Dear FVS Students and Parents,
We hope this message finds you well. The Interim-COVID Task Force has been meeting regularly since August to assess and evaluate the challenges of Interim in the midst of the COVID landscape. We are committed to the health and safety of our community, and we also deeply value the importance of Interim as a signature program at Fountain Valley.
The COVID landscape has certainly changed in the past few months, and while our situation regionally has improved since November’s surge, we have made the determination that our community will be best served by committing now to a conservative path forward so that we may have ample time to plan experiences that are robust, meaningful, and that provide a rejuvenating break from routine.
With our commitment to Interim steadfast, we are excited to present “Interim 2021: People, Place, and Connection in the Shadow of Pike’s Peak.” Based primarily here on campus and the Class of ‘69 Mountain Campus, Interim 2021 will be a series of three, two-day “Micro Interim” courses, inspired by the varied and unique passions and expertise of Fountain Valley faculty. Students will have a wide variety of selections from which to choose, and each student will participate in three distinct sessions over the course of the week from March 12-19. Because of the scope of this approach, there will be no charge for Interim.
All students will be required to participate in Interim whether they are learning in-person or at a distance. Synchronous and asynchronous virtual students will participate in an online Interim experience during the same week and will choose from different options than the in-person options.
The revised Interim course descriptions will be published on February 3. Seniors and juniors will sign up for their sessions on February 9 followed by sophomores and freshmen on February 10. Rosters will be released the following week.
Interim 2021 will be a truly unique experience for our students, and we are committed to running a robust, engaging, and safe program. As we reimagine Interim through a local lens, we have asked faculty: “What are your passions? What are your areas of expertise outside the classroom that you rarely get to share? What’s that project, challenge, or deep-dive you’ve always pondered doing with students, but have yet to actualize?” All Interim programs will remain regional, utilizing the FVS Main Campus and Class of ‘69 Mountain Campus, and the surrounding region. All off-campus excursions will be accessible by bus, within a day’s drive to and from these campuses, and will take place in a COVID-responsible manner. The Mountain Campus and FVS Main Campus may both be utilized for overnights- indoors or out!
We are excited to see what takes shape in the coming weeks and look forward to the work we will do together in March during Interim. As noted above, more information will be forthcoming in early February, and in the meantime, please feel free to reach out to either of us with any questions.
Thank You,
Kat Baker and Jed Haupt
Interim Co-Directors
Fountain Valley School
6155 Fountain Valley School Road
Colorado Springs, CO 80911
