Fountain Valley School seeks an entrepreneurial, relationship-driven, and collaborative leader to serve as their next Head of School.
Founded in 1930 and set on a sweeping 1,100-acre prairie campus at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, Fountain Valley School (FVS) is an independent, coeducational college preparatory school serving approximately 220 students in grades 8 (new as of fall 2026) through 12 from 21 countries and 23 states. Roughly 70% of students board in ten adobe residential houses, while 30% attend as day students — a balance that creates a vibrant, around-the-clock community anchored in deep relationships.
What sets FVS apart is the West itself. Students spend ninth grade immersed in the history and landscape of the American West, venturing to the school’s 40-acre Mountain Campus tucked into the Collegiate Peaks, competing on climbing walls and mountainsides, and riding horses across open terrain. They collaborate on yearlong Senior Capstone projects, travel abroad through the Round Square exchange network, and engage with the world through Global/STEM Scholar programs. In the Art Barn, they paint, sculpt, perform, and find their voice. In classrooms averaging just 12 students, they think critically alongside faculty who (98% live on campus) are genuinely invested in their growth.
The school’s five core values — Courage, Compassion, Curiosity, Self-Reliance and Open-Mindedness — are not just aspirational; they shape everything from how advisors know their students to how faculty design their courses to how the community shows up for one another in the chapel, dorms, and dining halls that define residential life. The Path to the Summit 2030, a Strategic Plan for Fountain Valley School, lays out the school’s strategic priorities to preserve its rich history and place as the premiere boarding school in the western United States. As part of the school’s unique and engaging educational experience, the plan includes a physical expansion that has already begun and will lead to state-of-the-art educational facilities.
The next Head of School will step into a community with strong bones: a dedicated and experienced faculty, a newly launched 8th grade day-only program, a committed board, and an alumni network that speaks of their time here with unmistakable affection. Also on the horizon: Fountain Valley’s one hundredth anniversary, a transformative event already in the planning. The new leader will bring both the relational instincts and the external-facing energy to match that foundation — someone who is genuinely energized by enrollment growth and philanthropic partnership, and who sees in FVS’s singular story an irresistible case to make. With a compelling mission, an extraordinary campus, and a community ready to invest in its future, there is a real opportunity here for a leader who knows how to build a movement.
Salary: $300,000 - $400,000
Benefits: We believe in supporting the whole person — professionally and personally. Our benefits include:
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
- School-paid Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Colorado Paid Leave premiums
- School-paid life insurance equal to 2x annual salary
- Voluntary life insurance options
- Employee Assistance Program for confidential support services
- Retirement plan with employer contribution
- Full access to our beautiful campus amenities, including pool, gym, indoor track, workout bikes, scenic hiking and biking trails, and our Mountain Campus
To show interest in the position and to receive the Opportunity Statement once it becomes available, please click ' Apply' and submit your information.
