The Peak School's new Head of School: Travis Aldrich
Since announcing the appointment of Travis Aldrich as its third Head of School. On July 1, 2017, The Peak School’s staff and community has been preparing for Travis Aldrich to become its new Head of School. Mr. Aldrich will succeed Steve Coleman, who is returning to his East Coast home after a completion of a successful three-year tenure at Peak. Students, families and staff all are thrilled to have Mr. Aldrich take the helm and guide The Peak School. Currently is the Upper School Director at Vail Mountain School, Aldrich brings a strong education and leadership background, as well as outdoor education experience to the position. He has worked at several independent schools since 1998, as an English and history teacher, admissions director, dean of students and, before VMS, as the Middle School Director at Sierra Canyon School in California. His portfolio includes coaching basketball, soccer and lacrosse, as well as leading telemark trips in Colorado, cultural immersion trips to Costa Rico and Thailand, and marine biology trips to Florida. From 1995-2000, he served as Division Director at three nationally-recognized wilderness/educational camps.
“Travis was viewed by everybody as the top choice among a group of outstanding candidates,” said John Vincze, Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees. “He has an extensive background in progressive education at the middle and high school levels and in leading programs focused on outdoor education and international travel. His personality and experience dovetail perfectly with Peak’s needs and mission.”
According to Dana Karin, a Board member and former teacher at Peak who led the Search Committee, “Travis related extraordinarily well to everybody involved with Peak, especially the students. His references were off-the-charts favorable. He has succeeded as a progressive educator wherever he has worked. He is a great fit for Peak.”
Dan Wolf, Co-Chair of the Board, added that the hiring of Travis Aldrich brings a top-flight successor to Steve Coleman, under whose leadership, Peak:
- expanded its educational programs
- solidified its financial position
- increased its enrollment
- achieved early accreditation
- recruited its first international students, and
- added grades 10-12 to the Upper School.
With its announcement, the Search Committee indicated that Travis Aldrich, having helped to direct the growth of several schools already, is ideally suited to build upon Steve Coleman’s successful tenure, while continuing to expand Peak’s enrollment and educational programs.”
Mr. Aldrich relishes the opportunity to become Head of The Peak School, “I have had the opportunity to watch the school grow and expand over the last couple of years, and am very interested in being a part of its development. Peak is a dynamic community that thrives on the relationships between its students and its staff. I want to be part of a place like Peak, where I can influence the school’s direction and growth, and bring what I have learned from other institutions to a school that is continuing to build upon an already-strong foundation.”
The Peak School is an accredited, independent school located in Frisco, Colorado. In its fifth year, the school has 71 students among Divisions equivalent to grades 6-12. With small class sizes, Peak combines a personalized, progressive education with high academic expectations, and features an outdoor education program. Its mission is “to ignite a passion for learning; to develop students of diverse talents and backgrounds who think critically and act with integrity; and to graduate compassionate, confident, capable students who will embrace their roles as local and global citizens.”