Superintendent Scarberry Update
Monday, February 20, 2012
I know that Fairborn students have been hoping for a “snow day” this year and it doesn’t look like we will have a blizzard anytime soon! I hope that Fairborn families are enjoying the spring-like temperatures.
February has been a very busy month in the district. Some high lights include:
The Fairborn High School Chamber Chorale performed the National Anthem at the Wright State University basketball game for Fairborn night. Thank you to Mrs. Gorretta for your outstanding work and for our great performance! The game was televised on ESPN U.
The “Pennies for Pasta” for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society fundraiser is going strong at Fairborn Primary School. This is the fourth year that Fairborn Primary School has participated in this community service project. Until the end of February, donations will be accepted in the main office (attn. Kim Bigelow). Fairborn Primary School has special knowledge of the impact this fundraiser can have because there is a 3rd grade student who has fought leukemia for four years and has been cancer free for almost a year. Thank you to Kim and the Fairborn Primary staff for organizing this project and for your care and concern for others!
Fairborn held “Senior Night” last Friday at the Varsity Boys basketball game. I want to congratulate the seniors and I wish each of them the best as they begin their bright futures. The GWOC awards are rolling in for our Lady Skyhawks! Two Skyhawks were named to both the first team and second teams of the GWOC South Division. First team honors go to Fairborn High School Junior Alexis Gassion and Senior Brooklyn Pumroy. Junior Brianna “Shoelace” Gladney and Sophomore Katie Profitt were named to the 2nd team. Alexis Gassion was also named GWOC South Player of the Year. Alexis led the entire GWOC conference in both scoring (17.8 PPG) and rebounding (11.2 RPG) this year, she was also 2nd in steals and 3rd in assists. Brooklyn led the league in steals per game with a 4.4 and finished 10th overall in scoring. At the District 15 meeting, Brooklyn Pumroy and Alexis Gassion were also honored. Brooklyn was named to the Senior team and was a finalist for the North-South All Star game. That ward went to Carroll’s Kelley Austria. Brooklyn was also selected to the District 15 Senior All Star game in March. Alexis was named to the Underclassmen team and was also recognized as the District 15 Underclassman of the Year! Congratulations to Varsity Coach, Steve Hannaford, and these outstanding Skyhawks!
I also want to congratulate Senior, Hannah Gillespie, daughter of Ted and Jennifer Gillespie, who will represent Greene County at the Distinguished Young Women Scholarship program on February 24th-25th. Twenty-five Ohio senior girls will be represented and Hannah will have the opportunity to win $18,500 in scholarships. Congratulations to Hannah and her parents! This award-winning family includes Mrs. Gillespie, who recently submitted a video for the “Glee Give a Note” competition received $10,000 for her music program at Fairborn Intermediate School-thank you to staff and community for voting for the Fairborn Intermediate video!!
Fairborn’s All-Day Kindergarten program is outstanding-with students soaring in all areas-preparing them for success academically. Fairborn is committed to All-Day Kindergarten, because our academic results prove that this program is making a difference for our youngest Skyhawks and preparing them for success in school. Registration for this program begins on Monday, March 26th at the Wright Campus which is located at 480 W. Funderburg Road. For interested families, please be sure to bring birth certificate, immunization records, physical examination/screening information, custody (if applicable), and proof of residency. Early registration for this program is preferred! I highly encourage parents to mark their calendars for the week of March 26th and register early. For more information about Fairborn All-Day Kindergarten, please contact Mrs. Nancy Hammock at 879-0600 or Mrs. Kim Bigelow at 878-8668 ext. 12.
Finally, I want to remind the Fairborn community that our district will have an Emergency Renewal Levy on the ballot March 6, 2012. This is not a new tax; it is a renewal of a levy passed five years ago. Fairborn is progressing in a positive direction, with academic gains, report card improvements, and student growth. The classroom teachers are working hard and our Report Card reflects the hard work on the part of both teachers and students. As other local school districts begin to make cuts, Fairborn can be proud of the fact that we make tough decisions yearly to keep costs to a minimum and to provide the best education possible for Fairborn children. The unions and entire Fairborn City Schools staff pay an additional 5% for health care premium and also agreed to a pay freeze for this calendar school year. Since 2003, FCS has cut over $8 million from the district budget. Without passage of the Emergency RENEWAL, levy, the district will be just over $2 million short for the next school year (2012-13). Fairborn City Schools Treasurer, Eric Beavers, said it best-“Without passage of the Emergency Renewal Levy, deeper cuts will have to be made that will further negatively impact the educational programs in Fairborn City Schools.” Each resident in Fairborn, Forest Ridge, and WPAFB received a district newsletter which outlines our financial situation. Fairborn City Schools Treasurer, Eric Beavers, will talk about school finance with Beavercreek Superintendent, Nick Verhoff, and Kettering Superintendent, Jim Schoenlein on the channel 7 program, WHIO Reports. I hope that you will tune in on February 26th at 11:00 on channel 7 to watch this important program about school funding and the current financial situation in our district!
Have a great week!
Dave Scarberry