Tomorrow, Wednesday August 12, is the first day of school for all Colorado Springs School District 11 K-12 students. Today, Tuesday August 11, was Jumpstart Day — a shorter orientation-style day for students in transition years: kindergarteners, sixth graders, and ninth graders got their first look at their new schools before the full year opens tomorrow.

For families with children in kindergarten through eighth grade, there's a piece of first-day news that not everyone has heard yet: D11 is partnering with Edukit to deliver free, grade-specific school supply kits directly to more than 14,000 K-8 students on the first day of school.

What the Edukit Program Delivers

The Edukit partnership means that D11 teachers will have grade-appropriate supply kits waiting for K-8 students when they arrive on Wednesday. The kits include core supplies — notebooks, pencils, folders, and other grade-appropriate materials — at no cost to families and with no pre-shopping required on your part.

This doesn't necessarily eliminate every item a specific teacher might request for their classroom. Individual teachers sometimes have supplemental needs beyond what a standard kit covers. But the Edukit program handles the foundation, and for families who've been putting off the supply run, this is the detail that changes the calculus.

Jumpstart Day and the First Full Day

D11 structured the start of the school year with transition-year students in mind. Today's Jumpstart Day gave kindergarteners, sixth graders, and ninth graders — all entering new school environments — a shorter, lower-pressure first day before the full K-12 population arrives tomorrow.

For kindergarteners especially, that extra day matters. Starting at a new school with just the other new-to-the-building students reduces the initial sensory and social load in a way that a full first day alongside the entire school can't replicate.

Tomorrow is the full launch: all D11 K-12 students, all schools, first full day.

For Families Still Working on Enrollment

D11 enrollment remains open for families who haven't yet completed the process. Enrollment is available online at d11.org or in person at 1033 N. Franklin Street in Colorado Springs, Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4 PM MT. The first day of school doesn't close the enrollment window — students can still be registered and placed after the year begins.

D20 and D49 Families

For Colorado Springs families in other districts: D20 (Academy District 20) starts Monday August 17 for preschool, elementary, 6th, and 9th graders, and Tuesday August 18 for all remaining students. D49 students started the year on August 4 and are already one week in.

What's Next

COS Parenting will continue tracking D11 news throughout the school year, including updates on district programs, events, and anything Colorado Springs families need to know as the semester gets underway. If you have questions about D11 enrollment, the district's enrollment page is d11.org, and the in-person enrollment office is at 1033 N. Franklin Street. Good luck tomorrow, D11 families.