MEDIA ADVISORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 29, 2025

Sabin Middle School Celebrates 50 Years of Excellence and Community

What:
Sabin Middle School’s 50th Anniversary Celebration

When:
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
9:15 AM – 3:30 PM

Where:
Sabin Middle School
3605 N. Carefree Circle
Colorado Springs, CO 80917

Details:
Sabin Middle School, in Colorado Springs School District 11, is proud to celebrate 50 years of learning, leadership, and community! The day-long event will honor the school’s history, alumni, students, staff, and its incredible journey since opening in 1975.

The celebration will feature:

• Performances by the Sabin Band, Choir, and Orchestra
   

• Living history displays and self-guided decade tours through the building
   

• A BBQ lunch available for $5 (adults)
   

• Food trucks, including Monsters Mini Donuts, Colorado Concessions, and Little Bear Sloppy Joes and Ice Cream
   

• Games and music in the courtyard
   

• Special acknowledgments for six retiring Sabin staff members
   

• The opening of the original Sabin Time Capsule and the placement of a new one
   

Community Partners Supporting the Celebration:

• Rocky Mountain Calvary Church
   

• Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD)
   

• Monsters Mini Donuts
   

• Colorado Concessions
   

• Little Bear Sloppy Joes and Ice Cream
   

Media are invited to attend, capture the festivities, and celebrate this major milestone alongside current students, alumni, former principals, and the broader D11 community.

Highlighted Event Schedule:

• 9:00–9:15 AM: Formal Welcome and Kickoff
   

• 9:15–10:15 AM: Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Showcase
   

• 11:15 AM–1:30 PM: Open House Tours & “Lunch with a Principal”
   

• 2:30 PM: Time Capsule Opening
   

• 3:00 PM: Staff Retirement Ceremony
   

Contact for Media Inquiries:
Christina Clayton, Sabin Middle School Principal
Colorado Springs School District 11
istina.clayton@d11.org" style="text-decoration-line: none;">christina.clayton@d11.org
719-328-7002

Or

Heidi Gomez, Sabin Library Tech Educator

heidi.gomez@d11.org

719-328-7024

WHAT:

Every 5th grader in Colorado Springs School District 11 is taking part in an exciting hands-on learning experience — building and launching their own Cosmic Ray rockets! After weeks of studying the forces of flight, rocketry fundamentals, and STEM careers, students will culminate their learning with live rocket launches.

WHEN:   Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Time:      10:45 a.m.

WHERE:  Memorial Park — Rose Bowl area
1605 E Pikes Peak Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80910

WHO:

• District 11 5th grade students

• Engineers and rocket enthusiasts from Lockheed Martin, UCCS, Estes Rockets, and COSROCS (Colorado Springs Rocket Society)

• Superintendent Michael Gaal

• COSROCS President David Virga

• Community partners and supporters

WHY:
This rocket launch is part of District 11’s Peak Experiences — real-world learning opportunities that engage students beyond the classroom. Through this system-wide initiative, students gain hands-on experience with STEM concepts while exploring future career pathways in aerospace, engineering, and technology.

Special thanks to Lockheed Martin, UCCS, Estes Rockets, and COSROCS for partnering with D11 to make this unforgettable experience possible!

VISUALS/INTERVIEWS:

• Students launching rockets

• Engineers assisting at launch pads

• Superintendent Gaal and COSROCS representatives available for interviews

• High-energy, interactive STEM learning moments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 28, 2025

D11 to Host Preschool Open House and Announce Major New Low-Cost Extended Care Option

Background:
D11 Preschool programs are free for eligible families and are proven to build strong academic, social, and emotional foundations. This announcement is critical as El Paso County has implemented a CCCAP (Colorado Child Care Assistance Program) enrollment freeze, making D11’s preschool's free and low-cost offerings even more important for local families.

What:
D11 Preschool Open House and Launch of Low-Cost Extended Care for 4-Year-Olds

When:
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 | 3:00–4:00 p.m.

Where:
Keller Elementary School
3730 Montebello Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80918

Details:
Colorado Springs School District 11 invites families and the media to a special Preschool Open House, highlighting D11’s always-free, high-quality preschool programs.
At the event, D11 and the Department of Early Childhood Education will announce the launch of very low-cost extended after-school care for 4-year-olds starting in August 2025—a major step forward in removing barriers to early learning.

