The Family and Consumer Sciences Department takes a leadership role in strengthening individual, family, and community well-being. The Department believes in the importance of offering educational opportunities to all individuals that will enhance intellectual development and maximize overall potential. The Family and Consumer Sciences Department also believes education is a lifelong process and supports the necessary development of life skills essential to becoming confident and responsible citizens of the community. The philosophy of the Family and Consumer Sciences Department is to empower individuals, support families, and enable communities through education and application. Family and Consumer Sciences strives to meet individual and family needs inside and outside the home, to foster respectful and caring relationships, and to emphasize the overall well-being of individuals in society. Instruction in the Family and Consumer Sciences Department focuses on the following major strands: Financial and Resource Management; Balancing Family, Work, and Community Responsibility; Food Science and Nutrition; and Child Development. Through these four strands, the core curriculum is derived and then developed for relevance to a student’s everyday life. Family and Consumer Sciences also helps students investigate and plan for possible careers, develop necessary skills for employment, improve financial literacy, utilize resource management skills, and enhance positive communication. Family and Consumer Sciences engage students in planning, preparing, and analyzing daily projects or issues, and stresses the importance of teamwork and leadership skills. It broadens the definition of individual wellness to include physical health, exercise, and proper nutrition. Courses also provide students with the knowledge and skills they will need to be prepared to take on adult roles and responsibilities in their own families, their communities, and their world. The Family and Consumer Sciences Department prepares students for multiple life roles and responsibilities in family, work, community, and the global society.