School in Fairfield begins Aug. 24; Transportation Improvement Program public meeting Aug. 18

School in Fairfield begins Aug. 24

Students in the Fairfield Community School District will return to class Aug. 24.

The students will have an early start and an early dismissal the first three days of school. School will start at 8 a.m. and end at 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 24, 25 and 26.

The school district will have induction for new teachers Aug. 17 and 18. Aug. 19, 22 and 23 will be teachers? workdays. Hours for staff the first three days of school, Aug. 24, 25 and 26, will be from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Before school begins, open houses are planned Aug. 22 at the elementary schools. Both Washington and Pence will have open house from 4-5:30 p.m., and Libertyville?s will be from 5:30-7 p.m.

Pence Elementary School?s new principal, Christopher Welch, has been making visits to students? homes to meet students and parents. When families are not home, he leaves a ?Sorry I missed you? card with a note on the back. As of Monday, he had connected with 30 families.

Fairfield High School will have a ninth grade orientation at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the commons.

Fairfield Middle School will have fifth grade orientation at 4 p.m. Aug. 22 and sixth grade orientation at 6 p.m. at the middle school.

Meet the Trojans for the volleyball, cross country, swimming and football teams is set for 6:30 p.m. Aug. 18 at Trojan Stadium.

The FHS and FMS marching bands? showcase is set for 6:30 p.m. Aug. 19 at Trojan Stadium.

Transportation Improvement Program public meeting Aug. 18

AMES ? The Iowa Department of Transportation?s draft Iowa Statewide Transportation Improvement Program is available for public review.

The draft STIP identifies all projects proposed to be authorized for funding provided by the Federal Highway Administration or Federal Transit Administration during federal fiscal years 2012-2015. It includes projects for state, county, city and federal transportation systems. Development of the STIP is required by federal law.

Copies of the draft STIP are available for viewing at all metropolitan planning organizations, regional planning affiliations and Iowa D.O.T. district offices, including the one in Fairfield. The draft STIP also can be viewed on the Iowa D.O.T.?s website at www.iowadot.gov.

A meeting to accept public comments on the draft STIP will be held from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Aug. 18 at Iowa D.O.T. headquarters in Ames. Anyone wishing to discuss projects identified in the STIP at the statewide meeting should contact the D.O.T.?s Office of Program Management at 515-239-1288 or Shawn Majors at shawn.majors@dot.iowa.gov.

Written comments on the draft STIP can be submitted to the MPOs, RPAs or Iowa D.O.T. district transportation planners for consideration by the Iowa D.O.T., FHWA and FTA prior to final approval. Other meetings may be held by the MPOs and RPAs concerning the FHWA and FTA projects in their local areas.

Contact information for the Iowa D.O.T. district transportation planners, MPOs and RPAs can be found at www.iowadot.gov.

Comments must be received by Sept. 6 to be considered prior to submittal to the FHWA in mid-September. Final approval of the STIP is expected by the FHWA prior to Oct. 1, the beginning of the federal fiscal year.