2 schools to close in Fort Wayne Community Schools cutbacks

The Fort Wayne Community Schools board unanimously approved drastic budget cuts Monday that will eliminate 138 jobs in the district and shut down Elmhurst High and Pleasant Center Elementary schools.

At a packed board meeting, somber board members called the school closures and layoffs painful and unfair, but said they are necessary for the long-term financial health of the district. Board members also unanimously approved a one-year contract with the Fort Wayne Teachers Association that will ensure longevity-based pay increases and an unchanged health insurance plan.