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FWCS celebrates Veterans Day

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News release from Fort Wayne Community Schools:

FWCS celebrates Veterans Day

(November 6, 2013) – Fort Wayne Community Schools will honor and celebrate Veterans Day with activities and events at every school in the District. Most schools will celebrate on Monday, Nov. 11, but because of scheduling conflicts, some will celebrate on other days. Schools will honor veterans in their families, perform patriotic music and participate in assemblies with local veterans groups.

Monday, Nov. 11

Early Childhood Education Centers

  • Bunche Montessori – During the morning, all classes will read “Hero Dad.” Kindergarten students have also been working on hand-written letters to send to local veterans.
  • Whitney Young – Teachers will read stories about veterans to students, and a veteran will visit classrooms to share his experiences and answer questions.

Elementary Schools

  • Abbett – Veterans Day will be incorporated into each class’ reading block with patriotic stories. Teachers will read a story aloud and students will complete an activity. Their completed work will be on display in the school cafeteria.
  • Adams – At 10:30 a.m. the school will honor local veterans at a special program.
  • Arlington – The Arlington PTA will continue its long-standing tradition of hosting a Veterans Day assembly. All family and community members who are currently on active duty or a veteran are invited to attend the assembly at 9:30 a.m. An active duty member of the Armed Services will be the guest speaker. Students will sing patriotic songs learned in music class and express their gratitude through essays and videos. The school will also present a slideshow of Arlington students and their family members who have served in the military. This event is a cooperative effort with the Arlington PTA, students and Music Department at Arlington.
  • Bloomingdale – Families are invited to attend a Veterans Day concert at 10:30 a.m. Any family member or friend who has served in the military is invited as a special guest. Students are encouraged to bring pictures of veteran family members and friends who cannot be present for a special presentation during the concert.
  • Brentwood – Students and staff will participate in an assembly at 10:30 a.m., during which special guest veterans will be honored and the choirs will perform. Students were invited to bring a picture of their family members to display as part of the Veterans Wall of Honor. This month, Brentwood students and staff also collected hygiene items to donate to the VA Hospital.
  • Croninger – Students will begin the day with a live telecast of the Pledge of Allegiance. Later, students and staff will gather in the hallways to sing the “Star Spangled Banner” in a flag-saluting ceremony. Croninger is also collecting items to donate with the help of Movers for Military.
  • Fairfield – Veteran family members or friends of Fairfield students are invited to a lunch reception at 1 p.m. followed by a special program to honor veterans. Veterans will also visit classrooms.
  • Forest Park – A Veterans Day program will begin at 9:15 a.m. with veterans serving as special guests. Forest Park also raised money for the Northern Indiana VA Hospital’s Transportation Fund by having a jeans day on Oct. 31.
  • Franke Park – Students created a Wall of Honor by bringing in pictures of family members and loved ones who have served in the military. On Veterans Day, a veteran will visit Franke Park to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. On Nov. 6, the American Legion Post presented Franke Park with a flag to talk about the proper way to fold a flag and the meaning behind the flag. Fourth-grade students then had the opportunity to enter a writing contest on “What the Flag Means to Me.”
  • Glenwood Park – The gymnasium will be transformed into a Wall of Honor for the veterans of Glenwood Park, including parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents or friends who have served in the military. Veterans are invited to a 1:45 p.m. assembly where students and staff will honor them with song and thank-yous.
  • Haley – Family members of Haley students and staff who have served or are serving in the military will be honored at a special program at 1:15 p.m. The program includes singing patriotic songs, reading essays and a flag presentation by the Boy Scouts. Following the program, veterans will visit classrooms to talk with students and answer questions. Fourth- and fifth-grade students will have an opportunity to meet Andre Beasley, who served as a Tomb Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C.
