234-1200

Calhan RJ1 calhanschool.org, 347-2766

FIRST DAY

LAST DAY

EXTENDED BREAKS (FOR STUDENTS)

Aug. 16 for elementary, 6 and 9; Aug. 17 all students

May 31

Nov. 22-26 Dec. 20-Jan. 5 March 21-25

Aug. 17 for grades 6, 9 and all new students (new to district) in grades 6-12; Aug. 18 for all students grades 6-12; Aug. 19 for K-5 Aug. 31 for preschool

Labor Day (Sept. 6) Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 17) President’s Day (Feb. 21) Memorial Day (May 30)

May 26

Nov. 19-29 Dec. 17-Jan. 3 March 18-28

School is not in session on Mondays unless needed as makeup days.

May 26 for pre-K-6 May 27 for grades 7-12

Nov. 22-26 Dec. 20-Jan. 4 March 18-25

Labor Day (Sept. 6) Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 17) President’s Day (Feb. 21)

Nov. 22-26; Dec. 20-Jan. 4 March 21-25

Labor Day (Sept. 6); Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 17) President’s Day (Feb. 21)

Cheyenne Mountain 12 cmsd12.org, 475-6100

Aug. 19 for K-6 orientation with Aug. 20 full day; Aug. 19 for grades 7 11 and 12 orientation Aug. 20 for grades 8-10 orientation Aug. 23 first day for preschool

Colorado Springs 11 d11.org, 520-2000

Aug. 16

Cripple Creek/Victor RE1 ccvschools.com, 689-2685

May 20 for elemetary May 25 for middle and high school

Aug. 18

May 26

Edison 54-JT, edison54jt.org, 478-2125

Aug. 12; Aug. 24 for preschool

Ellicott 22 ellicottschools.org, 683-2700

Aug. 16; Aug. 23 for preschool

May 20 for preschool May 27 for rest of students

Fountain-Fort Carson 8, ffc8.org, 382-1300

Aug. 9 for K, 3, 6 and 9 Aug. 10 for Pre-K, 1, 4, 7, 10 and 12 Aug. 11 for 2, 5, 8 and 11

Hanover 28 hanoverhornets.org, 683-2247

Aug. 5 for K-12; Aug. 31 for Pre-K

Nov. 22-25; Dec. 20-Jan. 3 March 21-24 Nov. 23-26; Dec. 21-Jan. 3 March 22-25

School is not in session on Mondays

May 26; May 25 for preschool

Nov. 22-25; Dec. 20-Jan. 3 March 21-24

May 27

Nov. 22-26; Dec. 22-Jan. 7 March 22-25

Labor Day (Sept. 6) Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 17) President’s Day (Feb. 21)

May 20 for Pre-K May 25 for K and 5 May 26 for 1-4 and 6-12

Nov. 23-29; Dec. 21-Jan. 3 March 22-28

May 26

Nov. 22-26; Dec. 17-Jan. 5 March 21-25

Harrison 2 hsd2.org, 579-2000

Aug. 10

Lewis Palmer 38 lewispalmer.org, 488-4700

Aug. 18

May 20

Nov. 22-26; Dec. 20-Jan. 4 March 21-25

Manitou Springs 14 mssd14.org, 685-2024

Aug. 20; Aug. 25 for K

May 26

Nov. 22-26; Dec. 20-Jan. 5 March 21-25

Miami Yoder 60JT miamiyoder.com, 478-2186

Aug. 10 for 6-12; Aug. 11 for K-5 Aug. 31 for preschool

May 26

Aug. 12

May 26

Nov. 23-29; Dec. 17-Jan. 3 March 22-28

School District 49 d49.org, 495-1100

Aug. 2 for K, grades 6 and 9 Aug. 3 all students Aug. 9 for preschool

May 26 for preschool May 27 for rest of students

Aug. 24

June 2

Peyton 23JT peyton.k12.co.us, 749-2330

Widefield 3 wsd3.org, 391-3000 Woodland Park RE2 wpsdk12.org, 686-2000

Aug. 16; Aug. 17 for grades 7 and 8 Aug. 18 for K

16 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide JULY 25, 2021

Labor Day (Sept. 6) President’s Day (Feb. 21)

