My name is David Russo and I am beginning my 8th year at Fairview South as the Middle School Principal. I came to Fairview South in 2005 after having taught for five years at Lincoln Middle School in Park Ridge, Illinois and for one year at McClure Junior High School in Western Springs, Illinois. My educational background includes earning a Master's Degree from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in Educational Administration (1999) and a Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education from the University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign (1997). My wife, Annette, and I have two wonderful daughters named Andrea and Eleni with whom we love spending time. When I am not rooting on the Falcons, you can normally catch me cheering for my other favorite teams, the Fighting Illini and White Sox or reading a good book!
Working and learning at Fairview South is a dynamic experience because of the enthusiasm of our young people and the expertise and professionalism of our teaching faculty. Together, we work in concert to make our school a safe, fun, and rigorous environment for all young people. The resources at our disposal allow us to implement an academic and extracurricular program that affords students the opportunity to excel in the classroom, on the fields of athletic competition, and in the performance arts. Routinely, I am amazed by the talents demonstrated by our students at relatively young ages. Our neighborhood is extremely diverse and I hope that the learning taking place at Fairview ensures our young people will be able to relate to a wide range of ideas, personalities, and thought as they continue the process of maturing into young adults.
There are many challenges and opportunities that await us during the 2012-2013 school year. The purchase of new computers for one of our three computer labs will facilitate the second year implementation of a pre-engineering curriculum for 7th and 8th grade students called Project Lead the Way. As the new school year begins to unfold, a Language Arts District Learning Team will re-convene to examine the middle school literature, spelling, vocabulary, and writing curricula. We will be looking to strengthen our relationship with Northlight Theatre to provide drama experiences for students. Additionally, facility improvements were made in the summer of 2012 to re-wire our building for improved Internet access.
Technology is a vital tool that the middle school will use to communicate with you regarding your child’s progress. Regular e-mail communications will originate from my office; as well as from teachers regarding upcoming curricular and school events. Each Fairview teacher maintains a presence on this website. Many teachers archive classroom resources on their page along with keeping a calendar of events. These can be valuable sources of information to help structure your child’s academic planning. Our website also includes a school calendar, headlines of Fairview accomplishments, and photo galleries of school events. Additionally, every middle school family has access to classroom grade information via our student information system called PowerSchool. I encourage you to check this frequently to stay abreast of your child’s progress in individual classes. As we seek for our students to be more independent in their academic life, each of these modes of communication are available to serve as a conduit of information and “safety net” in that maturation.
Fairview is an exciting place to be and learn and I look forward to working with our middle school students and families throughout the course of the 2012-2013 school year!
David Russo
drusso@fairview.k12.il.us
847-929-1048 x224