FWCS celebrates Veterans Day

News release from Fort Wayne Community Schools:

FWCS Celebrates Veterans Day

(November 5, 2015) – 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 Wednesday, 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.

 

Friday, Nov. 6

• Lindley – Members of the American Legion, Lincoln Post 82, will visit Lindley Elementary at 12:45 p.m. for a flag-folding ceremony with fourth-graders. The event is a kick-off for the Flag Essay Contest hosted by the American Legion.
• Waynedale – Students and staff may bring in $1 to wear jeans in support of U.S. military. All money raised will be donated to the GI Go Fund, which directly supports members, both past and present, of the United States Armed Forces.

 

Tuesday, Nov. 10

• Arlington – Students will perform a musical program, America: Pride, Peace and Gratitude, at 7 p.m. in the Northrop High School auditorium. Students will sing traditional patriotic songs, the official songs of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard and a variety of songs expressing peace and gratitude.
• Study – Third- and fourth-grade students will sing patriotic songs at 2:30 p.m. to recognize Veterans Day and its significance. In addition, patriotic student artwork will be hung in the hallway.

 

Wednesday, Nov. 11

Elementary Schools

• Abbett – The school day will begin with a flag-raising ceremony at 9:30 a.m. at the flag pole in the front of the school with members of the 122nd Fighter Wing Base Honor Guard.
• Adams – At 10:15 a.m. the school will honor local veterans at a special program. All veterans, especially those who are family members of Adams students and staff, are welcome to attend. Students will also complete their Marine Corps Toys for Tots drive, which included a Penny War to raise money for toys. As a part of the project, students wrote to service members and asked them to send a penny along with the story of their service. Those stories will be shared during the school assembly.
• Arlington – Students and staff will continue Arlington’s tradition of honoring local veterans and remembering Arlington family members who have served the country in a program beginning at 9:30 a.m. All veterans are invited to the assembly. Vietnam Veteran and former Holland Elementary Principal Mike Caywood will serve as guest speaker, sharing his thoughts on “Heroes.” Students will sing patriotic songs and share essays, videos and a slideshow of Arlington students and their family members who have served over the years.
• Bloomingdale – Students will participate in a celebration and remembrance of veterans in the community at 1:30 p.m. The program includes music performed by students in kindergarten through fifth-grade.
• Brentwood – Students and staff will participate in an assembly at 10:30 a.m. The event will include a Flag-folding ceremony with the 122nd Fighter Wing Honor Guard, songs by students, veteran special guests and a photo presentation.
• Croninger – There will be an all-school sing-along of “God Bless America” at 2:15 p.m. In addition, students will watch a newscast of a student interviewing a parent who is currently serving in the Army.
• Forest Park – Veterans are invited to a continental breakfast at the school at 9 a.m., followed by a school assembly at 9:20 a.m. The assembly includes the presentation of colors, the National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance, musical performances by students, essays from the winners of the Veteran Essay Contest and a balloon release in memory of fallen soldiers and veterans.
• 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, students will gather for an assembly at 9:30 a.m. to learn more about what a veteran is and their importance in our lives.
• Glenwood Park – Family members who are veterans are invited to attend special ceremonies in the afternoon. Kindergarten and first grade will have a program at 1 p.m.; second and third grades at 1:30 p.m.; and fourth and fifth grades at 2 p.m. Each program will be unique.
• Haley – Family members of Haley students and staff who have served or are serving in the military will be honored at reception at 12:30 p.m., followed by a program at 1 p.m. Following the program, veterans will visit classrooms to talk with students and answer questions.
• Harris – All month, students and staff have been collecting toiletry items for Shepherd’s House shelter for homeless veterans. Donations to the collection are accepted through Nov. 11.
• Holland – Fifth-grade students will present a musical tribute at 10 a.m. for Holland students to honor veterans who are family and friends of Holland students and staff. A Korean War veteran will share brief stories of his military experiences. In the evening, students will perform the same musical tribute for their parents at 6 p.m.
• 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. The program will begin with the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem. Third- and fourth-graders will perform several patriotic musical numbers including “It’s a Grand Old Flag” and “Thank you, Soldiers.” The program will also include a White Table to honor POW/MIA and an Honor Wall to honor veteran friends and family.
• Irwin – Mayor Tom Henry will visit Irwin for a special ceremony at 10:50 a.m.
• Lincoln – Student Council members will lead the school in the Pledge of Allegiance at 8:30 a.m. Poems written by fourth- and fifth-graders thanking veterans will be posted throughout the building. Students will also place flags along the walkway of the school.
• Maplewood – Students will attend an assembly at 9:30 a.m. The celebration will include a musical performance by the fifth-grade choir, presentations from the Wayne JROTC and VFW 241, and a short video of students/staff of veteran family members.
• Northcrest – Students and staff will honor veterans in an all-school assembly at 2 p.m. The fourth- and fifth-grade choir will perform and thank-you cards will be given to veterans present.
• Northwood – Students will learn about Veterans Day and its importance in announcements throughout the school day. The school will have a brief flag ceremony and will write letters to veterans.
• St. Joseph Central – Throughout the week, students will learn about each branch of the military, as well as the history of Veterans Day and how it is different than Memorial Day in the morning announcements. Flags have been purchased for each student to present to a veteran or someone related to a veteran in honor of Veterans Day. Students will also be writing letters of thanks to send on the next Honor Flight trip to Washington, D.C.
• Scott Academy – Students will participate in a Veterans Day program at 9 a.m. The assembly includes several student performances and a tribute to all Scott family members who have served the country.
• Shambaugh – Students and staff are creating a Wall of Honor to recognize the veterans of the school community. The Wall of Honor will display pictures of students’ family members and will be proudly displayed throughout the month of November. Veterans have also been invited to speak in classrooms throughout the day, and teachers will read the book, “America’s White Table,” to further educate students about the importance of Veterans Day.
• South Wayne – Students will celebrate Veterans Day through music during a special assembly at 2 p.m. Students and their guests will then have the opportunity to decorate and eat cookies.
• Washington – Students will participate in a celebration and remembrance of veterans in the community at 9:30 a.m. The program includes music performed by students in kindergarten through fifth-grade.
• Washington Center – Students and staff began a school-wide penny drive on Nov. 2 to raise money for Honor Flight of Northeast Indiana. During an assembly on Nov. 11, the total raised will be announced.
• Waynedale – Waynedale Elementary will pay tribute to generations who have served in defense of our Nation with an assembly at 9 a.m. The assembly will include presentation of the Colors and a POW/MIA tribute by students in the JROTC program at Wayne. The school will have a “Wall of Honor” displaying photos of family members who have served or are currently serving in the military.
• Weisser Park – A Tribute to Veterans will begin at 9 a.m. Students will see slide shows, listen to and greet retired and enlisted military and hear the anthems of the different military corps.
• Whitney Young – Teachers will read stories about veterans to students, and a veteran will visit classrooms to share his experiences and answer questions. Some students will write letters to veterans participating in Honor Flight. In art, students will observe drawings of military items, such as medals, coats and more.

