High Rockies Community School’s vision is to produce a generation of compassionate, highly skilled, lifelong learners who value their individuality and the uniqueness of others, and are driven to cultivate positive change in our world.
Our Mission in our student’s words:
Our school is about learning and having fun together. We want everyone to feel happy and safe while they're here. We promise to help each other grow and be the best we can be. We will explore lots of cool stuff and be kind to each other. Our school is like a big family where everyone belongs and can be themselves and learn what they want to learn. We dream of making our community better by playing, sharing, and caring for each other.
High Rockies Community School’s Principles
Outdoor Education
We live in one of the most beautiful places on earth with so many opportunities to explore the natural world. At High Rockies Community School, we highly value outdoor education focusing on our local environment. We want kids to feel confident in their understanding of their home. We encourage students to build leadership, confidence, and cooperation through outdoor education. Field Trips are taken often in our school to witness our units in real life. With so many incredible historical and scientific sites so close to home, we will venture out frequently to study our units in real life.
Community Engagement
High Rockies Community School was founded with community as a top priority. We encourage community members to come and teach their skills at our school and we work with our students to create real world projects that will benefit the community. We believe that children are valued members of the community and should give back to their community. At the end of each unit, we invite the community to come and learn from our students, ask them questions, and encourage them in their passions.
Parents as Partners
Parents are a child’s first and most important teachers. They deserve to have a seat at the table in their child’s education. We believe parents are a partner in their child’s education and should be present in the classroom, have a say in what their child is learning, and be kept in the loop with what is going on at school.
Student-Led
Children learn best when they are interested and curious about a topic. We believe students should get a say in what they are learning, how they are learning, and how they demonstrate their learning. Our school is student-led, where students get to vote on what unit we are studying, decide how they want to learn about the topic, and create a project of their choosing to demonstrate their understanding of a topic.
Thematic Multi-disciplinary Units
Students at High Rockies Community School learn through experience. Our units are taught based on student interest and will incorporate all aspects of learning into each unit. Students will learn together about each topic, then create their own project to further study the area of the topic that interests them the most. Students are free to show their understanding and research through many different mediums and are challenged to collect data, graph data, write, create a product, and present their findings in each unit project.
Democracy in Action
High Rockies Community School believes students and adults both deserve respect and a vote on how the classroom should be run. We believe in teaching students how democracy works and in running the school as a democracy. Students get a vote on all decisions made and help keep the code of conduct.
An Average School Day
Morning
Reading, Writing, Math Skills Practice
Montessori Style learning with stations, small group/one-on-one skills practice, and choice boards
Outdoor Education- nature journaling, guided hikes, free play, nature art, camping skills, science in nature
Afternoon
Multi-disciplinary Thematic Unit- Science/Social Studies themes with all skills included in unit learning
Student-Led project work time
Community Instructors
Free Play
Meet the Team
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Laurel Dumas
HEAD OF SCHOOL
Laurel Dumas is a dedicated and passionate leader with over 20 years of experience in education. Her career began as a para-educator, evolving through roles as a Teacher, Gifted and Talented Coordinator, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, and Principal. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Public Relations and a Master's degree in Teaching Mathematics. With a deep-rooted passion for teaching, she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her current role as Head of School.
During high school, Laurel served as a student board member on the local school board, an early indication of her commitment to educational leadership. Over the past four years, she has honed her leadership skills, and now serves as a coach for principals in the Early Literacy Pathway in the Colorado Department of Education’s Principal Leadership Institute.
A true mountain mom, Laurel enjoys hiking and rock climbing with her husband and 7-year-old daughter, as well as watching live music and trying new vegan recipes. She is an avid reader and lifelong learner, always seeking new knowledge and experiences.
With her extensive background in education, leadership, and a genuine passion for teaching, Laurel continues to inspire and lead with a focus on fostering a love for learning in every student and educator.
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Kristine Helsper
LEAD TEACHER
Kristine has a Bachelor's degree in Science from Colorado Christian University and a Master's degree in Educational Psychology from UC Denver. She started her career teaching outdoor education at Denver Audubon where she guided kids as they discovered the birds, wildlife, and pond creatures that lived in Chatfield. She transitioned into teaching in 2014 where she taught 4th grade for 3 years at charter schools in Denver and then taught 8th grade science in Bailey for 4 years. In 2021, Kristine started Curiosity Clubhouse to provide enrichment opportunities for students in Park County. She has owned and operated this business for the past 4 years offering STEAM enrichment programs on Fridays and in the Summer. Kristine is an avid birder, hiker, naturalist and reader who enjoys exploring the world around her.
