Panther Pulse

Happy March, Fairbanks Community!

Our school year is moving quickly, and as we head into spring, there’s so much to look forward to! From exciting student achievements to upcoming events, our schools and community continue to stay active both inside and outside the classroom.

Upcoming Events & Highlights

• Facility Updates: Significant facility work is set to begin in earnest once the school year wraps up. Check out the Facilities section below for details on the improvements happening across campus this summer.

• International Travel: Later this month, 40 high school students and five chaperones will embark on an incredible trip to Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.

• Spring Musical: On April 11, 12, and 13, our talented students and staff will take the stage for the annual musical, Freaky Friday, at Veterans Memorial in Marysville.

• Winter Sports Wrap-Up: Our winter sports season concluded with exciting achievements for teams and individuals. See the athletic update below.

As one season ends, another begins—spring sports for both middle and high school students kick off in the coming weeks!

• Elementary Drama Club: Congratulations to the cast and crew for their fantastic rendition of The Jungle Book!

• Middle School Authentic Learning Presentations: Later this spring, middle school students will present their authentic learning projects, with each grade focusing on a unique theme:

• 6th Grade – Wellness

• 7th Grade – Disconnecting from Technology

• 8th Grade – Monuments

• Class of 2025 Graduation: We will celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of the Class of 2025 as they receive their diplomas on May 24.

District Reports & Transparency

Each spring, we share key updates with our school community. In early April, you will receive our annual Measurements That Matter report, which highlights both our successes and areas for growth. This will be accompanied by a digital State of the Schools update, reinforcing our commitment to transparency and keeping you informed about the great work happening every day in Fairbanks Local Schools.

Spring promises to be an exciting and rewarding season for our students, staff, and families. We look forward to seeing you on campus in the coming weeks!

For Fairbanks,

Adham Schirg

Fairbanks Local School District

Superintendent

Fairbanks Local Schools will hold a Classified Job Fair on Saturday, April 26 from 9:00 - 11:00am in the high school student parking lot. We are looking to hire school bus drivers, cafeteria workers and educational aides for the 2025-2026 school year.

Students across the district have been giving back to the community in a big way so far this year. For example FCCLA donated 100% of the proceeds from their December coffee shop to Impact60 for the Empty Bowls project and middle school students helped provide items for families in need.

Each year The Hope Center offers holiday shopping opportunities to families in need. Families visit The Hope Center to shop (for free) and wrap gifts for under the tree. Our community showed up in a big way by supporting the student-led, Stuff the Stocking Drive in December. Thanks to donations from students and their families, we were able to provide several boxes filled with stocking stuffers for families to “shop” from.

Our infamous Kindergarten QU Wedding, hosted on February 13, was a Valentine's hit. For the first time this year, the teachers incorporated authentic learning components into this tradition. A wedding planner and a floral designer visited the classrooms to give short lessons. The children then designed their own programs and selected the music. Parents joined us for the ceremony. Afterwards, students enjoyed tiny cupcakes from the Ribbon Box for a post-wedding reception! It was adorable and full of meaningful learning. Ellie Gariety and Oscar Beck are pictured as the Q and U.

The First Grade Team organized a fun Valentine’s Day activity. With help from parents, students received Valentines and information about how people around the world celebrate the day. As the cards rolled in, students worked together to locate their origins on a map and learn about the regions they came from. Cards, chocolates, and stickers were received from across the United States and around the world, including Finland, Thailand, and South Korea.

The Fairbanks Elementary Drama Club performed their production of The Jungle Book on February 27 and 28 for families and FES students. They worked hard to create scenery and memorize their lines since the club began in October.

Mrs. Katy Phillippo and Mrs. Kim Bailey started the club by encouraging students to use their imaginations to design and sketch the set while reading through the script. The kids enjoyed painting and designing the scenery. They auditioned for roles, committed to memorizing their lines, and contributed costumes for their characters.

Each week, leading up to the performance, the students came together to bring the play to life. Their creativity, teamwork, growing confidence, and sense of pride in their accomplishments made this a valuable experience for all involved.

Mrs. Bailey and Mrs. Phillippo would like to thank the FES high school students who assisted with the audition process, served as judges, and helped with choreography. It was wonderful to see former Drama Club members return to share their talents and wisdom, helping our new actors and actresses thrive!

Congratulations to this year's Fairbanks Middle School two time spelling bee champ, 7th grader Jake Sorg! Jake will compete online at the regional level later this month - Best of luck Jake!