  • Harris – Local veterans living at Arbor Glen and Towne House will visit classrooms at Harris throughout the afternoon.
  • Harrison Hill – Students will participate in a flag presentation outdoors with the playing of “Taps.” Members of the Air Force, Army and Navy will participate in an all-school assembly where students will learn about each branch of military, its history and the effects on our country economically, historically and in a global market.
  • Holland – Students will present a musical tribute at 10 a.m. to honor veterans who are family and friends of Holland students and staff. Korean War veterans will share brief stories of their military experiences, and students will learn about flag folding and how to properly dispose of a worn out or tattered flag. The keynote speaker of the event will be Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz. Following the assembly, veterans and guests are invited to stay for lunch served by students. Prior to Veterans Day, Holland students and staff collected supplies for homeless veterans and made cards and gifts for those at the VA Hospital.
  • Indian Village – Students and staff at Indian Village will honor our country’s brave men and women veterans with a patriotic program at 9 a.m.
  • Irwin – The Monday morning Blastoff will include a special recognition of Veterans Day, including the singing of the “Star Spangled Banner.” In the evening, students will perform a concert during which all veterans in attendance will be recognized.
  • Lincoln – Students will participate in learning activities throughout the school day. During lunch, Principal Frank Kline will discuss the importance of Veterans Day with students.
  • Lindley – Families collected and donated items to send to troops currently serving. Fourth-grade students had the opportunity to enter a writing contest on the American Flag.
  • Maplewood – Students are encouraged to wear red, white and blue on Veterans Day. Those donating $2 to the VA Hospital will also be able to wear a hat for the day. Money raised will be used to buy gas cards for veterans needing assistance getting to and from the hospital.
  • Nebraska – Students will learn about veterans through grade-level appropriate activities, including stories, singing patriotic songs, reading news articles, watching video clips and writing poetry. Many students previously wrote letters for veterans participating in the Honor Flight, and more will write thank-you notes on Veterans Day. The school will also create a Veterans Wall with information about local veterans, including those in students’ families.
  • Northcrest – Students will hear from and honor veterans in an all-school assembly at 2:30 p.m. The assembly will include patriotic songs, presentation of the flag, poetry readings and recognition of veterans present.
  • Price – Students will learn about Veterans Day during the morning announcements before veterans visit the school to read with students.
  • St. Joseph Central – During the month of November, a flag will be added outside to honor each branch of the military. Students will learn about each branch of the military during morning announcements as well as the history of Veterans Day and how it is different than Memorial Day. Finally, a flag has been purchased for each student to present to a veteran or someone related to a veteran in honor of Veterans Day.
  • Scott Academy – Students will participate in a Veterans Day program, which will include singing patriotic songs.
  • Shambaugh – Stories will be read in each classroom explaining the importance of Veterans Day. Some classrooms will have special guests as family members who are veterans were invited to participate in the day. The school also created a Wall of Honor with pictures of veterans sent in by families.
  • South Wayne – Students will learn about Veterans Day during a special assembly in the morning. At 2:30 p.m., family members who are veterans will be honored during a Veterans Day concert. A reception with cookies and punch will follow the program.
  • Study – Students will wear red, white and blue color shirts to celebrate Veterans Day. In the afternoon, a veteran will talk to students during an assembly about the importance of Veterans Day and what it symbolizes.
  • Washington – Teachers will read “The Wall” by Eve Bunting to students in each classroom.
  • Waynedale – Veterans have been invited to the school to participate in Waynedale’s Veterans Day program at 9:30 a.m. Students previously brought in pictures and information about veterans in their families for an Honor Wall. Students also have been writing letters to men and women currently serving in the military.
  • Weisser Park – Parents, grandparents and other relatives who are or have served in the military will be honored at an assembly.

