MCS is hiring for cafeteria positions! If you or someone you know might be interested in a flexible cafeteria position, please have them click on the link and apply. We would love to have you be a part of the MCS family.
https://mcsin.schoolspring.com/
Tech coaches and educators from MCS wrap up CSPD Week in Bloomington. CSPD Week is a week-long, in-person professional development conference designed to help educators integrate computer science standards into their classrooms.
From left to right, Erin Wagner, Terry Gagich, Jen Purviance, Patty Prendergast, and Mary Grossman. Bryan Blaschke not pictured.
Thank you to our teachers, who give up some of their summer in order to help improve student learning in the classroom!
Officer Payne had a great time attending the Indiana School Resource Officer Conference and is proud to have completed the Basic SRO Course certification. Thank you for your work with our students and staff!
We are proud of our Northridge High School jazz band members for their performance today at the Elkhart Jazz Festival. This was a great opportunity for students!
Natalia Gonzalez was honored at this week's MCS school board meeting during the Middlebury Moment.
Natalia Gonzalez just finished 8th grade at NMS and was nominated by Principal Mrs. Martin and MLL staff member, Mrs. Rink.
Natalia came to NMS during the 2nd week of school and could only speak Spanish.
During this school year, staff members have seen her flourish in her English-speaking skills. By March, they witnessed her speaking English in full sentences, and with confidence!
Teachers have extremely positive things to say about Natalia. Her desire to learn and her willingness to work hard, and the kindness she exemplifies make her a model student.
Teachers have witnessed Natalia’s kindness when helping other Multilingual students keep up with classroom notetaking, and they’ve seen her courage when she faced her fears by learning to swim in PE class. Every day she is getting more and more comfortable
speaking to classmates and teachers alike.
Mrs. Rink stated that “I recently heard Natalia proudly tell someone, ‘Mrs. Rink has taught me English well’ but what she doesn't realize is how much she has actually taught me.”
We know you will do great things in the future, and we are so proud of you, Natalia
The MCS administration is recommending the appointment of Mrs. Melissa Whitehead as principal at Northridge High School effective July 14, 2025. This recommendation was unanimously approved by the school board this evening.
Mrs. Whitehead brings 29 years of experience in public education and recently completed her eighth year as principal of Twin Lakes High School in Monticello, Indiana. Her career began in the classroom, where she spent 17 years teaching high school business courses. During that time, she also coached girls and boys tennis, contributing to five sectional championship teams.
In 2012, Mrs. Whitehead transitioned into school administration as an assistant principal, where she earned recognition for her dedication and leadership. She received the Commitment to Excellence Award in 2013 and was named Indiana District 4 Assistant Principal of the Year in the spring of 2017. The following school year, Mrs. Whitehead was promoted to principal at Twin Lakes High School, where she led multiple school improvement initiatives and received the Beacon of Light Award in 2020 and was named the Indiana District 4 High School Principal of the Year in 2023. Under her leadership, Twin Lakes High School was named a Four Star School and ranked among Indiana’s Top 25 Advanced Placement (AP) Schools- recognitions that reflect her focus on expanding access to rigorous coursework and improving college readiness outcomes.
Mrs. Whitehead holds a bachelor’s degree in business education from Manchester University, a master’s degree in education with principal certification from Indiana Wesleyan University, and an educational specialist degree from Indiana State University. She is a certified Indiana School Safety Specialist and trained in nonviolent crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques. The move to Northridge marks a meaningful return for Mrs. Whitehead and her husband, Chris, as she graduated from Concord High School and still has family living in Elkhart County.
Throughout the selection process, Mrs. Whitehead’s passion for serving students, staff, and the broader community was obvious. She is a strong advocate for athletics, the arts, and extracurricular programs, and she prioritizes transparency and open communication. Her collaborative leadership style reflects her belief that students thrive when educators, families, and community members work together.
Please join us in welcoming Mrs. Melissa Whitehead as the newest Northridge Raider!
MCS is now enrolling new students for the upcoming school year.
We will enroll new students at any time during the summer. However, we also have some targeted enrollment weeks for specific grade levels that will streamline the process.
There is no need to wait to enroll, and we are excited to meet your student. Please call Liz at 574-822-5263 to get started!
Happy Father's Day!!!
The Northridge High School German and Spanish national exams have concluded. We are excited to report that NHS students earned 5 gold medals, 16 silver medals, 22 bronze medals, and 74 honorable mentions. Congratulations to our students!
Congratulations to the class of 2025!!!
Indiana law requires all public school corporations to follow a statutorily prescribed process for the termination of a teacher’s employment. Our federal constitution also provides due process and liberty interest procedures that public entities, such as school corporations, must observe when ending employment. Unlike the private sector, the public school employment termination process has several steps that are dependent upon the teacher’s specific requests. Generally, that process can take anywhere from five to forty-five days. At any time, a teacher may immediately resign from employment.
