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FAIRVIEW — Fairview Area Schools has made changes this year to better accommodate students and fill empty staff positions.

As of this year, two lead teachers have been hired from existing staff to oversee the operations of the school.

Sonja Handrich, lead teacher for grades 9-12 said that one major change in school operations this year was the addition of freshman orientation.

“We’re trying to make the transition between middle school and high school easier,” Handrich said. “It gave them a chance to meet the staff. I asked the teachers to introduce themselves and what they teach.”

Handrich said that up until this year, only the students entering middle school went through an orientation, and that there appeared to be reason to extend the service to incoming high school students as well.

“We saw the need,” Handrich said. “We’ll see if it helps.”

Handrich said she was also looking forward to continuing the dual enrollment through Kirtland Community College for building trades.

“I’m really excited about the building trades program,” Handrich said.

According to Handrich, last year was the first year of the program, and between September and May of last school year, the students constructed a house in town for Habitat for Humanity. She said that this year, nine students from Fairview have signed up to participate in the program, as well as two Mio AuSable students and five students from Atlanta.

Other changes to the school include the combination of several sports with Atlanta Schools, sending students interested in playing football to Atlanta, and accommodating Atlanta students interested in cross country and track, as well as a shared physical education teacher. Rick Handrich, counselor and lead teacher for kindergarten through eighth grade, will also be traveling to Atlanta Schools once a week to serve as their counselor.