Classrooms
- Administration
- Kindergarten
- First Grade
- Second Grade
- Third Grade
- Fourth Grade
- Exceptional Learners
- Related Arts
- Student Services
Administration
Principal
Email: jhuwig@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mr. Huwig
I have been with Duneland for the last nine years. My first five years were spent as Assistant Principal at CHS before transitioning to Principal at Yost. Before coming to Duneland, I was a Dean of Students and teacher with the Lake Central School Corporation.
Most of my free time is spent with my four awesome boys and their sports.
I am a Former English and chemistry teacher.
Assistant Principal
Email: rholmen@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mrs. Becky Holmen
Mrs. Holmen graduated from Ball State University in 2013 with a Bachelors Degree in Elementary and Special Education. For the past 9 years, she has taught Applied Skills at Westchester Intermediate in Chesterton. In May of 2021, Mrs. Holmen earned her Masters Degree in Educational Administration and Supervision from Ball State. Mrs. Holmen is currently the Dean of Students here at Yost Elementary.
Mrs. Holmen enjoy spending time with her husband and 2 daughters. She enjoys swimming, going to the beach, and crafting. Mrs. Holmen spends a majority of her free time coaching her daughters or taking her girls to their various sports activities.
Kindergarten
Email: kajohnson@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mrs. Johnson
I began my career as a kindergarten teacher for Noblesville Schools. After two years in kindergarten, I was given the opportunity to move to first grade. I taught first grade for one year before making the move to Porter County. I taught first grade in Merrillville before accepting my position at Yost as a second grade teacher.
My personal interests include reading, attending sporting events, spending time at the lake, and taking my dog for walks.
Email: cnay@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mrs. Nay
Graduated from Purdue in 2005. Got my Masters in Early Childhood Education from Ball State in 2009. I have been teaching kindergarten at Yost for 17 years.
I enjoying hiking at the Dunes, hanging out with my family, friends and playing board games.
I have always taught Kindergarten.
Email: mpapineau@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mrs. Papineau
Before teaching, I went to Purdue University. I started teaching kindergarten at Yost 2017.
My personal interests include the beach, reading, baking, spending time outside, traveling
I teach kindergarten
Email: ckoss@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mrs. Koss
I have taught in 2 states, 10 classrooms, 5 Duneland schools, 18 years in K, and starting in 3rd and 10th classroom! I enjoy camping, traveling, baking cookies, and reading. My goal is to go to all 50 states. I have been to 40/41 including Alaska...41 depending on our route home this summer. I like to lift others up. I believe in making others feel good about themselves.
First Grade
Email: afaher@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mrs. Faher
I graduated from Purdue University in 2012 with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education. I have been teaching for 10 years. I have been teaching fourth grade at Newton Yost Elementary since 2018. In addition to teaching, I coach middle school cross country, Yost soccer club, and facilitate fourth grade math club.
I enjoy reading, sewing, gaming with my husband, cheering on the Boilermakers, and spending time with my family in Nebraska. I love summer, hanging out in the pool, and hiking with my dogs, Pippa and Bayley.
Email: sarrigo@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mrs. Arrigo
I graduated from Purdue Northwest in 2020. I have been teaching at Yost for two years. I am lucky I get to spend everyday doing what I love, with people that I love.
While I am not teaching littles, I like to workout, go to baseball games, and get ice cream from Dairy Queen every Friday night.
I teach 1st grade
Email: mpapineau@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mrs. Papineau
Before teaching, I went to Purdue University. I started teaching kindergarten at Yost 2017.
My personal interests include the beach, reading, baking, spending time outside, traveling
I teach kindergarten
Email: ashsmith@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mrs. Smith
I graduated from Illinois State University in 2016. I have exclusively taught first grade at Yost. While I love many aspects of teaching, my favorite is watching the students grow from the beginning of the school year to the end.
I enjoy walking my dog, bowling with my husband, and going to Target with my daughter.
I teach 1st grade.
Second Grade
Email: mdiaz@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mr. Diaz
The 2022-2023 school year will be my eighth year of teaching and my fifth year teaching at Yost.
I enjoy spending time with my family, playing video games and watching Disney movies.
I teach 2nd grade.
