IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY, THE MISSION OF FAIRFIELD SCHOOLS IS TO PROVIDE A SECURE AND RESPECTFUL ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS GAIN KNOWLEDGE, GROW IN WISDOM, DEVELOP CONFIDENCE AND VALUE LEARNING FOR LIFE.

Expect 2021-2022 to be Challenging and Innovative

“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” Ben Franklin

Hello Fairfield Community, Parents and Students,

We have officially begun the countdown to the first day of school for 2021-2022! We have been hard at work preparing the school and classrooms for a fresh start to the new year. We have added some new staff, some new equipment and we are excited to welcome everyone back as we continue our mission of providing a rigorous and enriching educational experience that prepares every student for success.

COVID-19 has forever changed how we educate, some of which is a good thing! We are far more prepared for the apparent challenges that will still be affecting this new school year and are entering this new year with confidence. We have successfully navigated past a lot of obstacles and are equipped to handle the ones yet to come.

Moving forward, we will continue to follow the safety protocols outlined in our “Safe Return to School Plan,” and will continue to be flexible making ongoing adjustments to our policies as needed. Our current Safe Return to School Plan is available on the school website and will be reviewed at our monthly board meetings. We will communicate regularly and have the most current information available on the school website and on our Facebook page as we approach the August 25th start date for students. Things are changing rapidly and we will continue to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and community.

Above all, I really just want to convey a big welcome back to everyone. We are looking forward, not backward, and continuing on our quest to provide your children with everything they need to become capable, confident and successful in life. The Fairfield School is full of caring and dedicated educators and staff who are skilled at helping students reach their maximum potential.

Let’s make this an exceptional year and continue our “Tradition of Excellence!”

Imagine a place where students come to Invest in their Education and become Inspired to do great things in the world!

I believe that Fairfield Schools is just that place with a great staff to support the students and a community filled with folks that want to see them all succeed! What a better combination! To say that we are fired up for a great year is an understatement!

We are excited to kick off the year on August 25th! We would like to welcome Carissa Jenkins, Carly Beck and Stephanie Tacke to our wonderful school (see bio's in this newsletter) and John Bakkum will move to the 5th grade position!

The summer staff has been working hard on getting the place spruced up. If you drive by the front, there is some new cement for a sidewalk and in the back a new pavilion is being built along with some other playground items. This is all through a generous donation from an alumni (further details coming). On the inside, we are getting a new HVAC system and new phones! We have updated some of our technology as well! Teachers have been buzzing about excited to return to the building to be with your children!

The eK-8 Back to School Night is an optional event for students to bring their supplies to their classrooms and lockers and say hello to their classroom teacher. Junior High can pick up their schedules and get their lockers. This event is scheduled for August 24th from 4:30 PM-5:30 PM.

Also back this year for 3rd-8th graders is our after school FLY (Fairfield Leading Youth) program. This is designed to help with homework and have a time of enrichment. Look for details later this fall.

Busses will drop off and pick up students at the regular (precovid) area this year. That is in front of the high school. Parents may pick up and drop off in front of the elementary. Students may enter through the main entrance or the north entrance this year. Students may also ride their bikes and many thanks to the shop class of last year may park their bikes in a new bike rack at the north entrance of the elementary.

High School Students will enter through the main entrance and seniors can enter through senior hallway entrance. We ask that all High School students driving to school park in the parking lot. NOT across the street as it interferes with the community members that live there. Thanks so much.

Please find in this newsletter, the things that will get you started off for the new school year! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call.

Mrs. Carissa Jenkins, 7-12 Science

Mrs. Carly Beck, Family Consumer Science

Mrs. Stephanie Tacke, 7-12 Guidance Counselor

Other movement:

Mr. John Bakkum, 5th Grade

Hello! My name is Carissa Jenkins and I am a Broadfield Science teacher originally from Bozeman. You might think that makes me a die hard Cats fan, but the truth is that I am really a die hard Kansas Fan (ask me how sometime), and now, a die hard Eagles Fan!

My husband, Jesse, graduated from Fairfield in 2006 and we have many friends and family in this area. We are grateful and excited for the opportunity to be a part of the lives of the families in Fairfield as well as raise our daughter (Rosie, 2) here.

This school year will be my sixth year teaching science. My passion in teaching science originates in my love for the outdoors and how the natural world operates on simple, but beautiful concepts. Chemistry used to scare me to death but is now my absolute favorite subject I find joy in. My goal in teaching science is to bring that same joy to kids rather than them fearing a subject notorious for being difficult. My heart for teaching lies in the relationships I develop with the kids in my classes; watching them have an “aha” moment is the driving force behind what I do.

Outside of the classroom I am pretty basic. I love to spend time with family and friends and my hobbies are basketball, both coaching and playing, spending time in God’s beautiful creation, and pretty much all things that have to do with decorating and design. Being a great mom is my number one priority and my favorite thing is time with Rosie.

For kids entering my classes, I want to say a huge welcome, and to let you know I have high expectations for you, and for myself; I do my best to be fair and to still push you so you can take pride in your accomplishments (believe that I will be proud of you, too).Thank you for taking the time to read my bio and I really look forward to meeting you!

Hi there,

My name is Stephanie Tacke and I will be the new Guidance Counselor! I am so excited to be joining the Fairfield School Faculty. My husband Chris and I both graduated from Fairfield in 2006 and my mom and grandparents also attended and graduated from Fairfield. It has always been my home, so I am thrilled to be back!

I attended Montana Western for my undergraduate degree and I will be starting my Master's Degree at MSU-Northern this fall. Chris and I have three kids and we live over in Sun Prairie where Chris is the fire chief of the volunteer fire department. Our son, Jackson is eight and will be starting second grade. William is five and will be starting Kindergarten this year and Rosalie just turned three this summer!

I have been busy this summer camping, hanging with my kids and training for a marathon! I am looking forward to the new school year and all the new faces I get to meet.

Activity Tickets:

Any student participating in any extra- or co-curricular sponsored activity must purchase a Student Activity Ticket. Activity tickets are $30.00 for students and $60.00 for adults. No student will be deprived of participation due to economic hardships. Please contact the High School Principal if you have any questions.

Pay-to-Play:

Fairfield Public School Board of Trustees implemented a “pay-to-play” policy for all extra-curricular activities in grades 5-12. Those activities include all sporting activities, speech and drama, and pep-band. This policy states that all participants must pay a participation fee in order to participate in the mentioned activities. The current rate is $25.00 per activity with an individual cap of $50.00 and family cap of $90.00. Students who qualify for free and reduced lunch will be charged $10.00 per activity with an individual cap of $20.00 and family cap of $40.00. This fee is in addition to the $30.00 activity ticket. No student will be deprived of participation due to economic hardships. Please contact the High School Principal if you have any questions.

Tickets & fees can be paid through the office, utilizing cash, check, or online payment through your parent Infinite Campus Portal. If you have not received information on how to do this please contact the office.