A FIBERGLASS NEST and Eagles, with a painting of eagles in flight greets anyone entering the new Fairfield intermediate school. School board members toured the facility last week prior to their regular meeting. Preliminary results of Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills tests administered to students this spring show that Fairfield schools all earn a passing grade, and may even knock down top honors.

The early figures were reported to Fairfield Independent School District trustees at their meeting last week.

Final TAKS results and school rankings will be released in August after Texas Education Agency makes adjustments to the data.

FISD was rated as a “recognized” district in 2009, the second highest rating available. Top rating is “exemplary,” which is attained by less than 10 percent of schools.

Last year, 90 percent of students in a district had to master all areas of the TAKS examination to earn the top rating. “Recognized” required 75 percent mastery.

THE CAFETERIA AT the new Fairfield intermediate school has two levels of dining areas and a stage. Cafeteria tables can be broken down and set up as benches with backs. While FISD earned a “recognized” rating, Fairfield high school also was “recognized” and the junior high and elementary schools were “academically acceptable.”

In comparison with preliminary statewide results this year, Fairfield students performed well on the TAKS.

FHS junior and sophomore class students beat, or equaled, state mastery marks in all four subject areas tested this spring, English/language arts, mathematics, science and social studies, and the freshmen class beat state numbers in English/language arts and mathematics, the only two areas tested.

FAIRFIELD SCHOOL TRUSTEES look over the new intermediate school gymnasium which features a giant eagle painting on one wall. Highest marks were posted by the junior class, taking the exit level test required for high school graduation. Mastery marks for Fairfield junior students are: English/language arts, 97 percent; mathematics, 97 percent; science, 98 percent; and social studies, 98 percent.

State scores by junior students this year are: English/language arts, 93 percent; mathematics, 89 percent; science, 91 percent; and social studies, 98 percent.

Fairfield sophomore class results beat state marks by even bigger margins.

Students in grades 3-11 took the TAKS.

An area of concern in FISD is the seventh grade mathematics mastery of 76 percent, compared to a statewide mark of 81 percent. Fairfield seventh grade students, though, have improved mathematics scores since they were in fifth and sixth grades.

Prior to the regular board meeting, trustees toured the new intermediate school that is nearly complete and is set for opening for the 2010- 2011 term.

From that tour, trustee Tracie Ezell asked what type of electronic blackboard is being installed in classrooms, and if students are to be issued individual laptop computers.

Mrs. Ezell, who is a Dew ISD teacher, reports that she has used the Memeo and Smart-Board classroom displays and that the latter has more features.

The superintendent says that a teacher committee suggested buying Memeo boards, but that they have not yet been ordered.

Mrs. Ezell also pointed out that if the district decides not to purchase individual laptop computers for intermediate school students, as it voted to do in 2008, it would require a second board vote to cancel the plan.

The school board meeting started last week with public comments by Eric Jackson, president of Fairfield Youth Football Association, who is requesting that the association be granted access to the Eagle Field concession stand during the youth football season.

Superintendent Katie Ryan reports that the football field concession stand is stocked with supplies during the high school season and that it has been an FISD policy to not allow use of the facility during the season.

Action on the youth football association request may be taken at a future meeting of trustees.

Trustees decided not to make any changes in the district’s transfer student policy that allows students from outside FISD boundaries to attend Fairfield schools. Administrators have approved 53 transfer requests for the next school year, of which 11 are new applications.

Ms. Ryan was instructed to gather information from other districts before the board votes on establishing a sick leave pool for employees.

The pool would allow staff to donate a portion of their sick days to be used by FISD employees who miss more than 30 days of work because they, or an immediate family member, suffers a catastrophic illness or injury.

A sick leave pool would let an employee receive an extra 30 days at full pay if pool days are available.

Trustees approved a Chapter 41 option to submit excess property tax revenue to the state for redistribution to other districts, one of four options for property wealthy districts to share funds under the state school financing program.

The board reviewed its operating procedures and will look at them again before giving approval.

A change in the procedures are to evaluate the superintendent twice a year, in August and January, instead of once a year. The August review is to make sure district goals are being met and the January review is on job performance.

The accounting firm of Smith, Lambright and Associates is retained for another year to conduct a district financial audit.