Email: mmendenhall@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mrs. Mendenhall
I started teaching third grade at Yost Elementary in 2009. In 2010, I taught one year of half-day kindergarten at Jackson and Bailly before returning to Yost in 2011 to teach 2nd grade.
I love to read and in the summer I like to spend time with my family going to the beach, the zoo, or camping.
Email: astreet@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mrs. Street
Welcome to 3rd grade!!! After serving in the U.S. Navy, I went to Purdue to earn my degree in teaching. I love working with students and watching them reach their goals!
I have three sons and one daughter that keep me busy when I'm not at school. I love to being outside, reading, Cubs baseball, Notre Dame football and spending time with my family.
I teach Language Arts, Math, Writing, Science and Social Studies
Third Grade
Email: jdodds@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mr. Dodds
Graduated from Purdue University in 1995 and joined the United States Marine Corps. After leaving the Marines, I worked in the restaurant business before working in retail lumberyards. Once both my children began attending Newton Yost Elementary school I started substitute teaching and working as a Title aide in the school. I enjoyed it so much that I went back to school and got my Masters in Elementary Education. Now I am a third grade teacher at the best elementary school, Newton Yost Elementary.
My personal interests include Chicago Cubs, Golf, Tennis, Purdue, and Family
I teach everything from A to Z!
Email: rhardsock@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mr. Hardsock
After graduating from Chesterton High School in 1997, I attended Purdue University-North Central (PNC). It was at PNC that I earned my Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Elementary Education. I did my student teaching in a 3rd grade classroom here at Yost Elementary. I then taught two years in 4th grade and the rest of my teaching career has been in 3rd grade. This is currently my 19th year of teaching...all at YOST!
Person Interests include Sports...basketball, softball, hockey, golf, soccer...I'm either playing or coaching my kids!
I currently teach 3rd grade- All subjects
Email: ctoth@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Miss Toth
I graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor degree in elementary education in December of 2020. This is my first year of teaching second grade at Yost Elementary.
My personal interests include working out/ running, traveling, and being with my family.
Fourth Grade
Email: khasselberger@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Miss Hasselberger
I graduated from Purdue University in 2017. I absolutely love teaching at Yost; the same school I attended as an elementary student! My favorite part about teaching is building relationships with the students.
I enjoy playing softball and going to baseball games. During the summer, I lay by the pool and travel to new places!
I teach 4th grade
Email: zspain@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Miss Spain
Welcome to Newton Yost Elementary! I graduated from Purdue University Northwest with a Bachelor's degree in elementary education & special education in 2020. I am currently in my first year of teaching with Duneland school corporation. I teach 4th grade with an amazing team of teachers and I enjoy teaching all subjects in the classroom. In addition to teaching 4th grade, I facilitate Art Club year round.
Outside of school, I enjoy being outdoors and spending time with family and friends. I also love to read realistic fiction stories as well as fiction fantasy stories (especially Harry Potter). I love thrifting, gardening, and playing with my dogs. I am a huge advocate for mental health so I have begun practicing yoga daily. Overall, I am passionate about learning and I love sharing that enthusiasm with my students!
I am a 4th Grade Teacher
Email: rtaylor@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Ms. Taylor
I have been teaching at Yost Elementary since 2007. I have spent most of my years here teaching fourth grade. My two favorite subjects to teach are math and science. I also thoroughly enjoy reading novels to the class. I sponsor a math tutoring club, the science fair, our crossing guards, and an American Red Cross Blood Drive twice each year. I am also the level coordinator for fourth grade. Teaching is my passion and I love my job and Yost!
Outside of school, I enjoy hiking with my two children. We love visiting state parks and exploring new trails. Some of our favorite parks include Starved Rock and Turkey Run. You can often find me walking along Lake Michigan on a beautiful day looking for beach glass.
I teach 4th grade
Exceptional Learners
Email: anashkoff@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mrs. Nashkoff
Bio....Coming Soon
Email: jawalker@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Ms. Walker
Hi there! I earned a Masters Degree in elementary education with a special education emphasis from Purdue University. I love for students to have fun as they learn!
I enjoy reading and going to the beach.
I provide reading and math support for K-4 students here at Yost.