Families will meet teachers, tour classrooms, and learn more about half-day and full-day options, convenient locations, and scholarship support.

Colorado Springs, CO — April 16, 2025 — Every 5th grade student in District 11 is about to launch—literally.

In the latest Peak Experience, a signature real-world learning opportunity in D11, students across the district have spent the last several weeks immersed in the forces of flight, the fundamentals of rocketry, and the STEM careers that make space exploration possible. Their hard work will culminate in the launch of student-built Cosmic Ray rockets at Memorial Park, April 28–May 1, thanks to a powerful partnership with Lockheed Martin, UCCS, Estes Rockets, and COSROCS (the Colorado Springs Rocket Society).

The public and press are invited to witness the district-wide launch event:
April 30 at 10:45 a.m.
Memorial Park – Rose Bowl area

The curriculum for this system-wide experience is grounded in the 5E model of instruction—Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate—ensuring that every student not only builds a rocket, but builds deep conceptual understanding. Leading up to launch, students study the physical science behind rocket flight, measure and analyze data, and explore career pathways in aerospace, engineering, and technology.

“This is what Peak Experiences are all about—getting kids out of their desks and into meaningful, memorable moments that mirror the real world,” said Superintendent Michael Gaal. “We’re grateful to our partners for bringing rocket science to life for every D11 5th grader.”

On launch days, engineers and rocket enthusiasts from Lockheed Martin, UCCS, and COSROCS will serve as official launch coordinators, supporting students in safe rocket launches while sharing insights into the careers that await them.

“As an organization with a core focus on STEM engagement, Colorado Springs Rocket Society is thrilled to be a partner in D11's rocketry Peak Experience,” said COSROCS President David Virga. “We are bringing our full 144 launch pad capability and over thirty years of rocketry expertise to ensure a safe, educational, and exciting experience for the students.”

Whether calculating trajectory, launching a rocket, or collecting flight data, every student will take on an active role in the experience—fueling curiosity and confidence for their future.

Check out this video to learn more!

https://youtu.be/dLSZM06Y8RY

As the 2025 NFL draft approaches, we use an algorithm (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377221721002034?via%3Dihub) to evaluate how prospect quarterbacks will perform at the professional level, challenging traditional scouting rankings. The algorithm reveals undervalued players like Jackson Dart and Jalen Milroe, while questioning the hype around Shedeur Sanders. By emphasising rushing ability, the algorithm provides a new way to evaluate quarterbacks and their potential success in the NFL.

Pregame huddle: How the algorithm sizes up quarterbacks

The algorithm, developed by Joe Craig at University of Colorado Colorado Springs and Niven Winchester at Auckland University of technology, uses data from college games to predict the performance of rookie quarterbacks in the NFL. Quarterback performance is measured using ESPN’s Total Quarterback Rating (QBR), a numerical measure of quarterback performance that ranges from zero to 100, with higher numbers indicating better performances. The algorithm determined that to succeed in the NFL quarterbacks must be good passers but rushing ability also matters.

The algorithm estimates each quarterback’s Max5-QBR, which represents the projected maximum QBR value a quarterback is likely to achieve in their first five years in the NFL. 

Evaluating 2025 draft quarterbacks

Max5-QBR values for the top-ranked quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL draft and ESPN scout scores are displayed in the table below. 

Jackson Dart has the highest expected Max5-QBR value (56.6), and is consequently the algorithm’s top-rated draft pick, followed by Cam Ward (56.3), and Jalen Milroe (53.8). Quarterbacks with the highest scout scores are Ward (90), Shedeur Sanders (90), and Dart (87).
 

Differences between the algorithm’s rankings and scout scores can be used to identify undervalued and overvalued prospects. Dart is undervalued – he is the top draft prospect according to the algorithm, but scouts rate him only as the third-best contender. 

Other quarterbacks that are undervalued by scouts include Jalen Milroe (ranked third by the algorithm but fifth by scouts), and Dillon Gabriel (ranked fifth by the algorithm but eighth by scouts).

The most overvalued top quarterback according to the algorithm is Shedeur Sanders, who is ranked equal first by scouts but only sixth by the algorithm.

