The Visionary

Sometimes, the biggest moments happen in the smallest spaces.

Last week, a student and tutor sat together, getting to know each other and spending a little time reading like a champion. As part of a simple activity, the student was asked a familiar question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

The student did not hesitate.

“I want to be smart.”

The response came quickly: “You are already smart, my friend. Now let’s work to get you to the next level.”

It was only a few words, but moments like this happen every day across Fort Wayne Community Schools. Teachers, support staff and volunteers are helping students see something in themselves they may not always recognize yet. They are building confidence, creating connections and reminding students that someone believes in them.

At the end of the session, the student offered a high five and asked, “Are you coming back next week?”

“Of course. We’ve got work to do.”

Sometimes making a difference starts with reading a few pages together. Sometimes it starts with a question. And sometimes, it starts with showing up again next week.

Would you like to get involved in Study Connection? We are always looking for volunteers. If you, your company or an organization you belong to is interested, let us know!

The progress FWCS is seeing in reading starts with people who refuse to give up on students. Over

the past several years, the district has put intentional work into improving early literacy because student success matters. Teachers have embraced professional learning based in the Science of Reading, which ensures students are getting the support they need to excel. That work is making a difference. Third-grade IREAD passing rates have grown from 65.1% in 2020-21 to 85.3% this year. FWCS is going in the right direction.

Those numbers belong to real people. They belong to teachers who keep finding new ways to help a child understand, support staff who spend extra time with students, principals who keep growth at the center of the work and families who read, practice and encourage at home. They also belong to tutors, volunteers and community partners who show up and remind students that someone believes in them.

Now, FWCS is bringing that same commitment to ILEARN. The district is placing a stronger focus on comprehension skills and the rigor of ILEARN, helping students work through more challenging reading materials and making sure classroom instruction, interventions, multilingual learner services and special education are working together. Community partnerships like Study Connection will continue to be part of that work too.

The work takes all of us, and it is worth it because our students deserve every opportunity to succeed. Thank you to our staff, families and community supporters for helping our students reach their potential. And thank you to our students for continuing to work hard and challenge yourself to be the best you can be.

A screen did not stand in the way of a real-world connection.

Fort Wayne Virtual Academy students recently took part in 3DE virtual coaching experiences with community partners Sodexo and Rea Magnet Wire. Freshmen connected with professionals from Sodexo, while sophomores engaged with Rea Magnet Wire employees, asking questions, building confidence and learning directly from people working in the community.

The experiences are another example of what it means to meet students where they are. Months of planning and coordination went into creating virtual coaching opportunities that give students access to the same kind of real-world connections as their peers in our traditional high schools.

Through Schools of Success powered by 3DE, FWCS is connecting classroom learning to the real world and helping students build the communication, collaboration and critical-thinking skills they will need to be ready for the Monday after graduation and beyond.

Different classroom. Same opportunities. Same commitment to preparing every student for what comes next.

Are you interested in Fort Wayne Virtual Academy? Click here to learn more, connect with the school and begin enrollment.

By mid-October, Lakeside Middle School found its rhythm. Friendships were growing, laughter was everywhere but, in a few classrooms, so were the shenanigans.

That is when the Lakeside administrative team decided it was time to get a handle on things. James Kellogg, Principal Ashley Finneran and Justin Hoering showed up sporting matching handlebar mustaches, bringing a little humor to an important message about staying focused, making good choices and helping teachers keep learning on track.

It was a lighthearted way to reset expectations and remind students that school can be fun and friendships matter, but learning still comes first.

Sometimes, a little laughter and a really good mustache are exactly what it takes to get everyone pointed in the right direction.

Washington Center Elementary feels a little different this fall. On Sept. 3, Assistant Principal Scott Garvin passed away.

Mr. Garvin was known for something simple and powerful: He was kind. He cared about people. He made students and staff feel seen.

So when his birthday approached on Oct. 8, Washington Center chose to honor him in the most fitting way possible.

The school held a Kindness Week in his memory, giving students a different way each day to care for others and for themselves. They made new friends, helped around the school, shared compliments and created cards and pictures for Mr. Garvin. Staff wore shirts in his honor, and on his birthday, students gathered outside together to sing “Happy Birthday.”

For a school still feeling his absence, those moments meant more than simply marking a birthday. They gave students and staff a way to remember the way Mr. Garvin treated people and to carry a little of that forward.

Mr. Garvin left a void at Washington Center, but he also left an example.

Be kind. Notice people. Help when you can.

And during Kindness Week, Washington Center found a meaningful way to carry Mr. Garvin’s kindness forward.

When Priscilla Ramirez showed up at Wayne High School with her long hair cut short, the change was easy to notice. When someone complimented her new haircut, she shared that she had donated her hair to Wigs for Kids to help children experiencing hair loss.

