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 WMS 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. Balash

Hi everyone! My name is Cael Balash, and I am excited to teach 7th and 8th grade English Language Arts at Westchester Middle School.

I grew up in Valparaiso, Indiana, and earned my education degree from Indiana University and Purdue University Northwest, graduating in the fall of 2025. Throughout my life, I've enjoyed playing a variety of sports, and coaching has become one of my passions. Last year, I coached varsity soccer at Kouts High School, and I currently serve as an assistant football coach here at Westchester.

Outside of school, I'm a huge fan of the Chicago Bears and the University of Michigan athletics. In my free time, I enjoy working out, biking, golfing, and spending as much time outdoors as possible.

As an ELA teacher, I strive to create a classroom where every student feels welcomed, challenged, and supported. My goal is to help students become confident readers, thoughtful writers, and lifelong learners while making learning engaging and enjoyable!

I look forward to an exciting school year and can't wait to get to know each of you! 

For assignments and class information, please log in to Canvas.

Mrs. Pennington

My name is Courtney Pennington, and I’m so excited to be part of the WMS team! As an educator, I strive to create a positive and engaging classroom environment where all students feel supported, challenged, and encouraged to reach their full potential.

I earned my Bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in Teaching from Purdue University Northwest in 2021 and went on to complete my Master’s degree in Educational Leadership in 2023 at the University of Illinois at Springfield. 

Outside the classroom, I enjoy reading, spending time with my fiancé and family, and staying active through exercise and outdoor activities.

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. Ficaro

I have been teaching English Language Arts for ten years, three in Joliet, IL and seven in Browning, MT on the Blackfeet Reservation. I'm excited to be back home in Chesterton, Indiana and teaching at the middle school I once attended.

I am passionate about sharing my love of reading with students!

I can often be found spending time outdoors especially at the Dunes with my daughter and husband.

For assignments and class information, please log in to Canvas.

Ms. Chavez

Hi! My name is Fatima Chavez, and I’m so excited to be part of the WIMS team! I’m a proud Duneland alum and recently graduated from Purdue Northwest. My goal is to create a welcoming, safe, and supportive environment where all students feel comfortable and valued. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and playing soccer. I’m looking forward to a wonderful school year!

For assignments and class information, please log in to Canvas.

Ms. McKiddy

I attended Purdue University in West Lafayette where I earned my bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training and Secondary Health Education. I also earned a master’s degree from University of Mississippi. Recently, I completed the Aspiring Statewide Special Education Teacher Education Program (ASSET) here in Indiana in both mild and intense interventions for Pre K-12. 

As an Athletic Trainer in collegiate and elite athletics I had the joy of meeting and caring for amazing people and to travel around the country and world. I transitioned to teaching in 2019 and have taught a variety of subjects including health, PE, health careers and special education at the high school and middle school levels. I am so excited to be working with our exceptional learners here in Duneland! 

I have two awesome kids, who both attend Duneland schools, and a fabulous husband who is also a teacher.  We love watching our kids in their sports and extracurricular activities! When I am not busy with that, I love all things outdoors including gardening, the beach and hiking in our National Park.  Our family’s goal is to eventually visit all 63 national parks.

For assignments and class information, please log in to Canvas.

Ms. Palmer

Hi everyone! My name is Katie Palmer, and I am excited to join Westchester Middle School as an EXL teacher! I recently moved to Indiana from Vermont, where I spent the past six years teaching at Flood Brook School. This is my 10th year teaching and 24th year working in schools. I earned my Master's degree in Education from the University of Phoenix and my special education certification through the Vermont Higher Education Collaborative through Castleton University.

Building strong relationships with students is one of my favorite parts of teaching.  I strive to create a supportive environment where every student feels welcomed, valued, and confident in their abilities.  I believe kindness, patience, and humor can go a long way in helping students learn and grow.

Outside of school, I enjoy reading, spending time with my family, and being with our dogs.  We are excited to make Indiana our home, and I look forward to becoming part of the Westchester community and having a great school year!

For assignments and class information, please log in to Canvas.