 

Intermediate School

• Towles – Veterans in students’ lives are invited to attend lunch at 11:30 a.m. followed by a special program at 12:45 p.m. The program includes poetry readings, speeches and a special choir performance. Kindergarten students from Bunche Montessori Early Childhood Center will travel to Towles to join the program.

 

Middle Schools

• Blackhawk – Students will learn about the five branches of the U.S. Military and how to thank a veteran throughout the week. Students will invite veteran family members to lunch on Veterans Day where they will share their military service and talk to students. Students will have the opportunity to thank them for their service. After lunch, Student Council will sponsor a Patriotic Reception Room with cake and coffee for the veterans. In addition, U.S. Army Sgt. Michael Loomis, who served from 2005-2014 and was deployed to Afghanistan, will speak to social studies classes throughout the day.
• Jefferson – Jefferson will have a public flag-raising ceremony at 7:30 a.m. with patriotic music performed by the school band. Veterans, active duty military personnel and public safety officials are invited to the ceremony.
• Kekionga – Veterans who are parents, guardians, friends and relatives of Kekionga students are invited to a Veterans’ Recognition Breakfast at 7:15 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). At the breakfast, three students will read a letter they have written for someone currently serving and the choir with sing “In Flanders Fields” and “My Country Tis of Thee.” Flags will be placed in the front of the school as “Taps” is played.
• Lakeside – Students will gather for an assembly at 8 a.m. with a performance from the school band and a short presentation.
• Memorial Park – Seventh- and eighth-grade student will learn about Veterans Day and why it is celebrated by creating a timeline and writing about the United States’ involvement in war. Sixth-graders will research have a poster contest after researching the history of Veterans Day. The posters will be shared with the VA Hospital.
• 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.
• Portage – A recruiter from the Army National Guard will visit during student lunches from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. to provide activities for students. Students will have the opportunity to view a short video, participate in physical fitness activities, such as a push-up contest or lifting an Army Ruck Sack weighing 10 to 15 pounds, and examine equipment that Army service members wear while in field.

 

High Schools

• North Side – Students have designed a Veterans Day mural, which will be dedicated to the current North Side alumni serving in the military. From 11:55 a.m.-1:30 p.m., there will be a performance art painting of the mural. There will also be a reading of the President’s Veterans Day Proclamation and other patriotic video and music presentations.
• Snider – At least 20 veterans from various wars, including World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan will meet and speak with Snider students throughout the day. Students will also learn more about Honor Flight of Northeast Indiana in a short presentation and will have an opportunity to write letters to veterans participating in Honor Flight. A Veterans Day display was put together including artifacts from various wars, uniforms of staff members who have served and biographies and photos of family members who have served.
• Wayne – At 2:30 p.m., students will participate in the Take a Vet to School program, created by the History channel. The program, supported locally by Frontier, brings veterans to the school to share their stories and answer questions from students. At Wayne, members of the JROTC program will participate in the celebration. In addition, students at New Tech Academy will meet with local veterans in small groups to talk to them about their experiences serving the country.

 

Thursday, Nov. 12

• Lane – Students will participate in a Veterans Day assembly at 8:30 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, as will the Fort Wayne Police/Fire Pipe and Drum Brigade.
• Nebraska – Throughout the week, students will learn about veterans through grade-level appropriate activities, including stories, singing patriotic songs, reading news articles, watching video clips and writing poetry. On Nov. 12, Nebraska staff members are invited to donate $5 to wear jeans to school to support Jeans for Troops through the GI Go Fund.

 

Friday, Nov. 13

• Fairfield – Veteran family members or friends of Fairfield students are invited to an assembly at 10 a.m. followed by classroom visits and a Q&A with fourth-graders. A lunch reception will be held at 11:45 a.m.

 

Wednesday, Nov. 25

• Shawnee – A Veterans Thanks Assembly will be held at 1:30 p.m. 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.

 

About Fort Wayne Community Schools
With nearly 30,000 students, Fort Wayne Community Schools is one of the largest school districts in Indiana. FWCS proudly allows families to choose any of its 51 schools through its successful school-choice program creating diversity in each school, including some with more than 75 languages spoken. FWCS offers seven magnet schools focusing on areas such as science and math, communication, fine arts or Montessori at the elementary and middle school level. In high school, students can choose from the prestigious International Baccalaureate program, Project Lead the Way or New Tech Academy as well as other rigorous academic and specialty training programs.

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