Intermediate School

  • Towles – Students will participate in a Veterans Day ceremony at 9 a.m. Students also made posters with information about family members who are veterans for the school’s Honor Wall.

Middle Schools

  • Blackhawk – At least 30 veterans will be recognized at an assembly at 9 a.m. The Blackhawk band and choir will perform, and essay winners will read their Veterans Day essays. Veterans will remain at Blackhawk throughout the day to talk with students in social studies classes. Veterans will also be treated to lunch.
  • Jefferson – Jefferson will have a public flag raising at 7:45 a.m. with patriotic music. Students will then focus on Veterans Day during their social studies classes.
  • Kekionga – Veterans who are parents, guardians, friends and relatives of Kekionga students are invited to a Veterans’ Recognition Breakfast at 7 a.m. The school will honor the men and women who have served the community in any capacity, combat or non-combat, through military service. Guests will be accompanied by a student (son, daughter, ward, grandchild, niece, nephew or friend). Kekionga will also Skype with an Army Base in Seattle to wish them well and send thanks. Classrooms will be doing various activities as well.
  • Lane – Students will participate in a Veterans Day assembly at 9 a.m. Retired veterans and active servicemen and women related or otherwise connected to Lane staff and students will be recognized. Lane’s band and choir will perform, and the business class and essay winners will share presentations. IPFW’s ROTC Color Guard and Police/Fire Pipe and Drum Brigade will perform.
  • Memorial Park – A Veterans Day display will be set up, and there will be lessons in social studies classes recognizing the importance of the day and why it is celebrated.
  • Miami – A “Thank a Veteran” display, including military uniforms and pictures of staff members who have served in the military, is set up for the month of November. Social Studies classes will study Veterans Day and the meaning behind the remembrance.
  • Northwood – Northwood has three current teachers who are veterans and who have coordinated a project for students to write letters to veterans. The letters are going to be delivered to the VA Hospitals in Fort Wayne and Indianapolis. Each social studies class will present the history of Veterans Day and American wars, and language arts classes will read and write about Veterans Day. There will be a moment of silence at 11 a.m. Finally, a recorded flag ceremony will play through the classrooms, and students will be given small flags as they leave for the day.
  • Portage – All English/Language Arts classes will draft letters for soldiers who are currently deployed. Social studies classes have in-class activities in preparation for soldiers and veterans who will visit on Nov. 15.
  • Shawnee – Morning announcements will include a special reading of the history of the holiday and the importance of it today. On Nov. 27, the school will host a Veterans Thanks Assembly.

High Schools

  • Northrop – Representatives from Honor Flight of Northeast Indiana will visit Northrop for student assemblies from 8:15-10:15 a.m. as the school makes a donation to sponsor four World War II Veterans on a trip to Washington, D.C. and the World War II Memorial. A local veteran of both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars will also speak with students during the assembly.
  • North Side – Staff members at North Side will participate in Jeans for Troops with a goal of raising $500 for the American Veteran Foundation. During the morning announcements, Principal Chad Hissong will read President Obama’s Veterans Day Proclamation followed by “America the Beautiful” sung by music teacher Heidi Wood. At the end of the day, students will create a human American flag and the North Side Marching Band will play the National Anthem.
  • Snider – In the journalism class at Snider, students will read, analyze and discuss columns written by Ernie Pyle during World War II. The Pulitzer Prize winning journalist from Indiana was an embedded journalist who told the stories of soldiers through their vantage point during World War II. Students in other language arts classes will read, analyze and discuss poems about war. Students will also write poems about war from the perspective of a soldier or soldier’s loved one.
  • South Side – The school day will begin with a message from staff member Ron Holmes, who served several tours in Vietnam.
  • Wayne – At about 2:20 p.m., ROTC cadets will march through the halls of Wayne carrying the colors. Stories of the military experiences of staff and family members will be read over the public address system. The recognition will end with “Taps.” At New Tech Academy, students are writing letters to veterans through the Heinz Our Turn to Serve project, which donates $1 to the Wounded Warrior Project for every letter sent. Other students are interviewing and writing about veterans.

Friday, Nov. 15

  • Portage – Students in the National Junior Honor Society will decorate the building in preparation for veterans who are visiting on Nov. 15. Students have also been working on questions they would like to ask the visiting veterans.
  • Washington Center – Throughout the week, all classes at Washington Center will have “Penny Wars.” The goal is to collect enough money to send one World War II Veteran on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. Activities though out the week will celebrate veterans, with a culmination assembly at 2:30 p.m. Friday, where a check will be presented to the Honor Flight of Northeast Indiana. In addition, the class that collects the most money will be treated to a pizza party, and a veteran who has been on an Honor Flight will talk to students about the experience.

Wednesday, Nov. 27

  • Shawnee – A Veterans Thanks Assembly will be held at the end of the school day. The Color Guard will present the Flag and lead the Pledge of Allegiance. There will be musical performances by the choirs and bands, including military tunes, while pictures of Shawnee veterans or family members who are veterans are shown. Students who have military members in their families will carry stars with names to the assembly. During the assembly the various branches of the military will be recognized.

Events already complete

  • Lakeside – Students wrote letters to veterans participating in last month’s Honor Flight.

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