Fairview Fast 5
District News from the Fairview Park City Schools
Dear Fairview Park Community,
Each edition of the Fairview Fast Five features articles showcasing our students, staff, and alumni. Our goal is to highlight our efforts to meet the needs of the whole child—helping each student grow academically, socially, and emotionally.
In this month’s edition, we are thrilled to feature the innovative work happening in our AP Capstone program. Our students are tackling impressive, real-world projects and developing valuable research, and communication skills as they investigate topics that matter to them. This program encourages academic rigor and cultivates the skills needed to navigate college and career challenges.
We also spotlight Red Ribbon Week, an important national campaign promoting drug prevention and healthy decision-making. This week underscores our commitment to fostering a healthy, supportive environment, reinforcing the importance of making safe, responsible choices.
Our extracurricular programs play an important role in shaping well-rounded, resilient leaders. We proudly highlight senior Aurora Murray from our girls' soccer program. Aurora’s dedication to her sport and role as a team leader exemplify the values of hard work, teamwork, and school pride.
As we look ahead, we encourage parents to join us for parent teacher conferences on November 25 and 26. These conferences are invaluable opportunities to connect, discuss your child’s progress, and work together to support their success.
I wish you and your families a safe and relaxing Thanksgiving holiday. We are grateful for your continued support of the Fairview Park City School District.
Sincerely,
Keith Ahearn
Superintendent, Fairview Park City Schools
At Fairview High School, students are embracing an academic pathway that’s as challenging as it is unique: the AP Capstone Diploma program.
To be eligible for an AP Capstone Diploma, students must complete two foundational courses, AP Seminar and AP Research, and earn at least a score of three on an exam in four additional AP courses over their high school careers.
This rigorous program, developed by the AP/College Board, allows students to conduct original research while honing critical thinking, analysis, and presentation skills.
Over the last four years, Fairview High School senior Aurora Murray has become a cornerstone of the Warriors Girls Soccer program.
A two-year captain and four-year varsity letter winner, Murray’s engaging leadership helped define the team’s success in 2024. This season, the team earned a Chagrin Valley Conference Metro Division championship with a 5-0-1 conference record - with their sights set on a district championship. The team finished the season with a 12-2-5 overall record.
This month’s edition of FHS Alumni Spotlight highlights Edward Bettendorf, class of 1966. Ed was a five-time state champion in swimming at Fairview, and was a high school All-American in 1963. He went on to earn his degree in Economics from Yale University, where he was an All-American swimmer and captain during his time. He later earned his law degree from Northwestern University.
He was a successful and well-respected attorney and also served in the United States Army. He also spent time teaching and was a college swimming coach, including head coach at Yale. In 1978, he was inducted into the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame.
Ed credits the lessons he learned at Fairview for the hard work and dedication that has led to his success in life.
In late October, schools nationwide participate in Red Ribbon Week, a national campaign to promote drug and alcohol prevention among youth.
This week-long initiative is marked by a variety of activities at Gilles-Sweet Elementary and Fairview High School/Mayer Middle School, aimed at fostering awareness and encouraging healthy lifestyle choices for students at different stages of their educational journey.
Superintendent Keith Ahearn has planned four Town Hall meetings using Facebook Live during the 2024-2025 school year to connect more with parents and the entire Fairview Park community. Each meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:00 PM and should last no more than an hour.
The meetings will be held virtually on Facebook Live. You do not need a Facebook account to view the meetings in real-time.Those interested in joining the meeting must visit the district’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/fairviewpark.schools.
On Monday, Oct. 28, Superintendent Ahearn held his first Town Hall Meeting of the year. Click here to view the video and presentation from the meeting.
Upcoming Meeting Dates:
- Monday, January 27, 2025
- Monday, March 24, 2025
- Monday, May 5, 2025
Join us in the Frank W. Barr Auditorium this November for “Murder Runs in the Family,” a satirical comedy and murder mystery, featuring students from Stagecrafters and International Thespian Troupe 8671. Performances will be on Nov. 15 & 16 at 7 PM and Nov. 17 at 2 PM.
Tickets can be purchased at fairviewparkschools.org/boxoffice.
The latest issue of our printed newsletter, the Warrior Wire, will be delivered to mailboxes in Fairview Park next week! We'll have more great stories and information for residents about what's happening in the Fairview Park City School District.
To read past issues of the Warrior Wire and for more information, visit fairviewparkschools.org/warriorwire.