FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) – The woman who served the area’s largest school district for 17 years has passed away, school officials sadly announced on Friday.Fort Wayne Community Schools (FWCS) leaders say former superintendent Dr. Wendy Robinson has died. Dr. Robinson retired in 2020 after 17 years in the role.She was one of four finalists for the 2018 National Superintendent of the Year award by the AASA, The School Superintendents Association. She was also the recipient of the Joseph E. Hill Superintendent of the Year Award in 2009, from the National Alliance of Black School Educators.FWCS’ spokesperson sent the following statement, saying she was a staunch advocate of public education:“Fort Wayne Community Schools is saddened to hear of the death of former superintendent Dr. Wendy Robinson. Dr. Robinson was a lifelong advocate for children, and supporting public education was her passion. She truly believed educating all children to high standards was the moral purpose of all educators. She had high expectations for the employees of Fort Wayne Community Schools – no matter the position – because every staff member had a role to play in students’ lives.Dr. Robinson spent nearly her entire life with Fort Wayne Community Schools, starting as a kindergarten student and graduated from Central High School (now the Bill C. Anthis Center). She studied education at DePauw University in Greencastle and returned to Fort Wayne after graduation to work as a third-grade teacher at Ward Elementary School. In her nearly five decades with Fort Wayne Community Schools, she served as a teacher, principal and central office administrator before being named superintendent in 2003. She was the first female, first African American and first FWCS graduate to be named superintendent of the District.She won numerous honors and was known nationally for her work in leading the state’s largest school district, a role she cherished.“I just keep my head down and do what I have to do right now,” she said after winning the Outstanding Black Alumnus Award from Ball State University in 2007. “By doing your job well, things happen. There no next step that is better than what’s going on right now.”For FWCS, she was never satisfied with the status quo and pushed for transformation in education that would benefit all students.“From the Board room to the classroom, creativity and innovation in our public schools know no bounds,” Dr. Robinson said after being selected as one of Education Week’s Leaders to Learn From in 2016.Her legacy will be long-lasting in Fort Wayne Community Schools and throughout the greater Fort Wayne region. We keep her family and friends in our thoughts.”Fort Wayne Community School Board member Steve Corona sent the following statement:Wendy was a passionate advocate for children, and a terrific, highly credible representative for public education. She was highly regarded by our local delegation of the Indiana General Assembly. We have lost a wonderful community leader, and my condolences are with her husband Jim and family.Dr. Robinson has also served as a member of the Parkview Health Board of Directors since 2015.“Dr. Robinson is also an active member of the community, forming partnerships with state and local agencies, businesses, and serving on several state and local boards. She was named Superintendent of Fort Wayne Community Schools in 2003 after serving as a teacher, principal and central office administrator,” Parkview’s website reads.She was replaced by Dr. Mark Daniel, a North Side High School graduate, in May of 2020 following a monthslong search.Copyright 2023 WPTA. All rights reserved.
