What Fossil Ridge High School does

Fossil Ridge High School is a public secondary school operating under Poudre School District in Fort Collins, Colorado, serving students in grades 9-12. Established in 2004, the school delivers standard high school academic programming augmented by over 500 courses including AP, concurrent enrollment, and career and technical education pathways, alongside more than 50 school-sponsored extracurricular activities and organizations. The student body is drawn from PSD feeder middle schools (Boltz, Kinard, Lesher, Preston, Webber, Lincoln, Cache La Poudre, Wellington) and the school supports an estimated 101-250 staff under Principal Mark Barry and three Assistant Principals (Dr. Sonja Gedde, Scott Torvik, Brad Nye, with Dave Walck serving dual role as Athletic Director).

The school's core product portfolio combines academic instruction with differentiated programs: Ridge TV / SaberCat Studios (a video production program reportedly unique among U.S. high schools, teaching short film, documentary, and live broadcasting via Adobe Creative Cloud), Leadership Academy (servant leadership development), Etched In Stone (student journalism), Petroglyphs Yearbook (student-designed publication through Jostens), a comprehensive athletics program with unified sports, performing arts (band, choir, orchestra), Testing Center, Media Center with digital research databases, counseling services, and the Fossil Cares mental health initiative. Technology integration spans Google Workspace, ParentVUE/StudentVUE SIS portals, SchoolPay, Nutrislice menus, Xello college/career planning, GoFan ticketing, ArbiterAthlete eligibility management, NFHS Network streaming, and Teamsnap team communications.

Revenue mechanics are characteristic of a U.S. public high school: the dominant funding stream is district allocations from Poudre School District tax revenues and Colorado state education funding, with no disclosed revenue figure. Ancillary revenue includes athletic participation fees ($220/sport for PSD students, $330 for non-PSD/home-based/charter/private; up to $1000 additional for ice hockey), Student Activities Pass ($30/year), athletic event admissions (Adults $8, Students/Seniors $5), and yearbook sales via Jostens. Concurrent enrollment tuition and textbooks are covered by the district under partnerships with Front Range Community College (core) and Aims Community College (secondary). The school does not generate equity returns; it is a government state entity without shareholders, and there is no PE/VC/M&A transaction thesis.

Name

Fossil Ridge High School

Legal name

Fossil Ridge High School

Website

https://frh.psdschools.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Fossil Ridge High School is a public high school in Fort Collins, Colorado, serving grades 9-12 within the Poudre School District. It offers 500+ courses, 50+ extracurricular activities, athletics, performing arts, concurrent college enrollment, and unique programs including Ridge TV video production studio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public High Schools (EDAJAAAD)

Keywords

• Public high school
• Secondary education
• College readiness programs
• Athletic programs
• Performing arts education

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Collins

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Public School Funding: Public high school funded primarily through Poudre School District tax revenues and state education funding
2. Athletic Fees: Athletic participation fees charged per sport: $220 for PSD non-charter students, $330 for home-based/charter/private school students
3. Yearbook Sales: Yearbook sales through Jostens, with recognition ads available for purchase

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fossil Ridge High School is a public secondary school serving grades 9-12 in Fort Collins, Colorado, providing academic instruction across more than 500 courses (including AP, concurrent enrollment, and CTE pathways), athletics, performing arts, and student support services. The school supplements classroom instruction with specialized programs such as Ridge TV video production, Leadership Academy, student journalism (Etched In Stone), and a student-produced yearbook (Petroglyphs). Support services include counseling, a testing center, a media center, mental health resources through Fossil Cares, and over 50 clubs and organizations.

