Students’ first day is Wednesday
ROME TOWNSHIP — Fairland students return to school on Wednesday, and the district has back-to-school events scheduled at the individual schools on Monday.

Fairland High School will host Back-To-School Night from 6-9 p.m. and all parents and students are asked to report to the school’s athletic center by 6 p.m. for instructions.

At the middle school, an open house is scheduled from 5-7 p.m., while Fairland West Elementary will host Back to School Night from 5-7 p.m., with third grade orientation at 5 p.m., fourth grade at 5:30 p.m. and fifth grade at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria.

Fairland East Elementary, which serves kindergarten through second grade, will host an open house from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Sandy Joseph, the assistant principal at Fairland West, said the school has seen several improvements over the summer and that custodians have made it “sparkling clean.”

“The playground has received a thorough inspection and had some extra footholds and handholds installed on the climbing wall,” she said. “The fourth grade classrooms upstairs got new carpet.  A new roof is being installed this week.”

She said, with several retirements and personnel moving, her school will have seven new teachers this year, Chris Dennis and Hannah Hinkle for third grade, Felicia VanNostrand for fourth grade, Kira Dillon for fifth grade science, Ashley Sullivan for fifth grade language arts and Heather Black for fifth grade math.  Andrew Hussell will serve as resource teachers for third, fourth and fifth grade.

Joseph said the Proctorville VFW Auxiliary donated school supplies and book bags for needy students and New Hope United Methodist Church will host a supply giveaway today for any child attending any school in the community, including Fairland, Chesapeake, Symmes Valley, and Gallia County. The event is scheduled from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.