Meet the School Board: New Representative Paula Dearborn Brings Fresh Energy to Fairfax

Today, as part of a brand-new blog series “Meet the School Board”, we are excited to share a special Q&A we had with new Fairfax School Board member Paula Dearborn. Stay tuned for more upcoming posts highlighting our School Board representatives.

Q: Can you tell us why you were interested in serving on the Fairfax School Board?  

Paula: Actually, I hadn’t thought about it until a friend suggested my name to the School Board Chair. As a mother of four children, their education is so important to me, so with support and encouragement from friends and family, I decided to embark on this endeavor. I’m excited for the opportunity to represent the community and advocate for the best public education possible for our children.

Q: What excites you most about education at BFA-Fairfax?

Paula: What excites me most about education at BFA-Fairfax is quite simply… great staff and wonderful kids. I love that my children are offered opportunities to learn that go beyond sitting behind a desk.

Q: Tell us a little bit about your background and hobbies/activities that you enjoy?

Paula: I moved around as a child since my father was in the Army. I may not have been born in Vermont, but I’ve lived here longer than anywhere else. It’s been wonderful to build friendships and relationships here in Fairfax, particularly since all of my family is out of state. As for my interests, I enjoy web design and graphics, photography, and family genealogy.

Q: What do you see as some of the biggest challenges facing students in our education system?

Paula: The size of BFA Fairfax means that some of the opportunities that may be offered to children at other larger schools can’t be offered to our students, at least not in the same way. I’ve found that despite our size, the administration is working to break down those barriers and offer a diverse selection of courses as well as extracurricular activities, in large part thanks to a willing and supportive staff.

Welcome to the School Board, Paula!