Product overview

Fossil Ridge High School operates as a comprehensive public high school offering a unified portfolio of educational programs and student services. The core offerings include academic instruction across standard subject areas, an extensive athletics program with multiple seasonal sports and unified sports, and a robust performing arts department featuring band, choir, and orchestra. The school distinguishes itself through specialized programs including Ridge TV/SaberCat Studios (video production), Leadership Academy (servant leadership development), Etched In Stone (student journalism), and Petroglyphs yearbook (student publication). Additional support services include a Testing Center for exam makeups, Media Center with digital resources, Concurrent Enrollment enabling college credit, and mental health support through Fossil Cares. Technology integration spans Google Workspace, Jostens yearbook services, SchoolPay for payments, and various athletic management systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Athletics Program Comprehensive athletic program offering fall, winter, and spring sports including unified sports, with registration through PSD online systems and athletic participation fees per sport.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students participating in activities are virtually guaranteed to earn better grades, go to college, and make better life decisions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Poudre School District (PSD)coreOthersFossil Ridge High School is part of Poudre School District, a public school district serving Fort Collins, CO. The district provides funding, policies, oversight, and shared services including technology, transportation, and curriculum alignment.
• Front Range Community College (FRCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcurrent enrollment partnership allowing qualified high school students (grades 9-12) to enroll in FRCC college classes for both high school and college credit. Tuition, textbooks, and fees are covered by the district. Classes are taught by FRCC-approved high school instructors or FRCC instructors at the high school.
• Aims Community CollegesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCampus Select concurrent enrollment program allows students to take college courses on Aims Community College campus for both high school and college credit.
• JostensminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorYearbook publisher providing yearbook sales, senior photo uploads, and recognition/baby ad services for the school yearbook (Petroglyphs).
• Every Child PediatricsminorOthersOperates Health & Wellness Centers providing physicals, medical care, counseling and other health services for PSD students during summer and school year.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Poudre High School: Public high school operated by Poudre School District in Fort Collins, CO. Directly comparable to Fossil Ridge as a same-district peer sharing funding, policies, and the same PSD School Choice enrollment pool, with overlapping academic, athletic, and extracurricular offerings.
• Rocky Mountain High School: Public high school in Poudre School District, Fort Collins, CO. Comparable to Fossil Ridge as a same-district high school competing for the same resident students through PSD School Choice, with similar AP, concurrent enrollment, and athletic programs.
• Fort Collins High School: Public high school within Poudre School District serving Fort Collins, CO. Comparable to Fossil Ridge as a district peer with shared funding mechanisms and overlapping academic and extracurricular structures, competing for the same Fort Collins families.
• Centennial High School: Public high school in Poudre School District, Fort Collins, CO. Directly comparable to Fossil Ridge as another PSD comprehensive high school drawing from the same Larimer County resident pool under shared district policies and funding.
• Poudre Community Academy: Alternative PSD high school in Fort Collins, CO. Comparable to Fossil Ridge as a district-operated high school serving grades 9-12 with district funding, though focused on non-traditional learners, competing for a subset of the same enrollment pool.

Emerging players

• Ridgeview Classical School: Public charter school in Fort Collins within Poudre School District. Comparable to Fossil Ridge as a Larimer County K-12 option competing for Fort Collins families seeking a classical curriculum alternative, drawing from the same local enrollment pool.
• Mountain Sage Community School: Public charter school in Fort Collins within Poudre School District. Comparable to Fossil Ridge as an alternative district-affiliated school competing for Fort Collins families, differentiated by project-based and nature-immersed pedagogy.
• Compass Community Collaborative School: Public charter school in Poudre School District serving Fort Collins. Comparable to Fossil Ridge as an in-district alternative education provider targeting the same Larimer County families with a different instructional model.

Regional players

• Wellington Middle-High School: Public 6-12 school operated by Poudre School District in Wellington, CO. Comparable to Fossil Ridge as a PSD secondary school sharing district funding and policies but serving a separate Larimer County catchment.
• Loveland High School (Thompson School District): Public high school in neighboring Thompson School District serving Loveland, CO. Comparable to Fossil Ridge as a Northern Colorado comprehensive public high school with similar academic, athletic, and concurrent enrollment programs, serving a separate district catchment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fossilridgehs
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/dtfilmning
• Facebookfacebook.com/fossilridgepanthers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fossil-ridge-high-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fossil Ridge High School