Additional top spellers include:

2nd Place - Nate Meihls

3rd Place - Connor Premuda

4th Place - Owen Cutler

5th Place - Kenzie Phillips

6th Place - Amelia Starrett

Each week, the 8th grade girls attend ROX, an evidence-based curriculum that teaches girls empowerment skills related to communication, relationships, body image, stress, social media, leadership, career development and more. Recently the girls learned the five levels of self-defense that include awareness, intuition, body language, voice and physical engagement (as a last resort). This 20-week program provides girls with critical life skills to help them feel safer, more confident and better connected to the school community.

In FMS Robotics, this year was one of growth, as we had more students participating than ever before. We created two divisions and moved our upper-level teams into the V5 metal division to create more spots for VEX IQ teams. In total, we registered 11 middle school teams. This growth presented some challenges, but ultimately, it will open up more opportunities for students in the future. Robotics is a process, and the life lessons we learn from it are incredibly valuable.

We are proud that many of our teams improved their overall scores from the start of the season to now. Students were coding and redesigning their robots up until the very end. Two of our teams qualified for the state tournament: Team 14323A (A-Train) and Team 14323E (The Electrifying Eggs). The two day event will be held at the Dayton Air Force Base on March 11th and 12th.

For the second year, students are partnering up for Muffins & Memoirs. In this Authentic Learning experience, freshmen interview seniors one-on-one to learn about their high school experiences. Once the interviews are completed, the recordings are uploaded to StoryCorps and archived in the U.S. Library of Congress. This experience helps students build confidence in their interview skills while learning about real-life experiences in a fun and interactive way.

Shout out to the FMHS PTO for funding our Sunshine Cart - because nothing says "we appreciate you" like surprise snacks! Our teachers deserve all the treats!

You can support our FMHS PTO through the Spring Plant and Flower Sale which runs from March 5th - 19th. Connect with a middle school or high school student to place your order. Local flower pick-up will be May 7, in time for Mother's Day!

Every year, during National FCCLA Week, Fairbanks FCCLA members hold a "Kindness Week" to spread positivity among staff and students. Some highlights from the week include the FCCLA member appreciation pizza party and Staff Appreciation Day. On Staff Appreciation Day, handwritten letters from students are delivered to all staff members across the district, from K-12. Additionally, staff members are treated to “goodies” in the lounges to brighten their day.

In collaboration with the Union County Sheriff's Department and the Union County Health Department, Fairbanks FCCLA members also hosted a distracted driving event. This event educates students on the importance of safe driving habits and raises awareness about the dangers of distracted driving, driving under the influence, speeding, and the importance of wearing seatbelts.

Spring is the busiest season for the Fairbanks FFA, as we are currently in our spring competition season. We had the opportunity to serve as celebrity baristas at Richwood Bank during National FFA Week, with all donations going to support the FFA program. Several of our members have recently submitted their applications for State and American Degrees, as well as Proficiencies. We are also nearing the end of our annual strawberry sale, with deliveries scheduled for the week of the 17th.

Five of our top Panther Artists were invited to attend and exhibit at the OHC Festival Art Show on February 11th. Congratulations to Reagan Worstell, Carly Heiss, Katelyn Burns, Lilly Smith and Andrew Doll! They did a fantastic job representing Fairbanks!

Ten Fairbanks Concert Choir students were selected to participate in this year's OHC Fine Arts Festival, where they sang in the honors choir. During the event, the students learned four new pieces of music under the direction of this year’s guest conductor, Dr. Tipps from Wright State University. The festival concluded with a public concert in the evening, where the students performed the pieces they had worked on.

(FHS Choir students pictured below: Thomas Predmore, Brody Powell, Caroline Anderson, Tea Lucas, Kaleb Cox, Michael Rogers, Jacob Williams, Caroline Wilson, Said Pena-Calderon, Mrs. Cooper)

In the past month, nine students from the band have participated in various honor bands in the area, including the OSU Honor Band, the OHC Fine Arts Festival, and the OWU Honor Band. These students had the opportunity to further develop their skills and perform alongside other exceptional musicians.

Additionally, the High School Concert Band will participate in the OMEA Large Group Adjudicated Event on March 9th, hoping to receive a positive rating. They will perform their OMEA music at the band concert on March 6th, alongside performances by the 7th/8th grade band, 6th grade band, and the High School Choir. The concert will take place at 7 p.m. on March 6th in the high school gym. All are welcome!