The difference in rankings arises from the algorithm’s emphasis on rushing ability, which, based on historical data, scouts tend to undervalue when assessing quarterback prospects. Specifically, when scout scores and a measure of rushing ability are included in the algorithm, rushing skill has a positive and statistically significant effect on future NFL performance, indicating that it is not fully accounted for in scout evaluations. The algorithm finds that strong rushing skills will enhance these quarterbacks’ performance in the NFL, possibly because effective rushing at opportune times enables quarterbacks to gain the additional yards required to be awarded a new set of downs. 

Among the top quarterback draft prospects, Dart has the best college rushing statistics. Milroe and Gabriel, two other undervalued quarterbacks, also posted strong rushing statistics during their college careers. 

At the other end of the scale, Sanders averaged –0.5 yards per rush in the 2024 season and has the weakest college rushing statistics among the top quarterback prospects.

How has the algorithm performed in the past?

A systemic analysis (see Figure 3 of the article describing the algorithm) reveals that the algorithm’s predicted NFL performance of college quarterbacks is more closely correlated with actual output than a prediction model based solely on scout scores.  

Although the algorithm’s highly rated draft picks don’t always work out in the NFL, two recent examples are noteworthy. First, the algorithm ranked Jayden Daniels the top 2024 draft quarterback by a large margin, despite scouts ranking him the second-best quarterback. In 2025, Daniels won NFL Rookie of the Year and was selected for the Pro Bowl. 

Second, Lamar Jackson, who was the NFL’s MVP in 2019 and 2023, was considered the top quarterback in the 2018 NFL draft by the algorithm but only the fifth best prospect by scouts. 

Both Daniels’ and Jackson’s college rushing statistics were considerably better than other quarterbacks in their respective draft years. 

Not a vintage year

The algorithm also supports the general impression that the 2025 quarterback draft lacks standout talent. In the 2024 draft, Daniels’ predicted Max5-QBR was 66.7, and all drafts since 2021 have at least one quarterback with a predicted Max5-QBR greater than 60. In contrast, the top prospect for the 2025 draft (Dart) is expected record a Max5-QBR of just 56.6.

The final play

As the NFL draft unfolds, the algorithm's highlights undervalued prospects like Dart and Milroe. With rushing ability proving key to success, it will be interesting to see if teams recognise this or rely on traditional scouting rankings.

For immediate release:

Colorado Springs, CO – Colorado Springs School District 11 students will have the opportunity of a lifetime as astronauts and educators from the renowned Space Foundation touch down for a series of inspiring, space-themed events at three D11 schools this spring. As a lead-up to National Space Day on May 3, these visits are designed to ignite student curiosity and excitement for space science and exploration.

Students at Edison Elementary School, Jack Swigert Middle School, and Wilson Elementary School will interact directly with astronauts and participate in interactive lessons facilitated by Space Education Specialists. Assemblies, Q&A sessions, and hands-on activities will give students a front-row seat to the science, innovation, and imagination that fuel space exploration.

Event Schedule:

April 23, 2025 – Edison Elementary School
3125 N. Hancock Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80907

• 9:00 AM – All-school astronaut assembly
   

• 9:35 AM – Astronaut Q&A for grades 1–5
   

• 10:02 AM – Space learning activity with 4th & 5th grades
   

April 24, 2025 – Jack Swigert Middle School
4220 E. Pikes Peak Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80909

• 1:00 PM – All-school astronaut assembly
   

• 1:40 PM – Astronaut Q&A for grades 6 & 7
   

• 2:05 PM – Space learning activities for 7th grade
   

May 2, 2025 – Wilson Elementary School
1409 De Reamer Circle, Colorado Springs, CO 80915

• 9:00 AM – All-school astronaut assembly
   

• 9:35 AM – Astronaut Q&A for grades 1–5
   

• 10:02 AM – Space learning activity with 4th & 5th grades
   

These events underscore District 11’s ongoing commitment to providing all students immersive, real-world learning opportunities. The partnership with the Space Foundation brings STEM education to life while inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers.

“This is more than just a school assembly—it’s a launchpad for imagination and discovery,” said Lauren Mason, D11 Director of Partnerships. “We’re thrilled to offer our students a chance to meet real astronauts and explore the future of space.”

Media coverage is encouraged.