For the Second Consecutive Year,
Fairbanks is Rated an Excellent District!

Opportunities for Success

Superintendent's Note

Each new school year brings new challenges, excitement, and new beginnings. I believe that children are the greatest resource we have as a school and a community. Our students have proven to be a talented group and they deserve an outstanding education that will ensure a promising future for each of them.

I was very pleased to begin the new school year with the news from the Ohio Department of Education that our school district received an "Excellent" rating for the 2008-2009 school year. This is the second consecutive year that the district has accomplished this. As a community, we take great pride in the outstanding performance by students, teachers, and school leaders.

This year the fifth graders are now being housed at the elementary. Actually, the change has been well received by the staff, students, and families. It is definitely a better fit to have this grade level at the elementary rather than the middle school. I thank the staff and administration who spent extra time and efforts in this preparation. It certainly paid off and the transition was impeccable.

The High School cafeteria began serving hot lunches this year after several years of having only food in vending machines and micro wave ovens to heat the food. Our hopes were to serve lunches that the students enjoyed, and that has been proven to be the case. The cafeteria is serving more complete lunches at all three buildings than in previous years. The middle and high school students have a choice for their entree for each lunch. Plus, salads have been added to each building which is a big hit with the students. Our cafeteria help works extremely hard to offer a variety of delicious food to our students each day.

A new and innovative Professional Development program began with this school year. The district scheduled a two-hour delay start for our students for one day each month. During this two hour delay, the staff works hard with Bruce Hoover from the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio (ESCCO). The ESCCO is working closely with the staff on curriculum alignment to Ohio Academic Content Standards. Fairbanks schools went through the Ohio Improvement Process (OIP) last spring and from that process a 3 year continuous improvement plan was developed. The curriculum alignment is the improvement process for year one of the 3 year plan.

A school district cannot rest on successes from the past but must push hard to make sure the legacy of success continues for future years. I believe that with open communication between the school, family and community, we can continue to work together to offer our children the best possible beginning to a successful future.

I am pleased with the start of this school year. I am anticipating an enriched school year for our students. Although there is work ahead and many goals to reach, I am confident that many accomplishments will occur with the guidance from our staff. Together, it will be a great year.

Respectfully,

Bob Humble, Superintendent

Mission Statement: The mission of Fairbanks Local Schools, a community-minded district with high standards of excellence, is to ensure that students possess the communication, problem-solving, and social skills to continue as life-long learners in a technologically changing world by utilizing a visionary staff, integrated curriculum and interactive learning experiences, while encouraging participation in diverse extracurricular activities.

Fairbanks History

The Fairbanks School District was named after Charles W. Fairbanks who was born (1852) and reared in Unionville Center, Ohio. Charles W. Fairbanks graduated from school at Unionville Center and from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1872, where he studied law and was admitted to the bar. After marrying a Marysville resident, they moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he became active in politics.

Charles W. Fairbanks was elected to the United States Senate (Republican, Indiana) in 1896, from which he resigned in 1904 to run as Theodore Roosevelt's Vice President. He served as Vice President from 1905 to 1909. Following this, he returned to his law practice in Indiana. Fairbanks died in 1918 and is buried in Indianapolis.

Charles W. Fairbanks, who was born in a log cabin in our school district, made significant and important contributions to the development of our American History.