Welcome to Fort Wayne Community Schools' community newsletter. Each month we share news from our schools and important District information. Have an idea for a story? Please share it with us!

Beginning in the fall, Arlington Elementary will become Arlington STEM Elementary School, adopting the Project Lead the Way science, technology, engineering and math program.

Arlington has long had a reputation for being innovative, and this is the next step in maintaining Arlington’s excellence. Families recently had the opportunity to learn about the new STEM program, meet the new principal Dr. Derek Leininger and explore Arlington’s pre-K program.

Project Lead the Way engages students through hands-on learning and real-world challenges that spark natural curiosity. If you would like to learn more about Arlington STEM Elementary School you can schedule a tour or call the office at 467-6000.

A new club at Arlington Elementary has students excited to Walk the Dog and Rock the Baby!

The Yo-yo Club started as a simple idea by a student. With the support of a couple of volunteers, the club has turned into one of the school's most popular activities. It is so popular that there's now a waiting list of eager students hoping to join.

The club's motto captures their spirited approach: "In life and in yo-yos, there will be ups and downs. Just remember to always have fun!"

The Yo-yo Club was recently featured on WANE TV as Positively Fort Wayne.

After years of traveling to Northrop and sometimes Wayne for home football games, Snider High School is finally getting a true home field.

The new 4,000-seat multi-purpose facility will include a press box, concession stands, restrooms, Panther store, a new track and track event spaces. The project also includes expanding the physical education building, adding parking and relocating tennis courts.

The new stadium will benefit more than just the football team. It will also allow the marching band to host competitions and provide a venue for the soccer teams to hold games.

The stadium is scheduled for completion in fall 2026.

A team of students from Blackhawk Middle School has once again come up with a winning vision for what a city might look like in the future. The 11-member team recently won the 33rd Annual Indiana Regional Future City Competition. This year's project challenged students to design floating cities to address the rising challenges of sea levels and climate change.

Team Lilium finished 1st in the state competition and will now travel to the National Future City Competition in Washington D.C. This is the fourth year in a row and eighth overall that Blackhawk will represent Indiana at the National Competition.

Presenters at the regional competition include Khushi Kumari, Tzin Quintana and Vivian Sanchez.

The calling to teach represents a commitment to shape future generations. Four recent graduates will one day return to FWCS as educators. Among these aspiring teachers is graduate Mo Ne Da Be.

Mo graduated from Wayne with an associate's degree and her high school diploma. Motivated by success, she now attends Indiana Tech and works at FWCS at the Family and Community Engagement Center.

She shares how she is already applying what she is learning in college to her job at FACE.

"My name is Chrissy. I am 36 years old. I have Attention Deficit Disorder. I have suffered through anxiety. I have dealt with depression. I became a young mother at 16 to twin daughters. I have been married, divorced and married again. I dropped out of high school my senior year. I have been successful. I have also seen plenty of failures. I was strong for so long until I wasn't. I was tired. I was beat up and hurt by life.

In 2023, I needed my high school diploma for a job I love, a job with endless possibilities. I thought it was the end of the opportunity, but my boss begged me to try. So, I did. And I failed. Tried again. Failed. Then I purposefully reached out for help.

My teacher taught me everything I needed to know. After two months, I had all the tools and knowledge needed and I PASSED THE TEST. I'm still in shock! I feel more than accomplished. I feel like a weight has been lifted. I feel like the sky is the limit. I feel like there is nothing holding me back. I'm proof that NOT GIVING UP works.”

Crystal Sponseller’s world was forever changed when the school bus doors closed behind her one day in 1997. The substitute driver, Loyal Stiverson, watched helplessly as she unknowingly walked into the path of an oncoming car. The two never connected following that accident, but by a twist of fate, they recently found themselves working together for Fort Wayne Community Schools.

In a series of heartfelt conversations, Crystal Sponseller and Loyal Stiverson reflect on that day as friends who have found great understanding and a lifelong Connection.

In episode two, Sponseller reflects on the anxiety and PTSD she suffered with following the accident.

Join us every month for learning sessions for parents and guardians of FWCS students from 6-7:15 p.m. at the Wendy Y. Robinson Family and Community Engagement Center. The meetings are part of the Parent and Guardian Trailblazers Program and equip families with the knowledge, skills and abilities to support their children academically and emotionally.

Looking for a flexible schedule and an opportunity to make a positive difference? Join our team as a Substitute Teacher or Substitute School Assistant! Our dedicated subs are critical to our work and help keep our schools functioning smoothly each and every day. We’d love for you to share your time and talent with our students, even for only one day each week (or whatever your schedule allows). Visit www.fwcsjobs.org to learn more and apply!

Email: publicaffairs@fwcs.k12.in.us
Website: fortwayneschools.org
Location: 1200 South Clinton Street, Fort Wayne, IN, 46802, USA
Phone: (260) 467-1000
Facebook: facebook.com/FWCommSchools
Twitter: @FWCommSchools