Message FROM THE HEAD

Fountain Valley School was a place of wonder, learning, and adventure when I joined the faculty here in 1981. I was stunned by its natural and architectural beauty, admired its wide range of programs, and loved working with my students. It changed my life.

And now, as I return, I see that our faculty, staff, administrators, parents, and alumni have shaped the school into an even better version of itself. This happens in the West, a place where traditions hold, but also where there is no choice but to adapt over time. A sense of place in the West has always been part of the FVS experience, with pack trips, skiing, outdoor experiences, and hands-on experiential trips. But now, with our new curricular journey through the school, one that features ninth-grade immersion in the West, we are digging ever deeper into this spectacular and historical setting. And soon, another architectural wonder will rise at the center of campus, our new academic building with the Center for the American West at its core. 

Betty Sage Hare and Ruth Hanna McCormick had a vision when they founded the school in 1930 and lured leadership and faculty members from an eastern school. Like other top independent schools, they offered the best of college and life preparation, but they also opened the door to different, truly adventurous, experiences. Judging from the generations of FVS alumni I know and admire, and the bonds of friendships between them, it worked.  

I fully “get it” now about FVS. This is a great place to grow up and an exciting part of the world to explore. It also provides the opportunity to think about life while gazing at Pike’s Peak and watching unforgettable sunsets and sunrises along Colorado’s front range. We invite you to join us and add your stories to those told for close to one hundred years around the FVS campfire.

Andy Watson,
Interim Head of School

View FVS's Strategic PlaN FOR 2030