Fort Wayne Community Schools will celebrate National Walk & Roll to School Day Wednesday, Oct. 9, with seven schools participating.

Students and staff will gather at designated locations and walk together to school. The event aims to highlight the importance of safe and active travel for students, while reminding motorists of their role in ensuring the safety of those heading to school on streets and sidewalks.

The Walk to School Day events are supported by the Fort Wayne Active Transportation Coalition, which encourages making transportation safe and accessible in all forms.

The FWCS event is one of more than 3,700 events taking place in 47 states across the country under the guidance of the National Center for Safe Routes to School.

FWCS schools participating are:
• Abbett Elementary School
• Adams Elementary School
• Franke Park Elementary School
• Indian Village Elementary School
• Memorial Park Middle School
• South Wayne Elementary School
• St. Joseph Central Elementary School

Adams Elementary is also hosting its first Peace Walk, following Walk & Roll to School Day. The event will begin in the gym with a rally. The Peace Family from Alive Community Outreach along with Adams students and staff will then head outside for the Peace Walk in the neighborhood near the school.

Students, staff, community members and alumni will celebrate a century of learning from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at Harrison Hill Elementary, 355 S. Cornell Circle. 
 
The event will feature: 
 

·         Free commemorative cups for the first 100 attendees 

·         Live music 

·         Refreshments 
 

Harrison Hill was built in 1924 and is named after the neighborhood in which it is located. Over the years, it has served students of various grade levels. From 1964-1971, the building housed the elementary school and Harrison Hill Junior High. 
 

Don't miss this opportunity to take a trip down memory lane. 

The Fort Wayne Community Schools Board of School Trustees on Monday, Sept. 9, reviewed the proposed 2025 budget. While the budget is projected to include a slight increase, the anticipated tax rate is expected to go down.

The Education Fund shows an increase of 2.9 percent. Much of this increase will pay for textbooks, taking that burden away from families. These funds will also pay for teacher and staff salary increases. The Operations Fund is estimated to increase 4 percent, an amount recently capped by the Indiana legislature. This increase is driven by higher health insurance costs, utility bills and other expenses.

Initiatives funded by the safety and well-being referendum will continue in 2025. Initial expenditures include adding weapons detection systems to all schools, hiring Student Advocates and licensed therapists, expanding the Alive Peacemaker program to all 5 high schools, increasing the security department and upgrading safety systems.

Other highlights of the proposed 2025 budget include:
• The FWCS Transportation Department will purchase more 14-passenger buses that do not require a driver to possess a CDL.
• Enrollment at Fort Wayne Community Schools is on track to see an increase this year with a current unofficial student enrollment of 28,695, an increase of 142 students over last year’s official enrollment. This year’s official enrollment date is Oct. 1.

The budget will be available on the Indiana Gateway portal Tuesday, Sept. 10. A public hearing on the proposed 2025 budget will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 14, in the Grile Administrative Center, 1200 S. Clinton St. Board members will vote on the plan at the Oct. 28 Board meeting.

Fort Wayne Community Schools will honor the 2024 FWCS Teachers of the Year, FWCS Employee of the Year and finalists during a reception at 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9, at the Wendy Y. Robinson Family & Community Engagement Center, 230 E. Douglas Ave. The celebration is an opportunity to recognize these staff members who have made a lasting impact on their students and school. The winners and finalists include: 
 

Elementary Teacher of the Year: 

·         Ricky Weber, Franke Park Elementary School, 4^th Grade 

Finalists: 

·         Caitlin Boyle, Northcrest Elementary School, Music 

·         Christina Osei, Waynedale Elementary School, English Language Learners  

·         Erin Patton-McFarren, Whitney Young STEAM Early Childhood, Art  

·         Tabitha Sprunger, St. Joseph Central Elementary School, Art  

·         Nora Witmer, Study Elementary School, 3^rd Grade 

Secondary Teacher of the Year: 

·         Karyn Brumbaugh, Northrop High School, Interior Design 

o    Top 25 Finalist – Indiana Teacher of the Year 

Finalists: 

·         Ann Applegate, FWCS Career Academy, Culinary Arts  

·         Whitney Byers, Lane Middle School, 6^th Grade Science and Social Studies  

·         Eileen Doherty, Towles New Tech Middle School, 6^th Grade Science  

·         Jordyn Painter, North Side High School, Special Education/Applied Skills  

·         Amy Ross, South Side High School, Dance  

Employee of the Year: 

·         Kela Guy, Study Elementary School, Licensed Therapist 

Finalists: 

·         Amanda Berry, Haley Elementary School, School Improvement Liaison  

·         Ashley Beverforden, Washington Elementary School, Case Manager  

·         Tonya Bulau, Price Elementary School, Special Education Assistant 

·         Carman Harvey, South Side High School, Student Services Secretary