FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio -- A team of Fairview Park City Schools administrators and teachers recently returned from the International Center for Leadership in Education’s (ICLE) 27th annual Model Schools Conference, held June 23-26 in Washington, D.C.

And since the district was named ICLE’s 2019 Innovative District, the Fairview Park educators took center stage at the affair, which was attended by more than 5,000 people.

“A lot of school districts from all over the country came up to our team,” Superintendent Bill Wagner said. “Several of them said they wanted to visit us and see the incredible things we are doing.”

Attending the conference was Wagner, Director of Teaching and Learning Melanie Wightman, Fairview High School intervention specialist Lori Oxley, Fairview High School biology teacher Andy Bruening, Lewis F. Mayer Middle School science teacher Kristen Conner, Lewis F. Mayer Middle School math teacher Matt Ziemnik, Gilles-Sweet Elementary School intervention specialist Jill Davis and first-grade teacher Sarah Eppler.

ICLE’s Innovative Districts are recognized for change, collectively establishing a vision and systematically working together to create a learning environment that enables students of all abilities to thrive.

Last fall, the district submitted a detailed application, along with a video, highlighting how Fairview Park City Schools aligns with the Innovative District criteria -- credible supporting data, passion, student focus, future forward, supportive culture, communication, public relations and branding.

As part of the Innovative District designation, the Fairview Park team made three “Making Transformative Change a Reality" presentations at the conference to educators from across the country.

“Our teacher members on the team did a tremendous job of really highlighting the innovative things we’re doing throughout the district at all grade levels,” Wagner said. “The outstanding sessions were exceptionally well received.

“It was a really exciting experience, especially for me and Melanie Wightman, to stand back and watch our teachers shine and share their stories. That’s really what makes the district so innovative and creative and outstanding.”

Wightman said the recognition as a model district has its roots in Fairview's "Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships" history.

“It was humbling for me to be present as those who initiated work with the International Center for Leadership in Education were remembered,” Wightman said.

“Those who establish and those who carry that tradition forward were well represented by the six teachers who embody our vision to ‘Learn differently, care deeply and aspire to excellence’ in their classrooms and among their peers.”

Wagner said Fairview Park educators attending the Model Schools Conference also brought back exciting ideas and concepts.

“Our team spread out and covered all kinds of different sessions,” Wagner said. “I have no doubt that we will have acquired just as many great ideas as we had shared, if not more.”

Topics ranged from innovative ways to deliver math and science content to developing culture, focusing on data analysis, dealing with diverse populations and engaging with families in unique and creative ways.

Wightman said an important takeaway she came away with from the conference was an emerging emphasis on social emotional learning -- which is already encoded in the most recent iteration of Fairview’s strategic plan.

“It was significant and encouraging that on the first day of the conference, Ohio’s new Standards for Social Emotional Learning became law,” Wightman said. “Working to balance the high-tech with high human touch is harder and harder in a world obsessed with social media.”

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