CCS Celebrates “Topping Off” at the New School

Marie-Louise Baker, CCS Project Director, organized a "Topping Off" ceremony for the community on January 4th. This is an event more common in Europe than the American Southwest, that honors the structural completion of the building and honors the workers whose craftsmanship is helping us realize the dream of new schoolhouse.

The entire student body along with teachers, parents and community friends gathered in the sun-filled courtyard of the new building to honor the construction that has been completed safely and well, and to extend their loving support for the safe completion of the remainder of the project. Crestone Mayor Ralph Abrams spoke to the group about the value of the school within the community to serve as a hub for a growing local economy.

The traditional aspects of the ceremony followed simply. A tree adorned with colored ribbons was lifted to the highest point of the structure and mounted by members of the construction crew. The tree symbolizes the sustaining resource of wood in the construction process. The ribbons arereminiscent of the empty fabric packs that medieval builders would tie to a tree outside of a building site to notify the owner that it was time to refill the workers' packs before the last phase of the building could be completed.

The owners poured a toast (traditionally Schnapps, but for our purposes a dose of red berry tea served well) and offered it to Project Foreman Frank Perry with the wish that the nectar of Life continue to flow through
his team's work and our school as well. Then Frank gave the glass a good whack with a hammer to break it and seal the good fortune. As a final gesture, Mr. Perry offered a loaf of bread and salt to the owners with the wish that the school continue to flourish. Construction workers were treated to a lunch sponsored by the owners.

This was the first glimpse for most students of the structure that will be completed in time for next school year. Workers led groups through the
shell of classrooms. Workers pointed out the solar-thermal heating system, where restrooms and water fountains will be installed, and students got to
peek out of open window frames at views of the Crestone range and the far-reaching valley. The Crestone Charter School "Topping Off" ceremony
was, in the words of parent Vesper Gers, "a very inspiring transpiring.”

The mission of the Crestone Charter School is to provide a stimulating experiential program that nurtures each student’s sense of wonder and natural desire to learn, in a creatively structured atmosphere, emphasizing academic excellence and uniqueness of character. We strive to inspire healthy responsibility in relationship with self, community and environment, both locally and globally.

The scope of the Crestone Charter School shall include, but not be limited to, the following objectives: