Principal’s Page                                             August 2008

It is amazing how fast the summer passes us by!  My first year at Fairview Elementary has been a tremendous experience.  The students, teachers, and families have demonstrated time and time again their commitment to excellence, education, and humanity!  The school year has so much to offer each every student who crests our door.

We are proud to share that we are one of sixteen schools (out of 4,000 Illinois schools) that was nominated for an NCLB National Blue Ribbon Award!  Schools that demonstrate high academic success or dramatic gains in student achievement earn the prestigious honor of a nomination by the State Board of Education.  We will find out in September if we will be receiving the award.  If we are a Blue Ribbon Award recipient, school representatives will fly to Washington, D.C. in October to take part in the special recognition ceremony.  This nomination comes only from the work our teachers do in the classroom and the work you do at home as parents - thank you!

As a district, our curriculum and instruction goals are to maintain high student achievement levels, to provide extensive differentiated instructional experiences, and explore 21st Century Skills.  As a school, our goals are that every child reaches academic success, and is met with engaging challenges, in a school environment where safety is paramount and character remains our trademark.  We want school to be a fun, exploratory, adventure!

Differentiated instruction for all learners within the general education classroom is a stance that we have taken to ensure that all students receive a quality education.   In alignment with research on best practices, and to meet the individual needs of all children, teachers will incorporate collaboration, flexible use of resources, and differentiated instruction into their educational practices.  This will ensure that all students will participate in a general education community that prepares them for a productive and meaningful future.

On the front of assessment, we have implementing MAP testing (Measure of Academic Progress) in reading and math for grades 3-5.  The beauty of this computer-based assessment is that it aligns itself with the individual student’s ability levels as he/she maneuvers through the assessments.  The purpose is to measure student growth and drive classroom instruction and planning.  Another formative assessment piece is the Curriculum Based Measurement (Aimsweb).  This school-wide approach to assessing the students’ ability in reading fluency is used three times a year.  These three benchmarks occur in the fall, winter, and spring.  The data is looked at carefully by our Problem Solving Team to provide interventions for every type of learner and support teachers with curricular planning.

In terms of safety, the staff has partnered with the local police and fire department, as well as 30 local schools, to embark on a mission to create a community-wide safety plan.  Fairview has established a Crisis Management & School Climate Team that will analyze current school safety procedures regarding fire drills, lockdowns, and school evacuations.  A Rapid Response Team will be identified to reexamine school protocol and procedures.

Fairview prides itself on the tremendous support we receive from our families and community.  In an effort to help mold productive citizens, Character Counts is used to promote trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.  Thank you for supporting the Fairview staff in its many efforts to provide a dynamic and quality education for all students!  What we all do matters!

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