Carole Carlson

4 days ago | chicagotribune.com | Carole Carlson

Whiting graduate and School City of Hammond educator Dave Verta was the unanimous choice to lead the small district as its next superintendent. The Whiting School Board appointed Verta Wednesday. Verta, who’s been a football coach and headed the human resources department in Hammond, said he’s excited to come back home. “This is surreal, it’s a dream come true… This place taught me how to be resilient, taught me grit and hard work.

6 days ago | chicagotribune.com | Carole Carlson

A Pierce Middle School science teacher in Merrillville is facing three felony charges after he allegedly showed a pornographic video and photo of himself to three students. Mohammad Mansoor Arifee, 32, of Crown Point, has been charged with three counts of disseminating pornographic matter to three juveniles in his class last year. He denied the accusation. Officials at the Merrillville Community School Corp. declined comment.

6 days ago | chicagotribune.com | Carole Carlson

The Crown Point Community School Corp. has honored two teachers and a staff member as its teachers and employee of the year. Officials said in a release that Carrie Quinn, art teacher at Crown Point High School, has been named the 2025 Secondary Teacher of the Year. Quinn, who teaches in the same classroom that inspired her teaching dream, leads the art department, sponsors the National Art Honor Society, the junior and sophomore classes, the events committee and Summer Engage.

1 week ago | chicagotribune.com | Carole Carlson

Voters in Crown Point and Hobart overwhelmingly approved the renewal of eight-year school property tax referendums Tuesday. The referendums encountered little controversy in the two communities with 83% of Crown Point voters supporting the eight-year referendum renewal and 81% backing Hobart’s referendum. Of 57,944 registered voters in Crown Point and Hobart, just 4,705 voters cast ballots or 8%. Tuesday’s special election in the two cities marked the last time such off-year votes will be cast.

1 week ago | chicagotribune.com | Carole Carlson

Telisa Reed, the Hammond interim superintendent who’s been placed on leave by the school board, left a position in Washington in 2023 after alleging harassment. Hammond School Board president Carlotta Blake-King said Monday the board was unaware of Reed’s situation while serving as interim superintendent at Griffin School District #324 in Olympia, Wash., in 2023.