District Status: Schools closed remainder of school year; FWCS Offices closed 3/23-4/20 FWCS - COVID-19 Information
CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS?
At Fort Wayne Community Schools student and staff safety and well-being is our top priority. If you have a question, concern or comment about any health or safety issue, please let us know.
Call our COVID-19 Hotline at 467-1907 or message us at Let’s Talk!
Be kind! As COVID-19 continues to spread in communities in the U.S., worry, anxiety and fear can lead to stigma toward certain groups. Stigma and discrimination can create fear and anger that is misdirected at our neighbors instead of at the disease itself.
FAQ FOR PARENTS
Pandemics are fast-moving and information can change quickly. We will keep you as up-to-date as possible as the situation changes. (updated 4/3/20, 3:15 p.m.)
- Beginning Monday, April 6, teachers will be using PowerSchool to connect with students by hosting daily office hours and posting learning opportunities at least three times per week.
- ALL FWCS buildings will be closed March 23-April 10. Meals will continue to be distributed daily from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the elementary schools.
- Yes, the Free Application for Financial Student Aid (FAFSA) deadline remains April 15, 2020. Students may complete the FAFSA at FAFSA.ed.gov or via the myStudentAid mobile app. Also, INvested Indiana is providing free assistance to all Indiana seniors and their families at (317) 715-9007.
- The Indiana Commission for Higher Education’s FAFSA Frenzy will be from 1-3 p.m. April 4 through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
- Students who fail to file the FAFSA by the April 15th deadline as a direct result of COVID-19 illness or disruption may submit an appeal to the Commission in ScholarTrack to waive the April 15th deadline. Students will need to explain in their appeal how they were unable to submit the FAFSA by the April 15th deadline either due to a lack of access to the application, or as a result of serious illness of the student or an immediate family member (student’s spouse, child, parent, guardian, grandparent or sibling).
- Please call Shenita Bolton, FWCS K-12 College and Career Readiness Manager, at (260) 705-1639, if you have questions or need additional information regarding FAFSA completion.
- Cleaning supplies used by Sodexo are effective in killing the corona virus. While schools are closed, Sodexo will be extensively cleaning the buildings to prepare for the return of students and staff.
- Our initial focus was on supporting graduating seniors to ensure they have the credits needed to graduate. These students are enrolled in Edgenuity courses online.
- As schools are closed for the remainder of the school year, districts are required to provide 20 additional instructional days through remote learning. FWCS is currently working on its continuous learning plan.
- Beginning April 6, all teachers will hold daily office hours and post assignments at least three times a week in PowerSchool.
- We do not know yet what graduation ceremonies, scheduled for early June, will look like. We are exploring several options and will share information with seniors and their families as soon as a determination is made.
- Yes, unfortunately, our high schools will not be able to have prom.
- Because we closed schools quickly on Friday, March 13, and we did not know at that time that we would not be returning, we understand students left many belongings in their lockers. At this time, we do not know when we will be able to have students return to schools to retrieve belongings. When we determine how students can get their belongings, we will share that information.
- As with retrieving items, we do not yet know when we will ask students to return items they may have brought home. When we have additional information, we will share it.
The Allen County Department of Public Health is gathering information from the community to assess how prepared we are as a community to endure a local COVID-19 epidemic. The answers you provide will be used by the Allen County Department of Health and other partners to identify needs within the community. The results from this survey maybe shared for greater awareness or used for research.
Allen County Health Department Survey
Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health COVID-19 hotline at (260) 449-4499 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
COMMUNICATING TO PARENTS
In addition to regularly updating this web page, FWCS will utilize its regular communication tools to provide updates to parents. If you are not currently signed up, please utilize the instructions below.
SchoolMessenger – Make sure your child’s school has your cell phone number. Then, text YES to 67587
Peachjar – Go to www.peachjar.com to sign up and select the school(s) you want. Or, contact your child’s school to have your e-mail address added.
IMPORTANT LINKS
FWCS Parent Letter 3-26-20 (Spanish)
FWCS Parent Letter 3-26-20 (Burmese)
Parent & Student Learning Resources
FWCS COVID-19 Parent Letter 3.19.20
3/13/20 FWCS Letter to Parents
SPANISH 3/13/20 FWCS Letter to Parents
BURMESE 3/13/20 FWCS Letter to Parents
Effective Monday, March 16, 2020, Comcast is offering 2 months free to new Internet Essentials customers in response to recent and anticipated emergency measures associated with the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Stop the Spread of Germs (English)
Stop the Spread of Germs (Spanish)
Stop the Spread of Germs (Burmese)
FWCS COVID-19 Hotline (260) 467-1907
What can parents do to protect their family?
- Parents should take the same precautions they would for any common cold or flu.
- Family members need to wash their hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. (Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also effective).
- Hands should be washed before eating, after using the restroom and when you come inside from outdoor activities.
- Teach children to keep their hands away from their mouth, eyes and nose.
- Cough and/or sneeze into your elbows or a tissues, not your hands.
- Distance yourself from anyone coughing or sneezing.
- Encourage healthy habits, including eating a healthy diet, exercising and getting enough sleep.
- Do not send students to school when they are sick.
Wash your hands regularly!