With students preparing to return to classrooms, Fairfield Area School District officials reported that summer projects, staffing, technology upgrades and scheduling changes have left the district ready for the 2026-27 school year.
The Fairfield Area School Board met Aug. 10 and unanimously approved a consent agenda covering personnel, transportation, spending, a district feasibility study and several agreements. The board also heard updates on the proposed Adams County Technical Institute project and changes in state education requirements.
District Ready for Students
District Technology Coordinator Nicole Steele Zepp credited IT staff members Corey Burke and Kevin Bryant with completing much of the district’s summer technology work ahead of schedule.
“We’re already ready to start the school year,” she told the board, saying the department was about two weeks ahead of where it typically is at this point in the summer.
Principals also reported progress across the district. Classrooms are prepared, beginning-of-year forms have been moved online through Skyward, and middle and elementary school schedules have been revised to maximize instructional time and better meet individual student needs.
At the elementary school, officials highlighted a newly completed gym floor and other improvements and praised custodial and maintenance employees for their work over the summer. Administrators said hiring has also been completed and the elementary school is fully staffed.
The district’s field hockey program will return with Paige Ney as head coach. Twelve high school students have signed up for the team. The board formally approved Ney’s coaching contract at $3,500 for the 2026-27 school year.
New AED for Practice Fields
The Fairfield Lions Club donated $1,000 toward the purchase of a ZOLL automated external defibrillator that will be placed near the practice fields behind the elementary school. District officials said the location is heavily used for practices and thanked the club and community member Sean Jones, who had advocated for placing an AED there.
Board Approves Feasibility Study, Welding Partnership
Among the items approved by the board was an agreement with Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates to conduct a feasibility study of the district during the 2026-27 school year.
The board also approved a memorandum of understanding with Hagerstown Community College for a Welding Career Pathway Program and an agreement allowing Bermudian Springs School District to purchase Board Certified Behavior Analyst services from Fairfield.
The consent agenda included $2.54 million in expenditures covering the period from June 16 through Aug. 5, including: General Fund in the amount of $910,110.82; Food Service in the amount of $1,622.33; Capital Projects in the amount of $173,583.47; Other Capitol Projects in the amount of $64,652.97; Student Activities in the amount of $4,649.25; Payroll Fund in the amount of $1,384,100.43
Several personnel changes were also approved, including the hiring of Raelyn Predix as a full-time elementary autism support teacher at a starting salary of $60,265 and several part-time classroom, autism support, learning support and library aides.
Summer Construction Continues
Most of the district’s planned summer maintenance projects have been completed or are underway, administrators told the board.
The gym floor and other work have been completed, while replacement of the maintenance shed roof was delayed by rain and remains in progress. Work on a generator project is also moving ahead after the district signed an agreement and paid a 50% deposit. Officials said that project is expected to take about a month.
The district is also preparing for a new telephone system. A planned network equipment refresh remains dependent on approval of federal E-rate Category 2 funding.
State Requirements Changing
The assistant to the superintendent told the board that several changes in state law and regulations will affect school operations.
Among them are changes involving student body mass index measurements, cyber-school attendance, bullying requirements and elementary recess. The state will also more closely track districts’ use of Flexible Instruction Days, sometimes referred to as remote learning days.
More detailed guidance is expected after district officials receive additional legal information on the changes.
ACTI Project Draws Discussion
Although the topic was not listed on the meeting agenda, board members spent part of the meeting discussing the proposed Adams County Technical Institute (ACTI) project, including recent public discussion surrounding the proposed new campus.
ACTI representatives said the final cost for the overall project has not yet been established.
“We don’t actually have a bottom line,” said board member and ACTI representative Jennifer Holz, adding that while the land cost is known, estimates for the overall project remain a range and the financial impact will differ among participating school districts.
Board members defended the planning process, saying participating districts have asked financial questions, prepared for the project, and considered its long-term implications.
Holz said the search for a site was extensive, and that the process took years and involved consideration of “probably upwards of 20 different properties.” Employers, advisory council members, the Adams County business community and other stakeholders have also provided input into determining future career and technical education needs.
