Setting and Context

Fossil Ridge High School is the fourth and newest public high school in the Poudre School
District, serving Fort Collins and northern Larimer County, Colorado. Originally named "Harmony High
School", the campus went through a transition from "Fossil Creek High School" to its final title, Fossil
Ridge High School. The school is named for the low ridge in front of the foothills to the west and
southwest of Fort Collins and attests to the rich collection of fossils found in the Fossil Creek area. The
name is a reminder of the rich geological history and present stewardship of natural resources. Approved
by voters in the 2000 Bond Election, Fossil Ridge opened with 475 students in grades 10 and 11 on
August 18, 2004 and expanded to include seniors in 2005 and again in 2009 to include freshmen.
Enrollment at Fossil Ridge has grown to over 2100 students in grades 9-12 as of 2012.
In the fall of 2003, a select committee composed of future students, parents, and community
members engaged in a consensus decision process to determine the school colors and mascot. After
receiving substantial input from all constituencies and engaging in lengthy discussion, the committee
agreed that the school colors are Hunter Green, Silver, and Black, and that the mascot is the SaberCat.
The leaping SaberCat is the official logo while the mascot name is officially spelled with a capital "C".
At Fossil Ridge there is a community spirit of inclusion, pride and dedication to excellence in all
that they do. Students take pride in and care of the school and its facilities, seek out challenging learning
experiences, and involve themselves in a variety of school activities. Staff members are dedicated to
excellence in their instruction, and seek to cultivate relationships of trust and respect with their students
and the community. Parent involvement at Fossil Ridge is encouraged, supported and celebrated.
Together, members of the Fossil Ridge learning community work hand in hand to sustain a school-wide
culture of "grace", "poise", and "class". "To whom much is given, of them much is expected."
Fossil Ridge High School is committed to a positive school culture. Rachel's Challenge and
Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) are two internationally recognized programs that are
proven deliver positive results in schools. With the strong support of the parent community and
administration, Fossil Ridge is gaining recognition for being a national leader because of their innovative
and sensible implementation of both programs simultaneously. The results of the tireless work is a sense
of community, school pride, and positive culture that has touched every aspect of Fossil
Ridge. "Excellence. Everywhere." is the long-standing motto, and the standard the school strives for
every day. The 290,000 square foot high school was designed utilizing the school-within-a-school
concept, which divides the building into three smaller teaching houses. Each student is enrolled in an
advisory program which includes academics, post-secondary planning, civic engagement, and service
training.
At Fossil Ridge High School they are proud to value people as highly as performance. They
work tirelessly to create meaningful and lasting relationships among staff and students, because they
believe that strong relationships support academic and social success. At the heart of their culture are the
RIDGE values Respect, Integrity, Determination, Gratitude, Excellence that drive every decision and
interaction at FRHS. They reinforce and reflect the commitment to these values in a multitude of ways:
the Advisory program, the four-year Rachels Challenge program, Diversity Leadership, and numerous
clubs, athletic teams and activities. To further model and reflect the values held at FRHS, they have
designed and implemented a Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) program.
Their work on PBIS began in 2009, with the implementation of the Response to Intervention (RtI)
model. They wanted to find a system with structures and processes that could guide them and were
flexible enough to fit within the current culture. Additionally, they looked at their disciplinary data and

wanted to implement a program that would also reduce the amount of office referrals, suspensions and
expulsions. The PBIS program fit not only the behavioral and discipline needs, but also the dedication to
building a positive school culture. PBIS allows staff and students to positively recognize, and be
recognized for demonstrating, behaviors that uphold the RIDGE values. It is the belief that a positive
support system for students and staff will provide concrete behavioral expectations that influence the
culture in a positive way and reinforce the valuable lessons provided by other culture-building programs
and activities.
Fossil Ridge High School is the newest of four comprehensive high schools in the Fort Collins
community. Classes are available to meet a full range of student needs including those with special
interests, those seeking advanced-level opportunities, and those with special needs. Fossil Ridge offers
extensive fine arts and music programs, as well as outstanding science and math opportunities.The latest
technology is available to students through six general computer labs, with one mobile lab in each of the
three wings. A fully equipped television studio is available, with the ability to broadcast cable TV and
closed-circuit programming throughout the building or district wide.