We are thrilled to extend a warm welcome to the 12 new staff members joining Hanover Community School Corporation for the 2024-2025 school year. These individuals bring a wealth of experience, diverse backgrounds, and a shared passion for education that will enhance our school community. As you read about them, you'll discover their educational journeys, commitment to student success, and the experiences that have shaped their careers. We are excited to have them on board and look forward to the positive impact they will make as we jump into this new school year together.

Christopher Picman will be teaching the automotive class at Hanover Central High School. He comes to us with over 10 years of automotive experience and brings us the excitement of being a new teacher. He is thrilled to be teaching a subject that he has a passion for and hopes to share his experience with his students. Mr. Picman went to Carl Sandburg High School and later attended Moraine Valley Community College. He is marrying his fiance, Amanda, in October. Together, they have two dogs, Mac and Ripley. In his free time, Mr. Picman enjoys boating, camping, and working on his 66 Plymouth Fury project car.

Courtney Pesha is teaching the reintroduced culinary and hospitality class at Hanover Central High School. She has been teaching family and consumer science (FACS) for almost 15 years, with experience in teaching various courses in the field. She has also served as a club advisor, a mentor to new teachers, a pathway coordinator, and she has developed numerous curricula throughout her career. Mrs. Pesha went to Oak Lawn Community High School and later received her bachelor's degree in career and technical education from Eastern Illinois University. She also has a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from St. Xavier University and a master’s degree in family and consumer sciences from Eastern Illinois University. 

Mrs. Pesha has been married to her husband, Anthony, for 14 years. Together, they have two children who go to Hanover and a boxer named Cash. She loves spending time with the people that she loves, specifically being outdoors, traveling, and going to concerts. As the new culinary and hospitality teacher, Mrs. Pesha is passionate about equipping the next generation with the skills needed to thrive in life. She said, “Culinary and hospitality courses offer benefits beyond cooking skills; they foster creativity, inspire innovation, and promote personal and social development.”

Michael Slys is going into his 27th year of teaching. He joins us at Hanover Central High School to teach biology. He attended Merrillville High School, St. Joseph’s College, Northcentral University, and Indiana Wesleyan. His highest level of education is a master’s in education. He has taught at Gavit High School, Lake Central High School, River Forest High School, Calumet New Tech High School, and Kouts High School. He also was the assistant principal at West Central Schools covering K-12. He has two sons: Lucas is 23 and Joseph is 20.  Mr. Slys enjoys sports, especially basketball and tennis since he has coached them in the past, reading, spending time with family and friends, and working in his yard. He is thrilled to join the Hanover Central family and looking forward to getting to know all the students and staff.

Melinda Kimmel will be teaching English at Hanover Central High School for 9th and 11th graders. She attended Moline High School and later went to Olivet Nazarene University for her bachelor’s and master's degrees. After teaching for 20 years at Kankakee Junior High School, Beecher High School, and North Newton Junior/Senior High School, she cannot wait to teach at Hanover Central High School. Ms. Kimmel has a boyfriend, Scott, and two dogs, Sylas and Swayze. She enjoys reading and believes that it’s impossible to choose a favorite book, but To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is on her top ten list. She also loves hiking, photography, and kayaking.

Ninah Philbin will be teaching principles of construction. She is from Seneca, IL where she attended Seneca Township High School. She later attended Purdue University West Lafayette to obtain a bachelor’s degree in building construction management. She also has a minor in organizational leadership and supervision. She studied abroad at the Dublin Institute of Technology in Ireland. Mrs. Philbin is not new to Hanover Central High School, as she worked as the study hall supervisor. Upon graduation, she spent 6 years working as a project engineer for a large, Chicago-based general contractor. She also spent a year working as a job site superintendent for a semi-custom home builder before transitioning into the educational realm. 

Mrs. Philbin has been married to her husband, Bryan, for 10 years. Together they have an 11-year-old daughter, Harper, and an 8-year-old son, Declan. They built a house in Lowell about 5 years ago and spend most of their free time at sporting events for their children. She is super excited to be in a position where she can help students figure out their passions and future within the construction industry. 

Candis Carey will be teaching German at Hanover Central High School with over 17 years of experience. She taught at North White High School for 2 years, at Portage High School for 7 years, and then at Crown Point High School for 8 more years. She graduated from Griffith High School and later from Purdue University West Lafayette. She also studied at the Herder Institute in Leipzig, Germany, has attended professional developments all across Germany, and taught for 6 weeks in Graz, Austria. She has been married to her husband, Sean, for 15 years. They have a dog, 3 nephews, and 2 nieces. Mrs. Carey enjoys traveling, crafting, gardening, swimming, working out, hiking, puzzles, and escape rooms. She is excited to bring her love of the German language to HCHS, as well as show the students the many opportunities they can have by learning another language. She hopes to share a short-term exchange program with students from a high school in Frankfurt, Germany. 

