September 2025- NIESC Newsletter
Executive Director Notes
Thank You to Views on Learning!
NIESC is excited to share some wonderful news with our members. Thanks to the generosity of Views on Learning (VOL), we have been awarded $28,950.00 to purchase eleven curriculum areas of Paxton Patterson Level One Career Discovery Units for grades 4-6.
These career discovery units are designed to give students hands-on experiences in a wide range of fields, including health science, engineering, information technology, construction, and more. Through interactive lessons and real-world applications, students will be able to explore potential career interests in a fun and engaging way—helping them make more informed decisions about their futures. More information on these labs can be found here.
By making these units available to our member schools, VOL is helping us expand access to high-quality career exploration tools. This resource will not only enhance classroom instruction, but also spark curiosity and inspire students to think about the many paths available to them after graduation.
At NIESC, we believe in creating opportunities that prepare students for success, and VOL’s support makes this possible. We are grateful for their investment in our schools and in the future of our students.
A heartfelt thank you to Views on Learning for their partnership and generosity—we can’t wait to see the positive impact these career discovery units will bring to classrooms across Northern Indiana!
Cooperative Purchasing
Click Here For Cooperative Purchasing Newsletter
Food Service
National School Lunch Week
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) serves nearly 30 million children every school day. President John F. Kennedy created National School Lunch Week (NSLW) in 1962 to promote the importance of a healthy school lunch in a child’s life and the impact it has inside and outside of the classroom.
NSLW25 will be celebrated October 13-17, 2025.
2025-2026 NIESC School Food Co-op Meeting Schedule
- September 15, 2025: Plymouth Community Schools, Plymouth, IN
- Watch Party at Marion Community Schools, Marion, IN
- October 3, 2025: Fairfield Community Schools, Goshen, IN
- Watch Party at East Central ESC, New Castle, IN
- December 8, 2025: New Prairie United School Corp, New Carlisle, IN
- January 15, 2026: ZOOM
- February 12, 2026: ZOOM
- March 11, 2026: East Porter County School Corp, Kouts, IN
- Watch Party at Marion Community Schools, Marion, IN
- April 17, 2026: Rochester School Corporation, Rochester, IN
- Watch Party at East Central ESC, New Castle, IN
- May 14, 2026: Swan Lake Resort, Plymouth, IN
**These meetings are subject to change.
Curriculum
There are some exciting opportunities starting!
Sign up today!
Register for the ILEARN Cadre HERE!
Register for the Early Literacy Study Council HERE!
Technology Integration
Regional Tech Meetings
THIRD THURSDAYS
September 18th
Northern Indiana Tech Directors & Coaches
School City of Mishawaka
Northwest Tech Directors & Tech Coach Collab
Hanover Community School Corporation
Click here to RSVP
Northeast Indiana Tech Study Council (NEISSC)
East Allen County Schools Annex Building
STEM Integration
SAVE THE DATE!
Indiana STEM Education Conference
Thursday, January 15, 2026
Purdue University
Spend the day exploring the future of STEM education! Highlights include:
- Keynote by Dr. Kristen Poindexter
- 60+ breakout sessions on curriculum, instruction, careers, and research
- Networking with STEM sponsors
- Resource page with slides and handouts
- Professional Growth Points for educators
Details: Learn more
Have a great STEM lesson or idea? Submit a proposal.
Registration opens in October
Want to bring best-practice pedagogy to your district, but not ready to commit to a full-year contract?
Whether you’re new to inquiry-based, student-centered learning or simply seeking a refresher, NIESC offers a wide range of professional workshops designed to fit your schedule. Sessions can be customized as full-day, half-day, or even one-hour formats.
Sample workshop topics include:
- Effective Questioning Strategies
- Inquiry in the Elementary Classroom
- Inquiry in the Secondary Classroom
- Implementing STEM Pedagogy
- Inquiry: What Is It?
- Observing and Evaluating the Inquiry Classroom
- AI in Digital Literacy
- NGSS and Three-Dimensional Learning
- Differentiation in the Inquiry Classroom
- Implementing Indiana’s Integrated STEM Standards
- STEM Certification
For more information! Contact Laura Unsicker: lunsicker@niesc.k12.in.us
School Counseling
Upcoming Professional Learning Opportunities
NIESC Staff Spotlight
Tara White with her family
Since 2021, Tara White has served as the Media Specialist for NIESC, bringing a wealth of experience and creativity to the role.
Her journey in education began in the classroom as a high school language arts and journalism teacher. After several years of teaching, she transitioned into the corporate world as an editorial and art director at Hallmark Cards, where she developed product lines for national retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Walgreens, and JCPenney. Eventually, the pull of education brought her back, and she has since served as a K–12 media specialist, district library coordinator, Director of Literacy, and in other administrative capacities.
Her leadership has extended beyond her district as well. She has served as President of the Association of Indiana School Library Educators (AISLE), a member of the Indiana Library Federation Board of Directors, and President of the New Carlisle Olive Township Library Board of Trustees.
A native of Marengo, Indiana, Tara met her husband, Paul, while they were both undergraduates at Indiana University Bloomington. Today, they make their home in New Carlisle and are the proud parents of three children. Their oldest, Lauren, is a project manager for a pharmaceutical company in Indianapolis; Jackson, their son, is pursuing a degree in social work at IUSB; and Morgan, their youngest, is a sophomore business major and member of the women’s basketball team at Daemen University.
When not cheering on their kids, Tara and Paul enjoy traveling—and recently celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary with a trip to Italy.