The 5th grade band will have their premier performance on March 20th at 7 p.m. in the high school gym. They can't wait to show off what they've been learning this year.

(Band students pictured above: Elise Phoenix, Brody Powell, Emma Obert and Craig Ervin)

Congratulations to our January OHC Athletes of the Month, Pamela 'Ella' Bosworth and Nate Russell!

Senior, Ella helped lead the competition cheerleading squad to a fourth place finish at the 2024 OHC Cheerleading Competition. She always goes above and beyond to ensure that her teammates feel included and that game day runs smoothly.

Senior bowler Nate Russel helped the boys bowling team to a 7-3 record while ranking in the top five in the OHC with an average game of 200.

• Both boys and girls bowling - District Qualifiers

• 8th Grade Girls Basketball - OHC Champions

• 7th Grade Boys Basketball - OHC North Champions

• JV White Boys Basketball - OHC Champions

• Girls Wrestling - 2nd in the OHC

• Boys Varsity Basketball - OHC Champions (fifth consecutive OHC title)

• Girls Swim Club - District Qualifiers

Important Athletic Links:

Fairbanks Broadcast Link:

https://fan.hudl.com/usa/oh/milford-center/organization/19264/fairbanks-high-school

Team Shop:

https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/ohio/milfordcenter/fairbanks-high-school

Ticket Box Office:

https://fairbankspanthers.hometownticketing.com/embed/all

Athletic Booster Website:

https://www.fairbanksboosters.org/

Athletic Department Website:https://schools.snap.app/fairbanks

Download the Fairbanks Athletic Department App to follow specific teams, see schedules, get notifications, and have access to essential resources. Last year, with the help of our corporate sponsors, the athletic department provided students with custom Fairbanks apparel, gift cards to local businesses, and game tickets simply for supporting the Panthers! The athletic department is excited to be able to continue our reward platform for HS students this year! Download the app, check into the game, and earn rewards. Go Panthers!

A key component of our Campus Master Facility Plan is the construction of a campus access road. As we finalize its design, it has become clear that accelerating several athletic facility projects this summer will better support road construction in late 2025 and early 2026. To guide this planning, we engaged focus groups from softball, baseball, football, boys’ and girls’ soccer, and marching band and conducted a community survey on athletic spaces. This valuable input shaped the following improvement plan.

Key Athletic Facility Projects

Stadium Upgrades

We are excited to move forward with critical stadium enhancements to improve safety, accessibility, and the overall experience for athletes and spectators. These updates include:

• Renovating home stadium bleachers to provide ADA access and enhance safety.

• Rebuilding and re-sodding the stadium field with durable natural turf, capable of supporting up to 60 events annually.

• Milling and resurfacing the track to improve safety and performance.

• Relocating shot put and discus.

Softball & Baseball Field Improvements

Bringing softball back to campus has been a priority, and we are thrilled to announce the construction of a new synthetic turf softball field behind the elementary school. Additionally, the baseball field will undergo significant enhancements, including:

• A synthetic turf infield to provide a consistent, high-quality playing surface.

• Outfield safety netting to enhance player and spectator safety.

Soccer Field Relocation

To improve logistics, infrastructure, and overall safety, the soccer competition field will be relocated to the stadium field beginning in Fall 2026.

2025-2026 School Calendar

The Board of Education has approved the 2025-2026 school year. Under this plan, students in grades 1-12 will begin classes on August 20, 2025, while kindergarten and preschool students will start on August 25, 2025.

Facility Project Timelines

As we look ahead, several key projects are scheduled to begin over the next 18 months, ensuring that our facilities continue to support the needs of our students and community:

• March 2025 – Construction of the new Transportation Office begins

• Spring 2025 – Renovations to the home football field bleachers commence

• May 22, 2025 – Last day of school for students

• May 26, 2025 – Major construction projects kick off across campus

• May 27, 2025 – Expected groundbreaking for stadium renovations.

• Late Summer 2025 – Start of softball and baseball field construction.

• Mid-to-late August 2025 – Completion of stadium renovations.

• August 13, 2025 - Completion of interior HS/MS Projects

• Late 2025 or Spring 2026 – Campus road construction begins.

Investing in Our Future

This summer, Fairbanks Local Schools will invest approximately $11 million in facility improvements, including $8.6 million in middle and high school upgrades focused on capacity, safety, and system enhancements. These investments in our exterior athletic spaces align with long-term district goals and lay the groundwork for essential infrastructure development. We are committed to providing high-quality facilities that support our students, staff, and community for years to come.