FVS Welcomes New Director of College Counseling

Dear FVS Community,

As many of you know, our current Director of College Counseling, Doug Badger, announced at the beginning of the year that he would be retiring after thirty years in the profession of college admissions and college guidance. Fountain Valley School has been the beneficiary of Mr. Badger’s experience, wisdom, and thoughtful advice over the last nine years. We are grateful for his service and passion for education and look forward to celebrating him in the years to come.

A committee led by John Litchenberg, with Blake Pelton, Penny Steele, and Matt Rinkin as members, met throughout the fall and engaged in a nationwide search. After numerous first-round interviews, three talented finalists were invited to campus to interview, and we are delighted to announce that Jeff Kurtzman will be joining Fountain Valley School as the next Director of College Counseling beginning in July. Mr. Kurtzman comes to FVS from the McCallie School, a selective boarding and day school in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he has served as the Director of College Counseling for the last ten years and has taught history, worked in a dormitory, coached several sports and participated widely in student life. Mr. Kurtzman, after partnering with hundreds of students and families in the college process and forming strong connections with colleges and universities around the country, will arrive on our campus with a depth and breadth of experience that is impressive and noteworthy.

I am grateful to everyone who was part of this search process – faculty, staff, and senior students – who met each of the finalists and offered valuable perspectives. Mr. Kurtzman impressed the community with his strong grounding in a student-centered approach to college counseling, as well as his ability to form connections with students, parents, faculty, and college admission counselors alike. He combines a high level of professionalism with a sincerity and deep appreciation for adolescents. We look forward to welcoming Mr. Kurtzman to Fountain Valley this summer, where he will no doubt take advantage of any nearby fly-fishing spots, as well as find time to get to know our students and community.

Mr. Kurtzman is eager to join the FVS community and get to know us better in the coming months.

Megan Harlan
Head of School