VALLEY – Teachers, parents, administrators and friends of Fairfax Elementary School have been busy with various projects, both inside and outside their facility, in preparation for the beginning of a new school year, according to a news release from the Chambers County School District. 

The work has been spearheaded by Fairfax Principal Beth Chandler, who comes to the Chambers County School District after serving many years as an administrator and principal in Carroll County, Georgia.

“I’m very excited about this new opportunity to work at a school with such a distinguished history,” Chandler said. “Several of our current teachers are former students of the school, and I’ve found that to be the case throughout the district. That tells me Chambers County is a special place when educators choose to return to the system in which they were educated themselves.”

In an effort to become better acquainted with her new faculty and staff, Chandler scheduled a couple of facility improvement activities she called “Hornet Pride Days,” named for the school’s official mascot.

The first of these was conducted two weeks ago, when volunteers began painting the lunchroom, cleaning and refurbishing individual classrooms, rejuvenating stairways and improving outdoor landscaping. One group of men even built a new stage for special events.

The second Hornet Pride Day was held Tuesday afternoon, as more volunteers arrived at the school to make new wall posters and continue projects that were previously started.

“We’re using this collective effort as a launching point to create a renewed sense of school pride featuring our mascot,” Chandler said. “Visitors to the school will notice a lot more display of the colors black and yellow.”

Chandler was also quick to give credit to former principal Fran Groover for her leadership and commitment to excellence at Fairfax.

“You always want to follow someone who has laid a solid foundation upon which to build for the future,” she said. “We will continue that commitment to provide the best educational opportunities possible for the students at Fairfax Elementary.”