Dear FVS Community, 

I hope this message finds you well and that the weekend provided an opportunity to spend some time with family as we do our part for the greater good by practicing social distancing. Today’s letter is primarily focused on preparations for FVSV, but I’ll begin with a couple of quick updates. 

Updates
First, we continue to evaluate guidance from local, state, and national authorities to determine when we might return to campus. Simultaneously, we are also considering implications for traditions like Senior Seminar, Commencement, Alumni Reunion Weekend, and summer programs. We will communicate in a timely manner once we feel able to make intentional, thoughtful, and responsible decisions. Next, a special thank you is due to our Interim team for their work securing refunds. Though it is in no way expected, I wish to express my gratitude to the families who have offered to donate their refunds to the School. During a time when financial hardship is a universal experience, I am humbled and inspired by such generosity.  

FVSV Launch
August seems so incredibly distant, both in terms of how much we’ve accomplished since the start of the year, and also how far away the beginning of the next year seems to be. The start of school is truly a magical time and there is a powerful, palpable boost to the energy on campus when we reconvene and reconnect. The sense of possibility and optimism found in a blank slate, the mix of excitement and nervousness bred from anticipation, the enthusiasm that is generated when we’ve had the benefit of time away and the perspective it grants—all of these combine and build momentum that grows and sustains us throughout the year. And while recently, hopeful moments have been more elusive, this morning it felt like August again. 

Campus was quiet, but the school was abuzz with positivity as all of our faculty and staff gathered in a virtual meeting to kick off a week of collaborative work that will culminate with the launch of FVSV this Friday. The screenshot above is a group photo taken this morning and adequately captures the energy and enthusiasm that awaits our students when they enter our virtual classrooms. 

Today’s work went off without a hitch and I could not be more proud of our people. Among the topics we covered: 

  • Our academic leaders spoke about strategies to provide predictability and support by leveraging our core values and community guideposts 
  • Jennifer Grubb, school counselor, shared insight about the emotional challenges our students may be experiencing and ways to support them 
  • Dorothy Strehl, Learning Center Director, reiterated the importance of the work we do with students who learn in different ways and how to make virtual accommodations; 
  • Individual faculty members shared their personal experiences on teaching and assessing learning in a virtual world 
  • Our technology team provided instruction on how to leverage the incredibly powerful suite of tools they have assembled for our use 

And this was just the first half of the first day of our week together. Our students are indeed fortunate to have these talented and passionate educators in their lives. 

I am certain that we are well equipped to respond to the challenges that lie ahead and have absolute faith and confidence that the strength we find in our community will serve as a beacon of light and hope that will sustain the Fountain Valley family through this time in history. 

Nevertheless, uncertainty remains and none of us can predict what will come as this dynamic situation unfolds. And with uncertainty comes a range of emotions, which each of us processes differently. I thank you in advance for your continued partnership, patience, trust, and faith in each other as we move forward together. I’ve said this a lot in recent weeks, but it bears reiterating—this will be a marathon, not a sprint and we must take it one step at a time, crossing each bridge as we come to it. To invoke Disney wisdom, all we can do is “the next right thing.”  

As we look forward to the launch of FVSV later this week, please take a minute to watch the video below with messages from department chairs. Many thanks to the technology department for putting together this virtual meeting and capturing not only a video of it, but also the entertaining outtakes of its making.


Enjoy, take good care, and be well. 

William Webb
Head of School
 
Fountain Valley School of Colorado
6155 Fountain Valley School Road 
Colorado Springs, CO 80911