On Thursday, Northeastern Wayne Schools posted an application for superintendent, inviting those interested in becoming the school system’s top leader to share about the strengths, skills and experiences that would make them a good fit for the role.
The online posting did not accompany any announcement about the status of the current superintendent, Dr. Matthew Hicks, and there was no mention of a change at the school system’s Wednesday, July 16, board meeting.
Hicks joined the school corporation in 2018 to become principal of Northeastern High School, and stepped in to the superintendent role in 2020.
WWN contacted school officials for comment and school board president Shawntel Baker emailed a statement. “We are grateful to Dr. Matthew Hicks for his years of dedicated service to Northeastern Wayne Schools,” Baker said. “While his resignation and future plans are not yet official, the board has initiated the process of seeking candidates for the superintendent position in preparation for the transition.”
In his own statement emailed to WWN, Hicks said that pending the NWS board’s approval, he and his family are headed to Northwest Indiana as he plans to become superintendent of School Town of Munster, a district that contains a high school, a middle school and three elementary schools. “I know Northeastern is in great hands between the board, the administrative team, the faculty, and the staff,” Hicks said. “I want to thank the Knight Family for their incredible support during my time here at Northeastern. When we came in 2018, my family and I were strangers in a strange land. Now we leave with close friends and a place to come visit for the rest of our lives.”
Curtain replacement
During their July 16 meeting, Northeastern Wayne Schools’ board members approved a $15,385 purchase from rainy day funds.
The decision wasn’t just aesthetic.
Hicks said the fire marshal has made it plain that the school needs to treat the curtains to guarantee they are fire retardant or purchase new ones.
Indianapolis Stage Sales & Rentals says the new curtains are synthetic velour that’s inherently fire retardant and meets National Fire Protection Association standards. The curtains won’t have to be treated or re-treated in the future.
Because the brackets and related equipment are worn out, it’s a good time to replace everything, Hicks said.
Updating content filtering technology
The board also approved a $17,010 quote from Secured Tech for its Linewize filter and network gateway appliance. That’s the total cost over three years. NWS received a 10% discount for the commitment.
Hicks said the district’s previous device management software that filtered content available to student devices isn’t as tight a web as school officials have discovered they needed.
They sought solutions that work with iPads. Filtering iPads is harder than personal computers or Chromebooks, Hicks said.
Personnel changes
Hicks said NWS has been able to find teachers and teaching assistants to fill vacancies, which is sometimes difficult. He called it a real testament to the administrators who are working their contacts to make sure jobs are filled when school starts.
The board approved making changes to the alternative education contract to combine it with Jerry Middleton’s duties as assistant athletic director for Northeastern Middle School. Middleton began running the alternative program in 2018. He will work eight hours per day for 182 days in the Learning Lab plus athletic duties. He’ll be paid $23,400 across 26 periods, which offers savings for NWS and better fits Middleton’s needs. Hicks said the change helps retain a great employee.
Other personnel updates
- Coaches: Steven Scarce, varsity boys golf; Brian Wissel, varsity girls golf; Alex Beatty, golf volunteer; Drew Noland, varsity boys tennis; Robbi West, grades 7/8 cheerleading coach; Brian Woesner, boys bowling sponsor; Lisa Baxter, girls bowling sponsor; Lee Reed, assistant athletic director (elementary); Tyler Hosteller, varsity boys/girls cross country; Erick Noland, boys/girls cross country varsity assistant; Michelle Neagle, NMS boys/girls cross country; Megan Moreland, cross country volunteer; Wes Oler, varsity football coach; Lee Reed and Archie Phillips, varsity football assistants; Nate Schneider, junior varsity football; Jonathon Sum, JV football assistant; Spencer Benner, eighth grade football; Ben Wissel, seventh grade football; Ryan Hartmann, Thad Retter and Frazier Phillips, football volunteers
- Transfers: Spencer Benner, NHS teaching assistant to NHS teacher; Olivia Parker, early learning center teaching assistant to NELC teacher
- Hires: Ashley Freeman, NES teaching assistant; Veronicka Heitkamp, NES teacher; Abigail Coffey, NMS/NHS teacher; Trevor Hall, NHS substitute teacher; Taylor Bane, NMS teaching assistant; Wanda Shelley and Angela Falcone, NELC teaching assistants
- Departures: Alyssa Baker, administrative assistant and career coach; Brittani Anderson, NHS special education teacher; Ryan Chalfant, boys golf coach; James Mastriano, football volunteer; Rilen Bell, teaching assistant
- Additional role: Angela Bussen, summer custodian
Updated Friday, July 18 at 10:45 a.m. to add a statement from Matthew Hicks about his departure from NWS.
A version of this article will appear in the July 23 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.