Wednesday marked four full weeks of classes, which we celebrated with our first Head of School Holiday for the year. Our Community Council members made the surprise announcement Tuesday evening through this light-hearted video, and students enjoyed a much-needed and well-deserved break. I believe that most used the day to simply rest and recharge, and the benefit to all was apparent the following day.  

As we look ahead, eight weeks remain until Fall Break, and we have many updates to share about adjustments to our schedule and programs based on our experience thus far and changes to the COVID-19 landscape. We have also included some long-range logistical information for planning purposes. This message also includes instructions about how to sign up for Fall Conferences. 

Parents may sign up for 15-minute blocks in the timeframes above to meet with their child’s teachers and adviser. Click here for instructions on how to schedule a conference. After picking a time, parents will receive an invitation by email from the teacher or adviser with instructions on how to connect. Conferences will be held using Google Meet or Zoom if the parent/guardian does not have a gmail account, or by telephone. 

As a result, FVS has authorized our English riding program to participate in upcoming IEA shows that will be held off campus. IEA practices strict safety protocols that align with those in effect on our campus, and the format of these events will result in minimal, if any, interaction with others. 

In addition, proposals from individual students wishing to participate in off-campus athletics are under consideration. Students wishing to engage in off-campus activities must submit an application to Athletic Director, Steve Tulleners, that includes the following:

3) Randomized COVID-19 Testing 

In the coming weeks, FVS will begin periodic, COVID-19 testing of randomly selected students and employees. Though we currently have no students in quarantine, and all COVID-19 tests administered have come back negative, our goal is to add an extra layer of precaution knowing that COVID-19 is often carried by asymptomatic individuals. Testing will take place on campus and those selected will be notified by the Health Center. 

With eight weeks remaining until Fall Break, planning is underway for our departure from campus and subsequent return in January. We are also working out details and options for students who wish to remain on campus. Details will be communicated as they become available with the hope that we will have greater clarity in time for conferences. The last day of in-person classes for the first semester will be Friday, November 20. Departures may be planned for Saturday and Sunday November 21-22 and the School will provide transportation to the Denver and Colorado Springs airports. Students who need flexibility in departure dates should contact the Deans’ Office at deansoffice@fvs.edu. We are actively working on the schedule for the return to campus in January and plan to have more information soon, however families should not make return travel arrangements at this time. 

We are excited to share that Interim will take place in March 2021! While it will look significantly different than Interims of years past, the focus on learning outside of the classroom through hands-on experiences holds strong and we intend to fully leverage our location in the American West to explore the abundant cultural and natural resources that exist in Colorado and the surrounding states. All courses will be held in locations to which we can drive, and will follow the safety protocols and expectations that will be in place on campus in March. We will revise plans as needed to adapt to the changing landscape. 

Freshmen and sophomore classes will have Interim with their classmates. Freshmen will be based out of Cañon City and the sophomores will utilize the Mountain Campus. Juniors and seniors will have eleven programs from which to choose. Further details and trip descriptions will be shared in the coming weeks, along with information about how juniors and seniors may indicate their trip preference. Please direct any questions to Interim co-directors Kat Baker kbaker@fvs.edu and Jed Haupt jhaupt@fvs.edu. 

Next week, we plan to launch a new weekly publication called Fountain Valley School Weekly. This will be sent by email from the Deans’ Office and will be a digest of information to help us organize and plan for the week ahead. Our goal is to create a singular source of information, and while much of the information I’ve shared in these updates will migrate to this new format, you may still receive emails from me or other members of our leadership team from time to time with important news or updates.