Michigan City Area Schools Announces 2025 Teacher & Employee of the Year Recipients
April 11, 2025 – Michigan City Area Schools has announced the recipients of its 2025 Teacher and Employee of the Year award. The program, which debuted last year, recognizes five staff members who have gone above and beyond to serve students.
The recipients include Elizabeth Schreeg (Elementary Teacher of the Year), Sue Ard (Secondary Teacher of the Year), Kathy Schroll (Support Staff Employee of the Year), Doriann Wiegand (Food Service Employee of the Year), and Jacob Miller (Transportation Employee of the Year).
The five winners were surprised on Wednesday, April 9 by a “prize patrol” that included MCAS Superintendent Dr. Wendel McCollum, Associate Superintendent Cathy Buildhauser, and representatives of Comcast and the Michigan City Chamber, which are sponsors of the program. Each recipient was presented with $500, an engraved award, and a bag of gift items, courtesy of Comcast and the Chamber.
“We are very pleased to recognize these dedicated employees,” said Dr. McCollum. “They are all talented and experienced professionals who enjoy what they do and care deeply about the students and families they serve. They are models of excellence who continually ‘level up’ for our school district.”
“Educators are the backbone of our communities,” said Grace Hong Duffin, Comcast’s Regional Vice President of Government and External Affairs. “In collaboration with Michigan City Area Schools and the Michigan City Chamber of Commerce, Comcast is proud to celebrate this year’s Teachers and Employees of the Year and recognize their ability to inspire students and lead within their schools.”
“Our Chamber has a longstanding tradition of honoring area educators,” said Kurt Gillins, President of the Michigan City Chamber of Commerce. “We are excited to partner with Michigan City Area Schools and Comcast to acknowledge the accomplishments of deserving teachers and support staff who work tirelessly to support our Michigan City Area Schools students.”
About the recipients:
The 2025 Elementary Teacher of the Year is Elizabeth Schreeg, a teacher at Pine Elementary School, a magnet school for the Arts. Currently serving in a fourth-grade classroom, she is a “looping” teacher of grades 2 through 4, remaining with her students for three years. She sets lofty, yet achievable goals for her students and works closely with them to master grade-level material and beyond, adapting her instructional strategies to their learning styles. She supervises after-school clubs in Science and Computers, focusing on activities that incorporate both Math and the Arts. A 25-year veteran of MCAS, she is active on Pine’s Building and Instructional Leadership Teams and facilitates a group of teachers who meet before school to reflect and share strategies surrounding math instruction.
“Liz Schreeg’s students consistently achieve at high levels, and their scores often exceed the performance of their grade level peers across the state,” said Pine Principal David Alvarado. “Looping with her since 2nd grade has allowed her students to be clear about classroom expectations and to focus on learning and growing each day. Pine is fortunate to have such a highly effective teacher in our school!”
Sue Ard, an eighth-grade social studies teacher at Krueger Middle School, is the 2025 Secondary Teacher of the Year.
Throughout her 28-year career in education, Ard’s passion has been to engage students beyond the conventional classroom walls. She coordinates, organizes, and produces Krueger’s annual Living History event, where middle school students dress in period clothing and lead outdoor tours as reenactors, teaching area fourth graders about Indiana history. She is an active member of her Building Leadership team, Social Committee, and Guiding Coalition team, working to welcome and mentor new staff and improve the educational experience for all. She has also led several service projects for the school, including a drive for personal hygiene items for the school care closet, and a donation drive ensuring that every eighth grader received a yearbook during the challenging year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Sue Ard is such a wonderful staff member. She goes above and beyond with our students and really pulls in the entire school with her activities,” said Krueger principal Josh Malone. “She puts kids first, leads by example, and has an extremely positive attitude. She is amazing with our Living History and Environmental Field Days. Her creativity and engagement are second to none.”
Coolspring Elementary School Secretary Kathy Schroll is the 2025 Support Staff Employee of the Year. She has served in her role for the past 26 years and considers herself “a mom to 300 kids.” She strives to know each one by name, taking great pleasure in watching them grow and succeed. As the principal’s secretary, she is the first point of contact for visitors and excels in customer service. Among her many duties are maintaining student records and attendance, assisting staff, and keeping families informed about school events. She also serves as the extracurricular treasurer for the school and is often called on to train and mentor other secretaries across the district.
“Kathy is the heart and soul of Coolspring School,” said Coolspring Principal Kim Palmer. “Students, staff, and parents depend on her for assistance every single day. It takes a village to raise a child, and she is everyone’s school mom.”
The 2025 Food Service Employee of the Year is Doriann Wiegand, a Food Service Tech 3 at Knapp Elementary. She is a 28-year veteran of the MCAS Food Service Department who cooks, serves, and processes meal transactions for students and staff. An expert multitasker, she loves cooking and decorating the cafeteria for holidays and is always eager to volunteer for special events. She is beloved by her students and has donated supplies, backpacks, and more for children in need. She is also a steward for the Michigan City Classified Association and served as the group’s treasurer for 21 years.
“We are thrilled to recognize Dori as our Food Service Employee of the Year”, said MCAS Food Service Director Nicole Santana. “She brings incredible passion and heart to her work every single day. She goes above and beyond — not just by serving meals with love, but by creating a warm and welcoming cafeteria, participating in special events, and volunteering for both our department and the district. Dori’s kindness and commitment make a lasting impact on her students, and we are so grateful for everything she does.”
Jacob Miller is the 2025 Transportation Employee of the Year. In his role as a Transportation Department mechanic, he repairs and maintains a fleet of 55 school buses, activity buses, and other MCAS vehicles. His other duties require him to prepare the buses for annual State Police Inspections and maintain the bus lot in winter, clearing snow and ice. A six-year veteran of the Department, he has taken on extra duties over the past few years due to staff shortages, including working 12-hour shifts several times a week and even filling in as a driver when needed.
“Jacob has a strong work ethic and is a positive team player,” said MCAS Director of Transportation Sue Harrison. “He will jump in to help whenever needed and never complain. The employees at MCAS Transportation have recognized the other duties that Jacob has been willing to do this year and have shown their gratitude with his overwhelming selection for Employee of the Year.”
For more information about the MCAS Teacher and Employee of the Year program, including a complete list of school finalists for the teacher and support staff employee of the year, visit http://educateMC.net/TOY_EOY.