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District 11 rolls out systemwide "peak experiences," including fifth-grade rocket launch
Summary
Colorado Springs School District 11 presented a new systemwide initiative called "peak experiences" to give students competency‑based learning opportunities; the first large-scale activity will be a fifth‑grade rocket launch developed with local partners.
District 11 officials presented a new initiative called “peak experiences” on March 1, describing a competency‑based approach to ensure students at every grade level complete at least one standards‑connected, real‑world demonstration of learning.
Superintendent (title given in meeting) introduced the plan and District staff said the work grew out of a yearlong audit of existing classroom projects. Chief of Strategy Ms. Autmer told the board peak experiences are meant to “ignite curiosity” and foster student agency by asking learners to apply standards in authentic contexts rather than simply taking a field trip.
District staff said the program uses an expose→explore→experience progression across grade levels. Lana Flinnikin, principal on special assignment, described plans beginning at the elementary level and expanding through middle and high school so that “every first grader in D11 would have this experience” eventually and high school students can pursue deep, interest‑based work.
The board heard a concrete example: a fifth‑grade rocket launch developed with partners including the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Lockheed Martin, Colorado Springs Rocks and Estes Rockets. Jennifer (presenter for Rocket Launch) said every fifth grader in D11 will be offered a standards‑aligned learning arc culminating in a launch at Memorial Park using an Estes “Cosmic Ray” rocket and teacher‑designed lesson sequences developed by a D11 teacher team.
Five Bristol Elementary students described the upcoming rocket launch to the board, worked with staff to generate inquiry questions and invited the community to attend. Principal Gabe Hamill and Melissa Madsen, STEM coordinator, were onstage with students during the demonstration.
Board members praised the concept as a way to engage students and suggested implementation details be clarified. The board asked staff to provide a list of existing and proposed peak experiences across schools and to scale middle‑school opportunities (a district priority staff identified as the “biggest opportunity”). Staff said the goal is to be “about a third of the way there” by the start of next year and to finish a full roll‑out in roughly three years.
Staff also said logistics for Rocket Launch include backup days at Memorial Park in case of poor weather, simplified parachute design to reduce drift, and a QR code on the invitation with rocket‑building instructions for families.
The district plans follow‑up communications and a demonstration of the full grade‑level framework at an upcoming board work session.
Ending: Staff will return with a compiled list of peak experiences and a timeline for scaling the initiative; Bristol students and district partners are scheduled to run the first systemwide rocket launch in April.
