Steve Gard, Principal
A proud Colorado native, I have spent my entire 27-year career in education working in four different alternative schools across three different school districts with roles both in and out of the classroom. After getting my BA in mathematics from Northern Colorado University in 1997, I taught mathematics at Colorado High School of Greeley, an alternative school in Greeley/Evans District 6, for 11 years. I was the only math teacher on staff, so I taught all math subjects including Pre-Algebra, Algebra I & II, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, and even Applied Physics.
While completing my Master's degree in educational leadership from Northern Colorado University, I left Colorado High School to become a co-founder of a new alternative program, the Greeley/Evans Alternative Program (GAP). I served as the Dean of Students for 11 years at GAP, then moved to Colorado Springs to serve as the principal for Patriot High School, an AEC in District 49 (Falcon). I love working with teens and with passionate educators who want to make a difference in our students' lives. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my wife, three cats, and one dog. I also am a huge Denver Broncos fan (yes, even when they are losing!). I'm happy to be at Aspen Valley!
Stephanie Laramie, Campus Administrator
Stephanie has been invested in education for the last 22 years. After obtaining her Bachelor of Arts in English at Washington State University, she started her career teaching at Eisenhower High School in Yakima, Washington. Since that time, she has worked in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Las Vegas, Nevada and overseas on Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany.
Stephanie and her family moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2019 and she taught at Sand Creek High School in District 49 while completing her Master of Arts in Educational Leadership through the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. This accrual motivated her to step out of the large comprehensive high schools and into alternative education at Aspen Valley High School in 2023. Although Stephanie has taught remedial, traditional, International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement courses over the span of her teaching career, she is quick to point out that nothing helped her become the educational leader that she is today more than alternative education. She firmly believes that “we can transcend past labels, reports and data. We can be all that we hope.” Last year, Stephanie worked in our building as a dean of students, and she is more than excited to continue to serve in the role of Assistant Principal.
Outside of school, Stephanie and her husband, Gabe, spend hours at the softball and baseball fields, basketball courts and cross-country courses watching their two children, Layla and Van, play all the sports. As a family they also enjoy watching college and professional sports. They are avid hikers and love to travel- next up is a trip back overseas to Germany!
