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The Fort Wayne Community Schools Career Academy is hosting a tour of its state-of-the-art Culinary Arts Learning Lab. The tour is at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, at the Bill C. Anthis Center, 1200 S. Barr St. 

The cooking lab offers a large open space allowing the students to more easily collaborate and learn the skills needed to become the chefs of tomorrow. The Career Academy and industry partners are dedicated to nurturing our young culinary talent and teaching them innovative ways to prepare food. Local industry partners include Umi, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Obi Cai Restaurant Group, Hideout 125 and Mercado, the owner of which is a graduate of the Culinary Arts Program at the FWCS Career Academy. 
 

Students in the Culinary Arts Program learn a wide variety of skills, including baking theory, pastry arts, nutrition, food preparation, cost control, food safety, culinary math and principles of purchasing, storage and preparation of food and food products. 

Fort Wayne Community Schools is pleased to announce that Super Shot is offering FluMist at all district schools on October 23 – 26.  This is the single best way to protect students against seasonal flu and create a healthy school environment. Offering flu vaccines in schools is convenient for families and is offered at no charge, but insurance information must be provided.   This also supports the goals of the Indiana Department of Health and Allen County Health Department.

“We are committed to increasing access to health and wellness services for our students,” said Krista Stockman, FWCS Director of Communication and Marketing. “FWCS appreciates Super Shot’s partnership in ensuring all of our students have access to flu vaccinations.”

There is no cost for students to receive an in-school FluMist, but insurance information must be provided if insured. Students must sign-up by Sept. 21. The link for Fort Wayne Community Schools students to sign up is https://bit.ly/3EF0BRq or parents may call Super Shot at 260-424-7468 for any help with the sign-up process or to sign-up via a translator. Translators are available in Spanish, Burmese, and other languages on request.   

Connie Heflin, Executive Director of Super Shot, Inc., a local non-profit dedicated to making vaccinations convenient and affordable for Allen County families, emphasizes the importance of immunizations.

"Getting vaccinated reduces illnesses, students missing days of schools, and parents missing work when they need to take care of sick children,” she said. "Offering FluMist at school is easy for students since it’s not an injection, but a nasal spray, and easy for parents, since it’s done during the school day.”

The Fort Wayne Community Schools Board of School Trustees on Monday, Sept. 11, reviewed the proposed 2024 budget, which projects the Operations and Education Funds to increase a combined 5 percent. The Operations Fund pays for transportation, capital projects, custodial and other operating expenses, and 92 percent of the Education Fund pays for teachers and staff at schools. 

Although COVID ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) grants end in 2024, a portion of educational spending is planned to continue and will be absorbed into the Education Fund budget. Of the more than $158 million allocated to Fort Wayne Community Schools through ESSER, nearly $75 million was spent to improve air quality in buildings and reconfiguring classrooms. 

A proposed budget for safety and well-being initiatives is also included in the 2024 plan. In June 2023, the Board approved placing a referendum on the Nov. 7, 2023, ballot asking voters to approve funding for safety and well-being efforts throughout the district. The referendum proposes a maximum of about $12 million per year to be collected. However, if the referendum is successful, the district recommends only collecting $7.2 million the first year.   

Other highlights of the proposed 2024 budget include: 

·        A reduction in transportation expenses as the FWCS Transportation Department evaluates its bus inventory. The department sold 74 buses during the past two years and will not purchase any new buses in 2024. 

·        Stable enrollment at Fort Wayne Community Schools with more than 28,500 students and nearly 2000 teachers in the classrooms. 

  
The budget will be available online Tuesday, Sept. 12, at https://gateway.ifionline.org. A public hearing on the proposed 2024 budget will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 9, in the Grile Administrative Center, 1200 S. Clinton St. Board members will vote on the plan at the Oct. 23 Board meeting.  

Summer in Indiana brings the golden harvest of corn, and Fort Wayne Community Schools' Nutrition Services is thrilled to announce its partnership with Kurtz Produce in New Haven. Together, they are serving farm-fresh corn on the cob for school lunches. On Thursday, Aug. 31, students at middle and high schools will enjoy 220 dozen shucked ears of this local treat. 

Nutrition Services has been forging connections with regional farmers through the Northeast Indiana Food Network. Their goal has been to secure a reliable source of fresh fruits and vegetables to enhance student meals. That has been challenging given the size of the district. 

Nonetheless, Nutrition Services remains dedicated to providing nutritious and delicious options. They are actively creating new menu items that seamlessly incorporate locally sourced produce, benefiting both the USDA Fresh Fruit and Snack Program and the breakfast and lunch menus. 

This initiative aligns with the USDA's enthusiastic support for farm-to-school partnerships. Beyond offering healthier options, these collaborations reflect a commitment to community development and a robust endorsement of local agribusiness.