Megan Kaczmarksi is joining the Hanover Central High School athletics team as the new assistant athletic director. She went to Washington Township High School and later received her bachelor’s degree in recreation and sports management with a minor in business administration and marketing from Indiana State University. She lives in Crown Point with her golden retriever, Daisy. She enjoys playing basketball and golf, singing, and attending sporting events and country concerts.

Ms. Kaczmarski was the Chief Sports and Leisure Officer for the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority. This allowed her to travel and foster relationships with athletes around the country and stakeholders in the community. She has also coached girls varsity basketball for 10 years. She is thrilled to be part of the Wildcat family because she gets to help student-athletes be successful on and off the court/field. 

Elsa Willems will be taking over the ELL teaching position for K-5, including Lincoln Elementary, Jane Ball Elementary, and Red Cedars Elementary. She has been working for Hanover Schools for the past 11 years in a variety of roles: substitute teacher, instructional assistant, RTI teacher, and ELL assistant. She graduated from Buffalo Grove High School and later got her bachelor’s degree in child development from Northern Illinois University. 

Mrs. Willems was married to her husband, John, for 15 years until he unfortunately passed away in 2011. His dedication to wrestling and Hanover Central High School was what brought their family to Cedar Lake. Both of their sons graduated from Hanover and were involved in wrestling. In her free time, she enjoys Zumba, team training, and other classes at the gym. She is excited to start in her new position and is beyond grateful for the opportunity to work with the ELL students, staff, and parents. 

Kaitlyn Cimini will be teaching 8th-grade social studies at Hanover Central Middle School. This will be her 2nd year teaching after she spent her first year teaching US History and Government at Kankakee Valley High School. Mrs. Cimini just got married to her husband, Anthony, in October. She has 2 siblings and comes from a large extended family. She loves all kinds of music but grew up on country music. She enjoys watching comedies, reading historical fiction books, cooking/baking, and spending time with family. Mrs. Cimini graduated from Munster High School and later from Purdue University Northwest. She is excited to work at HCMS and is looking forward to a great year.

Emma Hutchings will be joining the 3rd grade team at Red Cedars Elementary School. She graduated from Lake Central High School and later from Purdue University Northwest. This is her first year teaching, but working with kids is nothing new to Ms. Hutchings. She has been working with children of all ages for 7 years, doing student observations at different schools including Hammond, East Chicago, Merrillville, and Calumet City. She also student taught a 2nd grade class at Crown Point. 

Ms. Hutchings is currently engaged to her fiance, Ryan. Together they have a 4-year-old daughter, named Gracelyn. In her free time, she enjoys walks outside, building LEGOs, playing board games, spending time with family, and reading. Her favorite books growing up were Junie B. Jones. She is excited to be teaching 3rd grade at Red Cedars and being a part of a community of growing learners.

Natalie Novorita is also joining the 3rd grade team at Red Cedars Elementary School. She is a graduate of Hanover Central High School and is excited to be back. “I am thrilled to start teaching at Red Cedars Elementary, where I hope to give back to my community and ensure all students have an excellent educational experience like I did.” She later graduated from Purdue University to receive her bachelor’s degree in elementary education. This is her first year of teaching, but she has plenty of childcare experience from working summer camps and before/after school programs. She also student taught at West Lafayette Elementary School in a high-ability 2nd-grade classroom for her final semester of college. Ms. Novorita has two very supportive parents, an identical twin sister, an older sister, and a golden doodle. She enjoys spending her free time with friends and family, gardening, hiking, kayaking, and painting. 

Veronica Bakker is going to be teaching 5th-grade math and science at Red Cedars Elementary School. She graduated from Lowell High School and later from Purdue University Northwest. She is going into her first year of teaching after substitute teaching for a semester in an LRE room. Mrs. Bakker has been married to her husband, Anthony, for 1 year. Together they have lots of “fur” babies including cats, dogs, and chickens. She enjoys watching television shows, listening to country or pop music, and taking care of her animals. She is excited to join Hanover and be a part of such a wonderful team.

As we welcome these outstanding educators to Hanover Community School Corporation, we are filled with excitement for the 2024-2025 school year. Their diverse talents, experiences, and dedication to education promise to enhance our school community in meaningful ways. We look forward to seeing the positive impact they will have on our students, staff, and families as they settle into their new roles. Together, we are confident that this will be a year of growth, learning, and success for all. It’s going to be a fantastic year!