Fairview Fast 5
District News from the Fairview Park City Schools
Dear Fairview Park City Schools Community,
Over the last two months, I’ve had the opportunity to engage directly with staff members through a feedback structure called Stop/Start/Continue. The process invites staff to reflect on three critical questions about our organization: What should we stop doing? What should we start doing? And what should we continue doing? The format is simple, but listening, genuinely listening, is hard.
I’ve learned that most people don’t listen to understand. They listen to reply. They reply to defend, justify, blame, or deflect, to “win” the conversation. Often, people are so busy preparing what to say next that they miss what was actually said. When someone shares frustration or disagreement, our instinct is to protect ourselves. But listening builds actionable insights into what is working, what is not, and how to improve.
In education, we talk a lot about communication, but not nearly enough about listening. Listening creates human connections where compromise, collaboration, and creativity live, and where real progress happens.
Please take a few minutes to add your voice to the Start/Stop/Continue conversation. Your perspective and voice matter. Together, we can turn listening into meaningful action.
Fairview Park City Schools - Stop/Start/Continue Feedback Form
Gilles-Sweet Elementary PTA is going all in to support Fairview Park families this year.
The school’s volunteer group invites the community to join in the fun this November at a Casino Night fundraiser on Nov. 14 to support the school’s Food Pantry program.
The Casino Night fundraiser will feature various table games for supporters to test their luck, along with 50/50 raffles, basket raffles, and a silent auction. The event will be held at the Fairview Park Gemini Center from 6:00 to 9:00 PM and is open to anyone in the community.
Four years after stepping into the quarterback role as a freshman, Burke Lowry has been a key in the recent revival of Fairview’s football program.
“When I came in freshman year, you didn’t go into games with confidence,” Lowry said of his experiences four years ago. “There has been a big culture change with confidence and the preparation we have going into it. You’re going in to win. You’re not going in to compete or thinking you’re just going to lose. It’s been a culture change with the team.”
Burke is a three-sport athlete in football, basketball, and baseball for the Warriors. Upon his graduation this spring, Burke will have earned 12 varsity letters and be named captain in football and baseball.
The Fairview High School Alumni Association is writing its next chapter - one focused on reconnection, community spirit, and celebrating the shared pride that unites Warriors across decades.
A trio of Warrior alumni is leading the current reorganization efforts: Tim Jackson and Brandon Petiya from the Class of 2009 and Kevin McLaughlin from the Class of 2008.
“We’re still kind of getting it off the ground floor,” Jackson explained. “Our initial goal is just to please give us your information. We’re really just trying to bring folks that were alumni back into the fold and keep you updated on things that are going on.”
Bringing the community into the conversation, Superintendent Keith Ahearn hosts quarterly Town Halls to keep families informed and engaged in the district’s work.
“It’s about communication - that’s one of our Strategic Plan goals,” Ahearn said. “To try to give a variety of ways for people to communicate with us. And when I say communicate, that’s not just me talking to them, it’s them engaging in legitimate two-way communication, where they feel like we’re responsive to questions that they ask.”
Ahearn said the topics for each Town Hall are chosen based on what’s happening in the district and what the community wants to know.
The Fairview Park City School District’s Treasurer’s Office has been awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA). The honor recognizes the district’s annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024.
This marks the 23rd time the district has received the award, underscoring its longstanding commitment to financial transparency and accountability.
Fairview Stagecrafters present "Penny for Your Thoughts"
Fairview Stagecrafters present Penny For Your Thoughts
at the Frank W. Barr Auditorium at Fairview High School
November 14 & 15 at 7:00 PM
November 16 at 2:00 PM
$10 General Admission
$8 Students & Seniors
Title I and English Language Learners Night: Oct. 29
The Fairview Park City School District invites parents of students in Kindergarten through fifth grade receiving Title I or Title III (English Language Learner) services to attend this year's Title Meeting on Wednesday, October 29, 2025.
The meeting will be at Gilles-Sweet Elementary in the library loft from 6:00-6:45 pm. Families will have the opportunity to speak with their students' providers and see the learning space.
New episode of the Fairview Advantage Podcast: Stop, Start & Continues
In this episode of The Fairview Advantage Podcast, Superintendent Keith Ahearn reflects on the start of the 2025–2026 school year and his “Start, Stop, Continue” listening sessions with staff. He discusses themes of communication, collaboration, and continuous improvement—emphasizing the importance of authentic feedback, emotional honesty, and strengthening relationships across the Fairview Park City School District. Click here to listen to listen on Apple Podcasts.