Academics

Mrs. Seiss

I attended and earned my Bachelor's of Science Degree in Elementary Education and Masters of Arts in Education Administration and Supervision Degree from Ball State University. I began my career teaching kindergarten and second grade in SW Florida; Ft. Myers and Cape Coral. In 2012, I moved to Muncie, IN with my husband Brad and son Robert. There I was a data coach/reading specialist at Mitchell Elementary. In 2015, my family and I moved to NW Indiana. At Merrillville Schools, I taught sixth grade reading at Merrillville Intermediate School and then transitioned to data coach at Pierce Middle School. In 2018, I came to Duneland as a technology integration specialist for all K-4 buildings and then became the instructional coach at Yost Elementary.

In my free time, I enjoy reading, walking at the beach, coloring with my daughter (Sophie), and cheering for my three boys (Robert, Luke, and Matthew) in all of their sports.

Mr. Tudor

Hello CMS families. My name is Josh Tudor and I serve as the Assistant Principal. I worked at the school district for over 10 years, before taking this role at WMS. My wife, Robin, and I have two great kids named Phoebe and Henry. In my free time, I enjoy being outdoors, listening to music and watching my kids play sports. Let's have a great school year. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Mr. Gross

WMS Athletic Director

Mr. Bruner

I have been teaching for twenty years.  I started teaching ELA in 7th and 8th grade at Bishop Noll Junior High School.  I also taught 8th grade ELA and Pierce Middle School and Union Township Middle School.  I then taught high school English at Wheeler and Portage High School. 

Ms. Lucas

I grew up in Downers Grove, Illinois before moving to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where I attended Grand Valley State University. Through my education, I earned a B.Ed in Secondary Ed and English with a minor in teaching English as a Second or Other Language. After graduating in 2022, I moved to Milan, Italy to teach English, where I remained for five months before backpacking around Europe for an additional five months.

Now that I'm back in the US, you can usually find me hanging out with my family, friends and three English labs at Miller Beach.

Mr. Morris

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Mrs. Stark

I am a 1985 graduate of Indiana University Bloomington and earned my teacher's certification from Indiana University Northwest in Gary in 2004. I am licensed to teach English, Government, and Economics in grades 5-12. I have been teaching English and Advanced English at Chesterton Middle School for the past 15 years.  I have been married to my husband Richard for 35 years and have 3 adult sons. We have lived in Valparaiso for the past 27 years and currently reside in Liberty Township. 

I enjoy reading, knitting and visiting the area's beaches.

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Miss Benedetti

This will be my 5th year teaching. I taught middle school social studies and science before coming to work at CMS. I used last year to gain experience working with students of all grade levels and subjects. I enjoy drawing, painting, manga, and anime. I also enjoy reading, writing, and learning.

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Mr.  Trezak

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Mrs. Wadowski

I attended The University of Michigan and earned a Bachelor of Education. While teaching for three years in the Detroit Public School district I completed my Master's degree in Special Education from Wayne State University. A move to Saginaw, Michigan took me to my first middle school classroom where I taught for three years. After a move to Chesterton, Indiana, and a 15-year hiatus from teaching, I began a two-year teaching assignment at Union Township Middle School/ Wheeler High School. This is my first year teaching at Chesterton Middle School. I am thrilled to be teaching in my home district!

I have three children who all attend the Duneland schools. I love watching them play sports. My favorite genre of books is Historical Fiction. You can always find a book somewhere near me that I am reading.

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Ms. Zalud

Mr. Galloway

I obtained an Associates degree in Anthropology from Indiana University Northwest along with my Bachelors in History / Art History. After completing these degrees I went to Valparaiso University to get my Masters in History. While attending VU I also had the pleasure of living in England for a semester. I am working towards a Masters in Education from IUN as well. Education never ends! My personal interests include travel, listening to all sorts of music, and attending concerts. I enjoy movies, mostly science fiction and horror. 

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Mrs. Good

I received a Bachelor of Arts in History and Communications from Valparaiso University, a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from Indiana University, and a Masters of Liberal Studies in History and English from Valparaiso Univerisity. I enjoy traveling, walking/hiking, photography, flying RC aircraft, crafting, and reading.

