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Dear Fountain Valley School Community,
I am honored to become the next Head of School at Fountain Valley School. My wife, Kim, and I–as well as our two dogs, Florence and Frankie–are excited to join this community and make our home on campus. Our daughters, Charlotte and Mia, will both be in college by the time we arrive, but we know they will enjoy being part of campus life whenever they can.
We thoroughly enjoyed our opportunities to learn about the school and take in the beautiful vistas of Colorado Springs. It is evident how deeply the faculty care for their students. They are master teachers who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to their work. What a talented group!
There was, however, a distinct moment during our visit when it became clear that FVS was the right place for us. When I spoke at the All-School Meeting in the Chapel, the students were so engaged and invested in their school and its culture. That was impressive. And then the student announcements and activities stole the show and sealed the deal. I can still see two students being wrapped in toilet paper and then racing around the Chapel while everyone cheered them on, including a student in an inflatable shark costume dancing to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” This moment felt both familiar from our previous work in boarding schools and uniquely infused with the spirit of FVS. It told us everything we needed to know. The people of FVS were our people.
Kim and I spent 11 years working and living in boarding schools alongside students, fellow teachers, and administrators. Our daughters began their lives on those campuses, with 80 older brothers outside our dorm door at Lake Forest Academy and 12 older sisters at St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School. We know how much life happens in a school community beyond the classroom, and we are beyond excited to immerse ourselves in those dynamic relationships again. We look forward to getting to know our students and colleagues through the daily experiences, shared responsibilities, and occasional absurdities that make a boarding school such a wonderful place to call home.
In the months ahead, my first priority will be to listen and learn. I want to understand what students treasure about FVS, what sustains the work of faculty and staff, and what families and alumni hope for its future. I will be in Colorado on several occasions to spend time in the community and begin to understand the rich and textured life of the school.
I am inspired by the mission of FVS and its emphasis on Western heritage, courage, and compassion. It brings to mind the words of the great Western author Wallace Stegner: “These are some of the things wilderness can do for us…it can be a means of reassuring ourselves of our sanity as creatures, a part of the geography of hope.”
That connection between place and possibility speaks to me. An FVS education gives students a grounding in where they are and the confidence to imagine where they might go. I am excited to help carry that work forward, deepen our commitment to the mission, and work alongside you to make FVS an even stronger school and community.
Thank you to the search committee and Board of Trustees for their confidence and care throughout this process. Kim and I look forward to meeting you, learning your stories, and becoming part of the daily life of the school.
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