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Teacher urges Olympic pool; superintendent asks board to endorse fundraising partnership with Fort Wayne Swim Alliance
Summary
A Carroll High School teacher urged the district to expand pool facilities and partner with the Fort Wayne Swim and Wellness Alliance. Superintendent Parker asked the board to give staff permission to pursue a verbal partnership to aid the Alliance's fundraising; board members agreed to explore the partnership verbally.
Lisa Baranda, a math teacher at Carroll High School and the Carroll Middle swim coach, told the board the district—s swim facilities are undersized and are limiting student opportunities. She urged the district to expand pool facilities and partner with the Fort Wayne Swim and Wellness Alliance to bring a larger competitive facility to the community.
"We have outgrown the facility here," Baranda said, describing athletes who practice late at night and long waiting lists for swim lessons. She cited missing warm-water therapy for special needs students and the lack of a larger springboard for diving training.
Superintendent Michael Parker told the board the Fort Wayne Swim and Wellness Alliance has asked for a verbal commitment to be announced to support its fundraising. "If you could instruct me to pursue this partnership, it would be of a huge help to the Fort Wayne Swim and Wellness Alliance for their efforts in fundraising," Parker said. He advised the board that any formal agreement would return for board consideration as required.
Board members indicated support to continue exploring the partnership and gave staff permission to proceed verbally with the Alliance so the community partner could use the district as a named partner in fundraising materials. Board President Dawn Hathaway and other trustees indicated agreement during the meeting.
Why it matters Baranda described programmatic and safety limitations posed by current facilities, including late practice hours for middle-school swimmers and limited capacity for lessons and lifeguard training. Parker said a verbal partnership would assist external fundraising but did not request an immediate formal vote.
What the district said Parker told the board staff can work with the Alliance on fundraising steps and that the district will bring any formal partnership or financial commitment back to the board for approval. No binding financial commitment was approved at the Jan. 13 meeting; board members gave staff direction to continue discussions and to permit the superintendent to provide a verbal indication of partnership to the Alliance.
Provenance: public comment and superintendent—s request recorded during audience comments and superintendent report on Jan. 13, 2025.