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Mrs. Hess

I'm Mrs. Hess! I teach 8th grade United States History. I was raised in Chesterton and attended Duneland Schools from K-12. I graduated from Indiana University in 2017 with a degree in Secondary Education and a minor in Sociology. This is my seventh year teaching at Chesterton Middle School! I am the current Chair for the Social Studies Department. I've coached both volleyball and track in the past. I'm a huge fan of traveling and the outdoors - you can check out the, "Where in the World is Mrs. Hess?" board in my classroom! A few other things I enjoy are spending time with my son and husband, trying new foods, cooking, baking sour dough bread, stand-up comedy, running, reading, and watching IU Basketball!

Mr. Bullock

 My name is Dave Bullock and I am a Physical Education Teacher at CMS. I have a Bachelor of Science Degree from Ball State University and a Master's Degree from Indiana Wesleyan University. This school year will be my 28th year of teaching in the Duneland School Corporation. During my career in Duneland, I have had the privilege of coaching at the middle school level for over 17 years in various sports such as track and field, cross-country, football, and wrestling. My wife is a Social Studies teacher at Chesterton High School. We are both blessed to be part of the Duneland family and to raise our children in a community that is dedicated to our kids. We have two children. My daughter is a senior at Purdue University and my son will be a freshman at Indiana University. I enjoy hunting, fishing, reading about stock investments, and spending time with my family. 

Mr. Gross

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Mrs. Stafford

Mrs. Johnson

Mrs. Mitchell

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Mrs. O'Dell

I have a Bachelor of Science Degree from Purdue University, West Lafayette in Actuarial Science and I worked downtown Chicago for 6 years before taking a break to raise my children. I took courses through Indianan Wesleyan University for my teacher certification to teach, then started my career teaching High Ability classes at Jackson Elementary for a year. I transferred over to CMS to teach math and I am now in my 10th year. I am also a co-sponsor for the CMS Student Council. During my summers, I work for the Chesterton Park Department as the Supervisor of the Summer Fun Park Program located at the park next door, for which I just completed my 6th year!

I enjoy spending time with my family, watching my youngest son play soccer, and spending summers at the park! I also enjoy walks on the beach, hiking, biking, home improvements, and gardening!

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Miss Pleasant

I have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Math and Education from Valparaiso University. This is my second year teaching at Chesterton Middle School. 

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Ms. Madson

Mrs. Keilman

I am excited to be teaching science at CMS. I graduated with degrees from Valparaiso University and Purdue University. I have also taught Project Lead the way, Design & Modeling, and Medical Detectives. I have coached many extra-curricular activities but am currently involved with Science Olympiad and Cross-Country. I enjoy following the interests of my 3 children, science, technology, fitness, recipes, & music. 

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Mrs. Siford

I have taught science in the Duneland School Corporation for the past 27 years, and am currently the CMS science department chairperson. I am a graduate of Laporte High School, hold a BS degree from Ball State University, and hold an MS degree from Indiana University at South Bend. I enjoy spending time with my husband and two children. I enjoy gardening and the great outdoors.

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Mr. Zucker

I received my B.S. from Valparaiso University, majoring in Biology and Secondary Education. I also have a minor in Special Education. I began teaching at Culver Community High School as a Chemistry teacher in Culver, Indiana. I then moved back home to Chicago after Culver and became the Biology, Physical Science, and Forensic Science teacher at Luther North College Prep. I am very excited to be a part of the Chesterton Middle School community.

I enjoy playing all kinds of sports which include basketball, football, and baseball. I am an avid runner and plan on running many road races. I also listen to all kinds of music and enjoy going to many concerts in the summer. Family and friends are very important to me and I like to spend as much time as possible with them.

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Mrs. Myers

I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Vocational Home Economics Education from Valparaiso University. I have a graduate (Master's) degree from Purdue University in West Lafayette. Currently, I am Department chair for Family and Consumer Science (FACS) and Technology departments. I have taught at Liberty Middle School, Westchester Middle School, and Chesterton Middle School.  

I enjoy spending time with family and friends, traveling, working on crafts, reading, and watching movies.

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