Earlier today, Middlebury Community Schools completed its investigation into circumstances surrounding a teacher’s social media post. After the conclusion of the school corporation’s interview, when informed the school corporation would be commencing the cancellation of contract, the teacher submitted her immediate resignation. The teacher is no longer employed by the school corporation.
Middlebury Community Schools owns policies that require teachers to refrain from using their position to promote partisan political views. This prohibition applies to all teachers, regardless of their political leanings, and to every partisan political message, regardless of its content. Our educators should not be advocating personal political views, either directly or indirectly, to our students during the school day or while supervising students at a school function.
Earlier this week, Middlebury Community Schools’ administration learned of a social media post made by a teacher while serving as a chaperone on a student trip to our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C. In the posted photograph, the teacher is wearing a T-shirt possessing a partisan political message while supervising students. School administrators are actively investigating the situation. The student trip only returned to Middlebury on Wednesday, June 4, which unfortunately slowed the investigation process.
As with all personnel matters, the school corporation will not be commenting further while the investigation is pending.
David and Aaliyah Williams were recognized during the Middlebury Moment at the school board meeting yesterday. Here is what Dr. Snyder said about these students:
In 2022, David and Aaliyah Williams enrolled at Orchard View Elementary as first-grade students. At the time, they were transitioning to living with their uncle and aunt, Mike and Autumn Williams, who had just become their foster parents. They had experienced
significant trauma and spent considerable time without housing. As a result, both students faced challenges academically, socially, and emotionally.
At the time of their enrollment, the school team at Orchard View, including Mrs. Nay and Mrs. Palmer, collaborated with Mike and Autumn to develop an academic support plan tailored to the students’ needs. Early on, David displayed significantly challenging
behaviors, but the team at Orchard View committed to working together, with school and guardians, to build David’s trust, address undesirable behaviors, and eventually shift the focus to academics.
Aaliyah also struggled academically and socially, and the school plan for her provided support in both areas. In November 2023, Mike and Autumn officially adopted both children, giving them a permanent, loving home.
Throughout this journey, Mike and Autumn worked closely with Mrs. Nay, who made it her mission to ensure that David and Aaliyah were given every opportunity to succeed. Both students participated in small group sessions for literacy remediation and were also
provided extra math support. David developed a trusting relationship with Ms. Khing, who served as his paraprofessional. With her balance of compassion and high expectations, she provided the structure and encouragement he needed.
Now, as they finish third grade, both David and Aaliyah have had extraordinary school years with Mrs. Estep and Ms. Beers as their teachers. David has had zero office referrals, formed strong friendships, and genuinely enjoys school. Aaliyah has also flourished, gaining confidence and independence.
Both participated in the recent Market Day event, and in early March, Aaliyah reached another milestone- passing the IREAD literacy assessment on her first attempt!
Principal Kyle Martin said, “There may still be some ups and downs, but I have no doubt that David and Aaliyah will continue to grow and be successful. Their journey is a story of resilience, highlighting the power of teamwork and the unwavering support from
the awesome staff at Orchard View. Most importantly, none of this would have been possible without the love, dedication, and determination of Mike and Autumn Williams. This truly is a success story and demonstrates what’s possible when we pull together to
do what is best for kids!”
Congratulations to these two students. We are proud of you!
One of our favorite traditions on the last day of school is when the graduating seniors go back to visit the elementary school they attended. Young students line the halls to cheer for them as the seniors give high fives to the elementary students while in their caps and gowns. This is a fun time for everyone and means a lot to the seniors as well as the teachers who had guided them throughout their elementary years. Best of luck to the class of 2025!
Our transportation department wants to remind you that school is officially over for students this year. Have a great summer break!
Heritage Intermediate School students enjoyed their year-end tradition of having Kona Ice visit the school for a special treat!
Making connections...The Builder's Association of Elkhart County hosted its first Member Benefit Breakfast Series on May 21. Paul Johnson and Kaylin Hartman, Work Based Learning Coordinators at Northridge High School, were the guest speakers. Their presentation included the new diploma requirements as well as ways to employ high school workers through Work-based Learning. Patty Mosness and her Culinary students provided the breakfast items for the meeting. Thanks for representing Northridge to the community.
Mrs. Troyer's 3rd grade class at Middlebury Elementary School is hard at work! We hope you had a great Memorial Day and are ready for the last week of classes.
Mr. Sallee's third grade class at Middlebury Elementary School learns about recycling by creating a Litter Critter Zoo. Students take recyclable products and turn them into animals for sustainability and re-use. Way to go Middies!
