By VICKI URBANIK

Liberty Elementary School teacher Christina Dujmovich will take over as principal of LES, while teacher Kevin Zeck will assume the post of assistant principal at Chesterton High School.

The Duneland School Board on Monday unanimously appointed Dujmovich and Zeck to the two administrative positions that will be vacated at the end of this school year. Both are currently finishing their ninth year of teaching in the Duneland Schools.

A number of Liberty Elementary staff members were on hand at Monday’s school board meeting in a show of support for Dujmovich to replace Susan Cartwright as the new LES principal. Cartwright is leaving to take an administrative post in the Valparaiso schools.

Dujmovich graduated from Portage High School and Purdue University North Central. She taught first grade at Indian Trails Elementary in LaPorte for five years, before coming to Duneland, where she taught first grade for seven years and second grade for two years at LES.

Dujmovich said she’s excited about her appointment and pledged to work with the LES staff to keep “Liberty Elementary School as outstanding as it is.”

Accompanying her to the meeting was her fiancé, John Jarka, a Chesterton firefighter. Dujmovich said she’ll take the Jarka name by the time she officially becomes the LES principal.

Also at Monday’s meeting was Zeck, a CHS and Indiana University graduate. He taught third grade in a temporary position at Jackson Elementary from 1998-99, then taught math for two years at Westchester Middle School. He currently teaches at Westchester Intermediate School, where he taught one year of sixth grade and five years of fifth grade.

Zeck will assume the assistant principal post to be vacated by David Templin, who is taking an administrative job in the Crown Point schools.

Zeck, who was accompanied by his wife, thanked those who have helped him on his current career path from student to administrator. “It’s a true honor to make this shift,” he said.

In other personnel matters, the school board accepted the following resignations: Tammy Shideler, Liberty Elementary instructional aide; Colleen Vatthauer, Yost Elementary teacher; Benita Cookston, CHS Spanish teacher; and Kathy Barbian, CHS instructional aide and attendance secretary.

The board also appointed Megen Stephans as a Liberty Elementary instructional aide.

Posted 4/10/2007