May 20

Nov. 22-25; Dec. 20-Jan. 3 March 21-24

Labor Day (Sept. 6); Veteran’s Day (Nov. 11); Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 17); President’s Day (Feb. 21) School is not in session on Mondays Labor Day (Sept. 6) Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 17) President’s Day (Feb. 21) Labor Day (Sept. 6) Martin Luther King Jr. (Jan. 17) President’s Day (Feb. 21)

Labor Day (Sept. 6) Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 17) President’s Day (Feb. 21) School is not in session on most Mondays Labor Day (Sept. 6)

Oct. 11-22; Nov. 22-26 Labor Day (Sept. 6) Dec. 20-Jan. 5; March 21-April 1 Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 17) President’s Day (Feb. 21) Nov. 22-26; Dec. 20-Jan. 4 March 21-25

Nov. 22-26; Dec. 23-Jan. 7 March 21-25

Labor Day (Sept. 6) October Day (Oct. 4); Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 17) President’s Day (Feb. 21) Labor Day (Sept. 6) President’s Day (Feb. 21) Memorial Day (May 30)

El Paso County used to have multiple backpack drives that provided free school supplies to families in need. In 2019, a few organizations decided pooling their efforts would be better.

EL PASO COUNTY’S

BACKPACK BASH

EXPECTS TO GIVE AWAY

FREE supplies to 15,000 kids

“We brought together a handful of partners to consolidate essentially the same kind of back-to-school events,” said The Rev. Stu Davis, executive director of COSIloveYou, a network of churches that work collectively on community projects.

This year’s third annual Backpack Bash will be held on two consecutive Saturdays, July 31 and Aug. 7.

The event aims to distribute 15,000 free backpacks full of essential school supplies for elementary, middle and high school students at seven locations across the county.

“It’s a huge effort,” Davis said.

By Debbie Kelly I debbie.kelly@gazette.com

BACKPACK BASH

Attend the Backpack Bash closest to you and go only once.

Children must be present to receive a backpack, but no qualification is required.

Events will be held 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. at these dates and locations:

JULY 31 Southeast – Sierra High School 2250 Jet Wing Drive, drive-through and walk-up East – Mountain Springs Church – 7345 Adventure Way, walk-up Widefield – Pikes Peak Christian Church 4955 Bradley Road, drive-through

AUG. 7 Monument – T ri-Lakes YMCA 17250 Jackson Creek Parkway, Monument, walk-up

supplies, Davis said, while 3,000 children in southeast Colorado Springs might show up for an event.

The seven sites were selected so that “regardless of where a family lives in El Paso County there is a nearby location they can go,” Davis said.

Locations will be in drive-through, walk-up or hybrid formats.

 Last year’s event distributed 10,000 backpacks with even more families expected to reach out for assistance this year, according to organizers.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause financial hardships related to housing, employment, food and healthcare, Davis said.

 “Our goal is to give families one less thing to worry about — getting their kids ready for school.”

Related services also will be offered on site for childhood vaccines, dental and vision checks, and connections to local sources for free food, housing assistance and government healthcare programs.

The massive 2021 giveaway involves more than 40 businesses, churches and non-profit organizations, along with schools, Davis said. COSILoveYou and Pikes Peak United Way are the primary sponsors.

“By consolidating and centralizing supplies and donations, we’re able to serve a lot more people,” Davis said.

The method also addresses varying needs in the country, he said, and ensures anyone who needs assistance receives it.

For example, with fewer low-income families, the Tri-Lakes area of Monument, Palmer Lake and Woodmoor might have 300 children in need of essential school

Central – Doherty High School 4515 Barnes Road, walk-up and drive-through Westside – Coronado High School 1590 W. Fillmore St., drive-through and walk-up Downtown – H illside Community Center 925 S. Institute St., walk-up CHANCEY BUSH/THE GAZETTE Volunteer Danielle Mounts helped at last year’s Backpack Bash, with this year’s giveaways to be held July 31 and Aug. 7 at seven different locations across El Paso County.