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Katie Stamp
BOARD PRESIDENT
Growing up on the east coast in a rural part of Maryland, Katie always had a spirit for adventure, pursuing her passions wherever they may lead. In 2007, a ski trip brought her to beautiful Breckenridge, Colorado, and she was hooked. Just three short months later, Katie took the plunge and made a small log cabin her home in the mountains of Alma, Colorado. They say you come for the winter and stay for the summer, and they were right! She found that the mountains of Colorado satisfy her soul.
Family is Katie's greatest joy. Her free time is spent with her husband Kyle and their two young boys, exploring the great outdoors and enjoying God’s creation. As a family they love hiking, biking, skiing, goat packing, and horseback riding. At home they enjoy growing their own food, raising chickens and milking goats. These passions have naturally led her to homeschool her own children. She recognizes a need for play and nature in her children's education and has seen them blossom in this environment.
Katie is outgoing and a natural leader and educator at heart. Early on this led her to pursue her passions as a snowboard instructor, raft guide and mountain biking coach for women and high school youth. In addition these skills have served her well in her career as a Real Estate Broker in Park County with over 7 years of experience. Katie is known for being a collaborative team player dedicated to building relationships, while educating and guiding her clients to success.
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Jo Ames
BOARD MEMBER
Jo is a Vermont native who has been living in Fairplay for 4 years. She is the Assistant Unit Director of the Boys & Girls Club in Fairplay, has taught at the school on and off since 2020, and loves being involved in her mountain community in any way she can. She has her B.S. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Champlain College. Youth development has always been a passion of hers and she is excited to be part of the High Rockies Community School family.
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Theo Rhoades
BOARD MEMBER
Theo grew up as a military child, spending his youth traveling the world and experiencing new cultures. He earned a BA in Political Science from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Shortly after graduation he moved to Colorado and enlisted into the Army as a helicopter crew chief. After spending 6 years of active duty service, Theo returned to Colorado where he now serves with he Colorado National Guard working with the Colorado Hoist Rescue Team, and training new crew members. Theo now lives in Fairplay and works as a helicopter mechanic in Frisco. He spends his free time snowboarding and enjoying the outdoors with his wife and daughter.
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Steffen Lamar Tucker
BOARD MEMBER
Steffen is an accomplished Army Aircraft Pneumatics Repairer and Instructor with nearly 20 years of dedicated service. He has served as a Program Manager at the Ready and Resilient Performance Center at Fort Carson, where he contributed significantly to enhancing unit readiness and resilience. Steffen's military experience includes a total of 36 months deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, demonstrating his commitment to duty and service.
A passionate musician, Steffen plays the violin, guitar, ukulele, and mandolin. He also has a strong interest in martial arts and is trained in Army Combatives, showcasing his dedication to physical fitness and discipline.
Among his favorite roles in the Army, Steffen has enjoyed being a Small Group Leader, where he facilitated Advanced Leadership Training for today’s Army leaders. His attention to detail is evident from his tenure as the Brigade Aviation Safety Manager, where he prioritized safety and operational excellence.
Steffen holds numerous Army certifications, including Fundamentals of Creating Effective Training, Senior Management Training in Aviation Maintenance, and the Fundamentals of Instructor Training for Aircraft Pneumatic and Hydraulic Systems. He is also a Certified Environmental Management Officer and completed the Instructor Development Course for Educators.
As he looks forward to retirement, Steffen remains engaged in his community and currently serves on the Board for High Rockies Community School, contributing his expertise and leadership to support local education initiatives.
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Abigail Baumgardner
BOARD MEMBER
Abigail Baumgardner was born and spent her early years in rural Kansas. After years in the suburbs of Texas, in 2017 she and her family returned to rural America, and found a home in Fairplay, CO.
Abi is a baker, a mother, a wife, an avid gardener, an outdoor enthusiast, and an invested community member of Park County. Abi has worked in many facets of education; in Early Childhood Education as a preschool teacher, as a substitute teacher, as a paraprofessional, and she has volunteered and worked for the Boys and Girls Club of the High Rockies in Fairplay since 2022, where she is building lasting relationships.
Abi enjoys working in her garden, going on hikes, reading, and cooking for her family and friends. She believes that civic and social engagement can help transform our world into a better place for our children. Her guiding and motivating interests are agriculture, food systems, and child welfare. She believes in a future where all children have access to quality, nutritious food and food education. Abi has always been one to advocate for the best in humanity and a vision of a brighter future. In Abi’s inner and professional circles she is passionate to create an environment where children can flourish. She knows if children feel physically and emotionally safe they can blossom. Abi is thrilled and honored to be a part of the Founding Committee and Board of the High Rockies Community School and to witness this inspiring expansion of our public school system in Park County.