When students arrive for the first day of school at Fairfax High School on Sept. 7, they may not recognize some areas of the campus at first because of extensive construction that has occurred over the summer.

Fairfax High School Principle Ed Zubiate

The school’s entrance on Melrose Avenue has been reconstructed to include new ramps that are accessible to disabled individuals, as well as new pathways for students and visitors and additional landscaping. The Upper Quad has been outfitted with new signage welcoming students and teachers to the school, and the adjacent Stage Quad, where principal Ed Zubiate said most of the students gather at lunch and between classes, will be completely redone with a paved plaza, new tables and umbrellas. Additional work has been completed at an area known as Detter’s Court, which was named after the school’s second principal, Edward Detter.

Zubiate said the work is part of an overall improvement project that includes the reconstruction of the football stadium and track and field, which will be completed for the 2012 season. The principal said he has been scrambling to get the school ready for the start of classes, and added that he is very excited about the upcoming year.

“There are a lot of new things going on at the campus,” Zubiate said. “When you walk in, we wanted to provide an authentic welcome to let people know they are at Fairfax High.”

Although district-wide budget cuts have resulted in teacher and staff layoffs, Zubiate has found ways to maintain the school’s learning environment. He is expecting between 2,300 and 2,500 students this fall, although the final numbers are still being tabulated. Zubiate added that he will have 10 fewer teachers returning this year, which will translate into larger class sizes of 42 students on average. He added that the school’s classified staff has also been significantly reduced, with only six clerks out of the approximately 16 that were employed at the school when Zubiate started five-and-a-half-years ago, and only eight custodians out of 23.

“We are still working on the final number of teachers we are going to have; some were laid off and others retired or were displaced. Out of ninety-five to ninety-six teachers, we are down to eighty-six to eighty-seven, and we also lost a counselor,” Zubiate said.

One popular teacher who will be returning, however, is Ray Vizcarra, the school’s music director. Vizcarra was faced with being laid-off last spring and had received a Reduction in Force (RIF) notice from the district, but Zubiate said he was able to find funding in the school’s budget to bring Vizcarra back by not filling another open teaching position. The music director resurrected the school’s band and music programs six years ago, and since then, the marching band has twice won the Los Angeles Unified School District’s All-City Band Championship.

“There was a certain level of understanding that we needed to keep the music teacher here and keep the program going,” Zubiate said. “Ray started the program, and was an important part of the program, so we wanted to make sure we brought him back.”

Joyce Kleifield, the development director for the school, said the work being done around the campus is the result of support from the community. The development office was created to generate funding through bonds and private entities, and the funding is used directly for physical improvements. The development office does not have the authority to generate funding for hiring or supporting teachers, but this summer, a new website has been launched at www.fairfaxteachersfund.org to allow members of the public to make direct donations to individual instructors.

“It is important for us to make sure the community understands that the funding being raised for these changes can only be used for physical changes, not for rehiring teachers, which is done through the district.” Kleifield said. “If we could raise money for new teachers we would. We believe the students deserve a safe and nurturing learning environment, and these improvements will make the things we have to suffer through a little less painful.”

Zubiate added that anyone interested in learning about the school can attend a new student orientation being held on Saturday, Aug. 27 from 10 a.m. to noon.

Fairfax High School is located at 7850 Melrose Ave. for information, call (323)370-1200.