Schools of Success

Fort Wayne Community Schools believes in preparing students to be successful in life beginning as early as pre-K. Through our Schools of Success model, elementary students develop the skills and habits that support their growth from early learning through graduation. The Portrait of an Explorer presents students with the Keys to Success, building a strong foundation in skills including creativity, collaboration, communication, problem-solving and critical thinking.

A large group of students sit on the floor of a gymnasium in the foreground, facing a stage in the background where a celebration is taking place.

Two young children sit at a wooden table with milk cartons and bagged lunches, while a colorful alphabet chart hangs on the wall in the background.

A group of children in green hoodies pose for a photo in front of a large screen in a classroom decorated with colorful letters and numbers.

Portrait of an Explorer

Every elementary student is encouraged to become an Explorer: A curious, confident learner who is ready to discover, create and grow.

The Portrait of an Explorer highlights the skills and qualities students develop throughout their elementary experience, including curiosity, creativity, collaboration, communication and problem-solving. Through classroom learning, hands-on experiences and community connections, students build the foundation they need for success.

Every day, our Explorers ask questions, try new things and discover their unique strengths as learners and members of their community.

Prepared

Literacy
Digital Literacy
Financial Literacy
STEM

Skilled

Creativity & Innovation
Critical & Analytical Thinking
Collaboration
Engaging Communication
Cultural Agility
Self-Direction

Connected

Positive Relationships
Community Connections
Work-Based Learning
Leadership Experiences

Experienced

Career & Community Exploration
Career Awareness, Enrichment & Planning
Post-Secondary Exploration
Enrollment, Employment, Enlistment or Entrepreneurship

Monthly Success Skills

Students and staff in all FWCS schools focus on a different competency each month. These district-wide themes highlight the skills, habits and mindsets that help students succeed in school, careers and life.

Schools are expected to incorporate activities, lessons and celebrations that encourage students to practice and strengthen these skills.

August

September

Effective Collaboration

Behavioral Indicators/Skill Goals

Students will:

Help their team succeed by doing quality work on time and making sure everyone contributes.
Think first, then share. Listen to others’ ideas without interrupting and help make ideas stronger.
Be a good teammate who helps everyone work together positively.

Success Criteria:

Students demonstrate teamwork by:

Creating a list of team tasks, assigning responsibilities and deadlines and reviewing the list weekly.
Completing work on time and using a checklist or rubric to show their work meets expectations.
Asking a teammate if they need help, identifying how they can support them and reflecting on the help they provided.

October

Creativity & Innovation

Behavioral Indicators/Skill Goals

Students will:

Look closely at problems, think of different ways to solve them and test ideas step by step.
Find solutions to problems and explain why their ideas work.
Understand that solving problems can take multiple tries and that improvements can always be made.
Stay positive and keep trying when challenges arise.

Success Criteria:

Students demonstrate creative problem-solving by:

Identifying what is causing a problem and deciding whether it needs an immediate solution or more time to explore.
Thinking of at least three possible solutions and writing down ideas before choosing a plan to test.
Trying different approaches, learning from mistakes and making improvements along the way.

November & December

Critical & Analytical Thinking
Behavioral Indicators / Skill Goals

Students will:

Look closely at information, consider different perspectives and understand ideas in different ways.
Learn from multiple sources and connect ideas together like puzzle pieces.
Ask thoughtful questions, consider “what if?” and take time to work through challenging problems.

Success Criteria:

Students demonstrate critical thinking by:

Looking at big problems using information from different trusted sources and identifying facts that support different sides.
Thinking about problems in multiple ways and asking, “What are people assuming is true?”
Creating new solutions, explaining why their ideas work and showing how they used the facts and ideas they learned.

January & February

Cultural Agility

Behavioral Indicators/Skill Goals

Students will:

Try to understand others and how they feel.
Be aware of how words and actions affect others.
Adjust words and actions to fit the situation and know how to be a friend.

Success Criteria:

Find and describe or draw two ways people show their feelings - one thing they say and one thing they do.
Name one way they can change your behavior to fit the situation.
Describe or draw two ways to be a good friend.

March

Engaging Communication

Behavioral Indicators/Skill Goals

Students will:

Be an active listener and listen with their whole body.
Think about what I want to say out loud or in writing before they speak.
Learn from others' ideas and add their ideas to the conversation.

Success Criteria:

Students know how to have a conversation, both in speech and in writing and can plan what I want to say in words, with pictures or with video.
Can actively listen and share ideas with others.
Can ask and answer questions to stay engaged in conversation and communicate ideas.

April

Self Direction

Behavioral Indicators/Skill Goals

Students will:

Students will make a plan for themselves and set expectations and goals. They will also need a way to check if their plan is working and make adjustments as necessary.
They will choose the best tools and plans to help them reach their goal and be ready to tell others why they made these choices.
Keep track of how well they're doing as they learn. Think about the work and use their experiences to do better next time.

Success Criteria:

Create a plan by writing or drawing out the steps.
Students will make a list of what's needed to achieve the goal.
Ask themselves, “Did I achieve my goal? How do I know?”

Guaranteed Experiences - Elementary

Guaranteed Experiences are provided to all students in all schools during the school year. Through these experiences, students form community connections, explore industry and learn about local cultural landmarks.

Pre-K

Kindergarten

Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 4

STUDY OF THE THREE RIVERS OF FORT WAYNE

Science Central

Students will study Fort Wayne’s three rivers and learn how weather erosion shaped the city’s landscape. Students will experience a Science Central virtual lab to enhance their learning.

SWIM LESSONS

Helen P. Brown Natatorium

Swim lessons offer more than just vital life-saving skills—they are a powerful extension of our commitment to student wellness and safety. This experience introduces students to personal health, physical development, and potential career pathways in health, safety, and human services from an early age.

Grade 5

Portrait of a Graduate

From the moment students enter FWCS, they are introduced to their designated profile, Explorer, Connector or Graduate, displayed in every school. These profiles were designed to highlight the skills, traits and knowledge FWCS aims for its students to possess as they progress through each stage of their education.

These Portrait Profiles are deeply aligned with the district's Schools of Success Pathways. All FWCS students are: Skilled, Experienced, Prepared, Connected

Portrait of an Explorer (elementary)

Foundational literacies, early creative & social skills

Portrait of a connector (Middle School)

Skill-building and community connections in a growing context

Portrait of a graduate (high school)

Real-world preparedness, advanced skills, post-secondary readiness