Priscilla said she simply wanted to help others. Her decision turned a haircut into a meaningful act of kindness for a child she may never meet.

You may remember Beckham Aviles from a recent FWCS story after a conversation about football, a Buffalo Bills jersey and his love for the Kansas City Chiefs.

After seeing that story, an anonymous community member decided Beckham needed a jersey of his own and surprised him with a new Chiefs jersey. Judging by the smile, it was a pretty great surprise.

What started as a fun conversation turned into something more, thanks to someone who saw the story and decided to make a student’s day.

Sometimes a little kindness has a way of keeping a good story going.

Sometimes, a pumpkin is more than just a pumpkin.

At Holland Elementary, students in the Severe Disabilities Program used pumpkins to explore math, science and the world around them. They measured, compared sizes, scooped out seeds, counted and explored the different textures inside.

On the surface, it was a fun fall activity. But with every scoop and discovery, students were also building communication skills, strengthening fine motor coordination and gaining confidence through hands-on learning.

Each part of the activity gave students another chance to participate, make choices, try something new and feel the pride that comes with realizing they can do it.

There were plenty of smiles, giggles and excitement when Hooley Farms visited Lincoln Elementary kindergarten students.

Students got an up-close look at the animals. The goats quickly became the stars of the visit, helping bring lessons from the kindergarten CKLA (Core Knowledge Language Arts) Farms unit to life.

The visit is part of an FWCS Guaranteed Experience that will bring Hooley Farms to every elementary school across the district. For Lincoln’s youngest learners, it was a chance to learn with their hands, ask questions and make a few very cute new friends along the way.

Lincoln Lions are showing up, working hard and giving their school plenty to roar about. As part of its “10 Days or Less = Success” attendance initiative, students with perfect attendance during the first 20 days of school celebrated with popsicles and extra recess. Lincoln is helping students build strong attendance habits early and showing them that every day at school matters.

Lincoln is also making time to celebrate the qualities that make a great classmate and school community. Teachers honored students who demonstrated Effective Collaboration through the FWCS Portrait of an Explorer and celebrated Lincoln STAR Students for being kind, patient and honest. STAR Students also received a token to choose a brand-new book from the school’s book vending machine.

From attendance celebrations to recognizing students who lift up those around them, Lincoln is giving its Lions plenty of reasons to be proud and plenty to ROAR about.

Study Elementary is also celebrating students who show up and start the day ready to learn.

This year, the school launched its first 21 Day Celebration for students who arrived on time and did not miss a day of school for 21 straight days. Students who reached the goal were rewarded with a celebration filled with laughter, physical activity and time with friends.

The celebration recognizes the effort it takes to be at school every day and reminds students that showing up means another chance to learn, grow and explore.

Indian Village students with perfect attendance during the first 20 days of school had a reason to celebrate with an Atten-DANCE. Students and staff hit the dance floor with music, glow sticks and plenty of energy.

Third grade had even more to celebrate, with an incredible 96% of students joining the fun. It was a great reminder that showing up matters and sometimes it comes with a dance party.

The credit union is also donating $20,000 to the FWCS Foundation to support teacher grants. The teacher grant funding will provide 40 $500 classroom grants for teachers at Adams, Brentwood, Harrison Hill and Weisser Park elementary schools and Whitney Young Early Childhood Center.

“Partnerships like this create opportunities for our students and provide our teachers with additional resources to bring learning to life,” Fort Wayne Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark Daniel said. “We appreciate MidWest America’s investment in our schools and, most importantly, its commitment to the students and families we serve.”

MidWest America is also supporting the Memorial Park music program and Big Noise, helping provide jackets for FWCS Student Ambassadors and continuing its involvement with programs including Schools of Success powered by 3DE and Futures ON Track.

“The FWCS Foundation exists to connect the generosity of our community with opportunities that make a difference for students and teachers,” said Rena Shown, Executive Director of the FWCS Foundation. “MidWest America’s support is a wonderful example of what can happen when a community partner believes in our schools and is willing to invest directly in the people inside them.”

Through the partnership, MidWest America and the FWCS Foundation are working together to expand opportunities for students and provide additional resources to schools across the district.

During Principal for a Day, community leaders spent the morning in FWCS schools getting a firsthand look at students, staff and Schools of Success powered by 3DE. The day wrapped up with lunch, including desserts, prepared and served by FWCS Career Academy Culinary Arts students.

School is underway, but there’s still time to join the FWCS team! We’re hiring teachers, bus drivers, support staff, lifeguards and more. Whether you’re looking for a career in the classroom or a role that supports students behind the scenes, there’s a place for you at FWCS.

Find your opportunity and apply today!

https://fwcs.schoolspring.com

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Website: fortwayneschools.org
Location: 1200 South Clinton Street, Fort Wayne, IN, 46802, USA
Phone: (260) 467-1000
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Twitter: @FWCommSchools