Ms. Strudas

I obtained my Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Indiana University in Bloomington before getting certified in ELA and Composition and obtaining my licensure for Mild Intervention Specialist. For the last 16 years, I have taught nearly every grade level in parochial, public, Montessori, and preschool settings. Before joining the WMS team, I worked for the State of Indiana at the Laporte Juvenile Correctional Facility. In our free time, my fiance, son (Mox), and I like to go camping, listen to local musicians, and enjoy family dinners.

For assignments and class information, please log in to Canvas.

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.

For assignments and class information, please log in to Canvas.

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. 

For assignments and class information, please log in to Canvas.

Mr. A. Pizer

I attended Benedictine University where I studied Social Science with an emphasis in History while minoring in secondary education. While at Benedictine, I was also a member of the baseball team where I was a pitcher.

Sports are my life outside of school as I coach baseball and will be the Varsity Assistant at CHS this spring. I will also be an assistant girl's basketball coach here at Westchester this winter.

I am getting married to my fiancé this September who I have been dating since the 6th grade.

For assignments and class information, please log in to Canvas.

Mr. Pizer

I attended Purdue University Northwest and obtained my Bachelor's degree in Secondary Education: History. I am currently attending Ball State's Masters program in "Educational Leadership" to obtain my administrative license. 

I married my high school sweetheart and together we have a daughter (Opal) and one on the way. We love going to Disney World with Opal and seeing it through the eyes of a toddler. 

I was the head varsity baseball coach at Highland High School for 2 years where we won a Sectional title. I love watching and coaching sports as I also coached elementary and middle school basketball and baseball. 

Mr. Gross

I attended the University of Indianapolis for my Bachelors degree.  While there I was a four year letter winner as a member of the wrestling team, and served as captain my junior and senior years.  I completed my Masters Degree at Indiana University Northwest.  I began my teaching career teaching science at Triton Central High School from 1983 to 1985.  From 1985 to 1989 I taught science at Lake Station Junior High.  I began teaching at Westchester Middle School in 1989.  I have also served as the Athletic Director at Chesterton Middle School and Westchester Middle School since 2009.

I have three daughters and four grandchildren which I spend as much time as possible with.   I enjoy fishing and spending time outdoors in my free time.

For assignments and class information, please log in to Canvas.

Mr. Pavlovich

I have taught students of all ages in a variety of settings, and I am very excited to be joining the Westchester team of teachers!

Learning about living a healthy lifestyle is important for our students now and throughout a lifetime.

My wife Elaine and I live in Chesterton, and our oldest daughter attends Brummitt and will be entering the 3rd grade. Our youngest daughter will be starting her second year of pre school at St. Pats. We also have an English Labrador named Mickey!

I am eager to start the 2025/2026 school year and beyond.

For assignments and class information, please log in to Canvas.

Mrs. Stafford

Mrs. Johnson

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!

For assignments and class information, please log in to Canvas.

Mrs. Skolak-Mitchell

I started my career by earning a bachelor's degree in business and accounting at IUN. I worked in that field for over 20 years. I went back to school at Indiana Wesleyan University where I earned my teaching credentials.  In 2019 I started my teaching career, first by being a substitute, long-term substitute, title aide, and now a 7th and 8th grade math teacher at WMS. 

I have been involved in duneland schools for many years as a mom before I was a teacher. I have 4 children, 2 of which are still in duneland schools. Outside of school I enjoy spending time with my family and spending time at the beach during the summer.

For assignments and class information, please log in to Canvas

Mrs. Pleasant

I have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Math and Education from Valparaiso University. 

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Ms. Madson

Life has taken me many directions: mother, real estate agent, general contractor, online business owner, grandmother, and teacher. This is my 14th year teaching. I graduated from Purdue with a degree in elementary education, but have never taught elementary - I love middle school!! Most have my 14 years have been teaching math, but I have branched into PLTW and Computer Science.

I love playing with my grandkids, sailing, water skiing, motorcycle and bicycle riding, reading, crocheting, plants, and lots of tabletop and video games. We are a proud Legend of Zelda family!

For assignments and class information, please log in to Canvas.

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.

For assignments and class information, please log in to Canvas.