JULY 25, 2021 BACK TO SCHOOL

Guide 17

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18 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide JULY 25, 2021

SPORTS WILL HAVE LESS RESTRICTIONS, but some aspects of the virtual world are here to stay

By Eden Laase eden.laase@gazette.com

Chaos, uncertainty, insanity and even danger — All words surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. And at its peak during the 2020-21 school year, those feelings were heightened. But throughout the pandemic, District 11 Athletic Director Chris Noll said one thing trumped everything else for Colorado Springs high school sports: the kids.

“It was a lot of people saying, ‘We’ve got to do this for kids, because if we don’t do this, the kids aren’t going to get a season,’” Noll said. “ So I think it was a, ‘Let’s get this done for the kids,’ type of philosophy.”

That’s how coaches and athletic directors were able to work through restrictions, postponements, cancelations and split seasons. That, and a lot of hard work.

“When you start to think about what had to happen, athletic directors had to reschedule games. Sometimes they built schedules four or five times to make sure that they accommodated everyone,” Knoll said. “And so, you know, it was a lot of flexibility. It was a lot of collaboration.”

But they made it work. And now, prep athletes, coaches, parents and athletic directors alike are ready to return to normalcy, even if that normal looks different than before.

Spectators will likely be allowed back into gyms and onto fields to watch games, and athletes who are double-vaccinated won’t have to play with masks. Those who aren’t will still have to wear them.  Continued from page 20

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Guide 19

MANITOU SPRINGS SCHOOL DISTRICT Now Enrolling for the 2021 - 2022 School Year!

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SCHOOL

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Ute Pass Elementary School

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3 & 4 year old Preschool Music, Art, Computer, PE and free violin in grade 3rd to 5th grade and 6th grade band After-School enrichment program (Connect 14) iPads and Laptops to extend student access to high quality literature, writing opportunities, and research Gifted and Talented Program Language-rich, interactive classrooms Award winning and state recognized Performing and Visual Arts programming Partners with the community to offer hands-on learning experiences Staff that are committed to our core values of Relationships, Deep Learning and Opportunity

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RELATIONSHIPS, DEEP LEARNING, OPPORTUNITY 20 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide JULY 25, 2021

Games will essentially look the same as they did before COVID-19, but there may be things behind the scenes that change, Noll said.

For starters, as the pandemic peaked during the 2020-21 seasons, schools saw a decline in sport participation. Health concerns and the countless hoops to jump through in order to play high school sports had many students and parents opting out.

Now the question becomes, will those kids return? Or has the time off led to knew activities, or uneasiness about playing after taking time off?

Noll is confident that kids will want to play once more, and anticipates similar numbers to pre-COVID seasons.

“I think we are going to get most of our kids back,” he said. “Do I think we are going to lose some?

Absolutely, but for the most part we are going to get them back.”

Student-athletes will once again have the comfort of the sports they love, which is the most important thing, Noll said, but “normal,” isn’t a word he would use to describe what’s coming.

During the pandemic, he said, schools learned that not everything needs to take place in person to be successful. Things like snow days could be a thing of the past, as schools instead opt for remote learning days, Noll predicts. And sports will follow suit.

“Things like film and game prep, I think the virtual worlds will make certain aspects more efficient.” he said. “Kids can watch film virtually. But I think moving forward, there is also the idea of just wanting to get kids all together in one place for the social interaction. Because sports aren’t just about winning state championships. Athletics are about preparing kids for the game of life.

 Continued on page 22

JULY 25, 2021 BACK TO SCHOOL

Guide 21

So, I think, as much as we love some of the good things video brings, there is a big push to get kids together because that is what they really need.”  Continued on page 23

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22 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide JULY 25, 2021

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The TRIO EOC provides equal educational opportunity services oftitles sex, age,V,VII,IX, parental status, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin or disability asregardless required under titles section 504. disability as required under titles V,VII,IX, and section 504.

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Guide 23

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24 BACK TO SCHOOL Guide JULY 25, 2021

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Guide 25

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JULY 25, 2021 BACK TO SCHOOL

Guide 27

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