$10 million gift to local school from alumnus W. Jerome Frautschi
Fountain Valley School of Colorado (FVS), one of the nation’s most distinctive independent boarding schools, has received the largest philanthropic commitment in its 95-year history: a $10 million gift from alumnus W. Jerome Frautschi.
Announced in a news release issued on behalf of the school, the transformative gift represents both a deeply personal gesture of gratitude and a strategic investment in the long-term vitality of the institution.
The funds will provide sustained support for two of Fountain Valley’s most critical pillars: the stewardship of its expansive campus and the recruitment, retention, and development of exceptional faculty.
For Frautschi, the gift is rooted in memory as much as mission.
“Some of my most defining moments came on the Prairie at Fountain Valley,” he said in a statement.
“Those wide-open spaces taught me responsibility, confidence, and a sense of possibility that stayed with me my entire life. My hope is that this gift helps future generations feel that same spark, to explore, to learn, and to discover who they are. If the next generation can share in the same deep experience that shaped my life, then this investment will have truly mattered.”
Frautschi graduated from Fountain Valley School a time when the school’s identity—shaped by the rugged beauty of the American West and a philosophy of experiential learning—was already taking hold.
More than seven decades later, his contribution ensures that the physical and human foundations of that experience will remain strong for generations to come.
According to the school, a significant portion of the gift will be dedicated to the care, preservation, and long-term maintenance of key campus spaces across FVS’s 1,100-acre property in Colorado Springs.
The goal is to ensure that the campus remains safe, functional, and welcoming while retaining the natural character and sense of openness that define life on the Prairie.
Equally important, the funds will be used to strengthen the school’s faculty—supporting efforts to attract, reward, and retain outstanding educators in an increasingly competitive independent school landscape.
By investing in faculty excellence, the gift reinforces Fountain Valley’s commitment to rigorous academics, close student-teacher relationships, and mentorship-driven education.
“Jerry Frautschi’s generosity has helped define Fountain Valley School across generations,” said Megan Harlan, Head of School.
“As a proud alumnus from the Class of 1949, Jerry understands the lifelong impact of an FVS education. This historic gift honors his decades of commitment while securing two of the most essential pillars of any school: our campus and our faculty.”
Founded in 1930, Fountain Valley School of Colorado is an independent, coeducational boarding and day school serving students in grades 9 through 12. Situated on a sweeping 1,100-acre campus at the base of the Rocky Mountains, the school is known for blending demanding academics with a distinctive Western heritage, outdoor education, and a deeply relational residential experience.
Students at FVS engage not only in college-preparatory coursework but also in experiential programs that emphasize leadership, self-reliance, stewardship of the land, and global citizenship. The school’s Prairie, trails, and open spaces are not just a backdrop, but an integral part of its educational philosophy.
In that sense, Frautschi’s gift is less about expansion than preservation—protecting the essence of what has made Fountain Valley School unique for nearly a century, while equipping it to thrive in the decades ahead.
As independent schools across the country grapple with rising costs, faculty recruitment challenges, and the need for sustainable campus management, the $10 million commitment positions Fountain Valley School of Colorado with uncommon stability—and a renewed affirmation that its past, present, and future are deeply connected.
For Frautschi, the measure of success is simple and enduring: that future students will stand on the Prairie, feel the same sense of possibility he once did, and carry it with them for the rest of their lives.