The 2,315th Day

Thirteen years is a long time. Do you remember where and what you were doing thirteen years ago? In general terms I do. At that time, my wife and I had one child, our oldest daughter Aizza. We lived down the street from my parents. I was teaching and coaching in Westerville City Schools while […]

What is Fairbanks Doing about Facilities?

What is Fairbanks doing about facilities? That is a question I get regularly across our school community. Whether it is school safety, curriculum, capacity, athletics, or heating a classroom, there is typically a tie back to facilities. For the last several years, our schools have been working with community members and staff to create a […]

Cornerstones

“Pride in Our Past” is the first line of the Fairbanks Local School District Mission statement. When that line was created over two years ago by students, staff, parents, and community members, each person recognized the importance of our school community’s history and the connection our schools have with generations of Panthers. If you look […]

State of the Schools – Part 3

Panther Muscles To start and finish much of this work together, we must have Panther Muscles. Panther Muscles give the strength and persistence to learn, grow, and build as individuals and a school community. Listen to work Panther Muscles mean to our Principals: The heaviest life we are doing together as a school community is […]

State of the Schools – Part 2

Panther Mind Fairbanks Local Schools has a strong tradition of academic excellence, rigor, and preparation for the future for students. Schools are in the learning business and cultivating the mind is a top priority. Traditionally, Fairbanks High School graduates 98-99% of its students. Our schools consistently perform at a higher level than comparable school districts […]

State of the Schools – Part 1

Tonight, I have the privilege of sharing the Fairbanks Local Schools’ State of the Schools. The following posts will highlight the main topics of tonight’s event. Fairbanks has tremendous work happening every day. Our teachers, students, support staff, families, and community choose to invest to make a difference for themselves and others. Because of that […]

FFA Week – 2023

This week is FFA Week. It started with a Pancake Breakfast on Friday, February 17 and will culminate in our annual “Drive your Tractor to School Day” this Friday. FFA is a foundational program for Fairbanks Local Schools and our greater community. Our school district’s mission is to have “Pride in our Past, Passion in […]

The Present vs. The Horizon

People that work closest or have gotten to know me over the last several years, recognize my affinity for quotes. Whether they are colloquialisms such as “You can’t take a donkey to the Kentucky Derby” or Aristotle’s excellence quote “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”, they […]

I got Your Six

Joey Newell has served as our middle school principal for the last six years. He is an alumnus of Fairbanks and grew up in Milford Center. In addition to middle school principal, he has served as a teacher, coach, and athletic director/assistant principal in our schools. He talks to parents during school pick-up. He paints […]

Safety Issue – Reflections

On Wednesday, October 5, a text chain was shared with me discussing a potential safety issue for our schools for the next day. This happened around 10:20 pm. By receiving this message, it set events in motion that unfolded over the next 36 hours. After an initial investigation the potential threat was unfounded, but there […]