The Fairfax R-3 School District Board of Education held a regular meeting April 15, 2026, in the school library

The meeting was called to order at 5:18 p.m. by Miles Smith, president. Also present were: Stephanie Stevens, Crystal Woodring, Miles Smith, Treyvor Umbarger, Courtney Grossman, Shannon Long, and Shelby Hurst, board members; Jason McDowell, superintendent; Barbara Terry, principal; Karen Burke, secretary; and Jennifer Blakeman, Saige Brown, Lexi Heck, and Melanie Lucas, CTA representatives; and Piper Morris and Joaquin Hill, senior class representatives.

Board members voted to approve the agenda as presented with additions and deletions.

Superintendent Highlights

Dr. Jason McDowell reported on the following:

• Cornerstone Roofing will be here next week to check and see if the school received any hail damage from recent storms. He will have an update by the next meeting.

• Mrs. Eaton is in the process of getting her dog trained as a certified therapy dog. There’s some pretty extensive work the dog goes through to get certified. Her goal would be to bring the therapy dog to the school a few days a week. If the training goes well she will have a presentation for the board. There are some board policies and other pieces to this that can be looked at if this ends up at the point where it is an agenda item.

• The back up bus will be heading to St. Joseph this week to get the window alarms fixed.This should be one of the last things that needs to be done on it to make it road worthy. The daily bus passed all inspections.

• Mowing season is here. Community members have reached out to Dr. McDowell and complimented the school on how good the football field looks. He has passed those compliments on to the crew that is mowing.

• Dr. McDowell is waiting to get the bid from the company that came and looked at the foundation and brick work of the building. He should have something by early next week.

• The air conditioning unit in the preschool room is out. Someone looked at it and said it was the condenser but they don’t want to work on that old unit. They would rather the school replace it which is obviously more expensive. The school is trying to get someone else in to see if they would give a quote on repair versus replacing.

Principal Highlights

Barbara Terry, principal, reported on the following:

• March attendance was 93.3% in the elementary and 92.9% in the junior high/high school.

• Fairfax is being observed by DESE during the testing window. They are working on preparing for state tests and have updated the school’s technology so they are ready for the testing season. MAP and EOC Tests will be April 20-29. Students will have snacks and prizes to motivate them and make sure the testing season is fun and engaging.

• Prom was a big success. Ms. Grossman, Mrs. Price, and Mr. Riley were thanked for making this possible. Students and staff enjoyed a meal, golfed in the swing bays, and danced the night away. When it was over students enjoyed After Prom at Bearcat Lanes and the Hangar. Students bowled, played on inflatables, watched movies, ate, and enjoyed each other’s company.

• Plans are underway for the Academic Awards Banquet. Shelby Hurst will be the guest speaker and the event will be catered. Letters to businesses have been sent out. The school appreciates all the community support for this special tradition at Fairfax.

• Let’s Taco ’Bout Title Night is on April 20. Families will enjoy tacos and participate in fun and engaging activities.

• Field Day is May 1. Students will have a t-shirt with corresponding color for their class. Kool Kats will be here and students will participate in field events and water games.

Professional Development

The April Teaching Focus is Purposeful Assessments and Effective Instruction. As the school year enters its final stretch, April is a critical time to ensure that instruction is closely aligned with student needs and learning goals. Purposeful assessment and responsive instruction allow teachers to make informed, real-time decisions that maximize student growth. Rather than waiting for end-of-unit or summative results, effective educators consistently gather and use formative data to guide their teaching. This focus encourages a shift from simply covering content to truly understanding how well students are learning, allowing for timely adjustments, targeted support, and meaningful extension. By intentionally connecting assessment to instruction, teachers create a more responsive and student-centered classroom where all learners have the opportunity to succeed.

Staff will visit Three Flames Coffee and Roastery for PD on April 29. They will get an inside look at the coffee-making process, from bean to cup. As they spend time together, they will also engage in team-building activities designed to strengthen our connections. They will wrap up the final PD of the year by reflecting on the opportunities they embraced, celebrating  growth, and recognizing all that they have accomplished together, just like a great cup of coffee, the result of time, care, and collaboration.

Consent Agenda

The board reviewed the minutes of the March regular and executive sessions, financial reports (BalanceHQ), and payment of bills, superintendent’s report, principal’s report, and athletic director’s report. Board members voted unanimously to approve the consent agenda.

New Business

• Senior Trip 2026: Joaquin Hill and Piper Morris presented the itinerary for the planned senior trip for April 30 to May 3. Board discussion after hearing the itinerary was to make the expectations more clear for future trips. Board members voted 5-2 to approve the senior trip as presented bearing they are equipped with enough seat belts in the transportation reported.

• Certified Salary Schedule: Dr. McDowell presented the salary schedule to the board members. It was approved unanimously.

• Health Insurance Provider: Dr. McDowell recommended going with Bukaty (Cigna) for the school’s insurance provider for the 2026-2027 school year. Board members voted unanimously to approve Bukaty for the school’s health insurance provider for the 2026-2027 school year.

• Grade Level Realignment: Mrs. Terry talked to the board about realigning the grade levels for junior high/high school by having the 6th grade be a part of the junior high level. Board members voted unanimously to approve the realignment as presented.

• Conflict of Interest Ordinance: Board members voted unanimously to approve the conflict of interest ordinance for Fairfax R-3 as presented.

• Community Hospital-Fairfax Farm Use Agreement: This agreement is for the purpose of agricultural related activities. Board members voted unanimously to approve the hospital farm use agreement as presented.

• Craig Co-op Proposal: Board members voted unanimously to approve the Craig co-op proposal as presented.

• Uniform Purchase: It is the consensus of the board for approval of the women’s basketball uniforms and the payment that will be split with Tarkio.

The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, at 6:00 p.m. in the school library.