BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Fairfax School District is starting the school year next week with new leadership and a finalized reopening plan.
In a 3-2 vote at Thursday’s board of trustees meeting, Regina Green became the new Fairfax School District Superintendent just in time for the 2021-2022 school year.
“One thing is common among everybody, what I’m hearing tonight is the passion that every person has in the room for the community and the students that we serve. I’m looking forward to earning your trust,” said Green.
With that vote, Green got a two-year deal that would pay her 162,000 dollars a year.
During public comment, some community members expressing their support for interim superintendent Lora Brown, and their hopes for Green’s future decisions.
“You have big shoes to fill. Mr. Coleman was an awesome superintendent, Lora would’ve been, same. But, just always keep in mind that your priority is the students, and your loyalty is to them, not to the board members that put you in this position," said a community member during public comment.
Also kicking off the school year is the district’s reopening plan. Fairfax will be bringing back a full school day complete with recess, on-site school lunches, after-school programs, extracurricular activities, and youth sports.
Brown said, masks are required for everyone indoors and on buses but, social distancing is a thing of the past.
“And we are going to have our back to school nights be virtual as we ease back into the school year, so it looks much more like a traditional school year, but still keeping in mind that we need to try to keep all of our students and staff safe," said Brown.
For parents who determine going back to school would pose a health risk to their child independent study is an option. Brown said the schools will monitor students through weekly progress reports. Different tiers of re-engagement strategies will happen weekly if a student struggles to study on their own.
“If they go into a third week and we still don’t see that progress, the district would work with the parent to have that child come back to school if that’s where they’re going to be more successful,” said Brown.
