Before the Fairfield Elementary Concert on Monday, April 29th, a special presentation was held in front of a full crowd. Kansas State Department of Education Board Member Ben Jones of Sterling was on hand to present the district with The Challenge Award. Accepting the award on behalf of Fairfield USD #310 were Derek Zongker, Board of Education President, and Betsy McKinney, Superintendent. Mrs. McKinney stated, "Even though Mr. Zongker and I accepted the award, it truly belongs to the students, teachers, parents and staff of our district who are committed to making our school a positive place for us to be. Every day our students work hard to overcome challenges and to do their best in school. Our teachers and staff are dedicated heroes who build relationships with students to help them succeed. This is their award."
Confidence in Education Task Force administers the Challenge Awards program which recognizes Kansas schools that are making a notable difference in student achievement despite facing significant challenges in their school population. Since its inception in 2002 over 1600 awards have been presented to schools across the state. The Confidence Task Force is a non-profit corporation dedicated to strengthening confidence in Kansas public education and to increase awareness of the positive aspects of public education in this state.The Task Force was created in 1981 to promote cooperation among state education agencies, bring recognition to volunteers serving public education in Kansas, and to heighten awareness of the important role of public education in our society.