Related Arts
Physical Education
Email: tbasich@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mr. Basich
Chesterton High School 1997
Aurora University (Business Administration)
Indiana Wesleyan (Elementary Education)
American Public University (Master's Sports Management)
I have taught at the high school and elementary levels. I am in my sixth year at Yost but have taught in both Michigan City and LaPorte School districts.
My favorite team is Alabama Crimson Tide. I enjoy Elvis and any type of physical activity.
Music
Email: lcarrillo@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mrs. Carrillo
I studied Music Education at Butler University and have taught elementary music for 9 years. In my free time I enjoy hiking at the Indiana Dunes State Park and coaching Girls on the Run.
Art
Email: jcarrillo@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mr. Carrillo
CHS 08' > Purdue West Lafayette > Gary CSC > Duneland
I love to laugh.
I am licensed to teach the Fine Arts. I also teach the kids how to be good humans and have fun.
Student Services
Counselor
Email: sharmison@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mrs. Harmison
Mrs. Harmison earned a Master's Degree in Counseling from Penn State University. She has been in the Duneland School Corporation for 23 years in different positions. Mrs. Harmison has been at Yost Elementary as the School Counselor for the past 12 years. She enjoys getting to know all the students and families at Yost.
Mrs. Harmison enjoys traveling, gardening and spending time with her family. She enjoys training and showing her Bernese Mountain Dogs.
Mrs. Harmison teaches all kids K-4
Instructional Coach
Email: bkazmierczak@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mrs. Kazmierczak
I received my bachelor's degree from Purdue University and my master's degree from Ball State University. I have been teaching in Duneland for 16 years.
I love spending time with my family; my four boys, Andrew, Jonathan, Brady & Tyler and my husband. I love being outside, cooking, exercising, and going on trips to Disney World and the beach!
I taught kindergarten for 16 years at Brummitt and now I'm lucky and excited to be the instructional coach at Yost!
Media Specialist
Email: kborrelli@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mrs. Borrelli
I have had the privilege to be the Yost Library Media Specialist for 23 years. I have a bachelors in education from University Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a Masters of Library Science from Indiana University.
My personal interest includes Baking, Needlework and of course Reading.
I have taught Literacy, Library Skills and Computer Science
Reading Specialist
Email: ajakel@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mrs. Jakel
In 1999, I graduated from Ball State University with a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education and a minor in Spanish. My first teaching job took me to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Over the course of 10 years, I taught second, fourth, and fifth grade. I was certified to teach multilingual learners and I earned my master’s degree from the University of New Mexico. My interests in literacy led me to transition out of the classroom and into a reading intervention teacher position where I worked with kindergarten through fifth grade students for 4 years. In the summer of 2013, my family and I moved to Indiana and that fall I started as a reading specialist at Yost.
I enjoy spending time with my family and friends whenever I can. I like a good road trip and look forward to traveling every summer. My favorite ways to relax are reading a book with a surprising plot twist, listening to music of all sorts, spending the day at the beach, or any combination thereof!
As a reading specialist, I am able to support students in kindergarten through fourth grade in both reading and math intervention.
Reading Specialist
Email: mzucker@duneland.k12.in.us
Phone: 219-983-3640
Mrs. Zucker
Hello! My name is Maggie Zucker and I am one of the Reading Specialists at Yost Elementary School. After student teaching in a 3rd grade classroom, I graduated from Elmhurst University in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education. I worked as an instructional aide in a building devoted to educating kindergarten students, which allowed me to work in 9 different kindergarten classrooms. I then taught 1st grade at an elementary school in Riverside, Illinois for 8 years. During that time, I went back to Elmhurst University twice as a non-degree seeking graduate student to obtain my English as a Second Language (ESL) and Special Education endorsements. I graduated from Concordia University in 2019 with a Master of Arts degree in Reading Education.
My fiance’s career brought me to the Northwest Indiana area in 2021. This is my second year as one of the Reading Specialists at Yost, and I absolutely love it! This year, I will primarily be working with students in grades K-4 on developing their math skills. In my free time, I enjoy all things Disney, Snoopy, and Harry Potter. I’m also spending a lot of my free time planning my wedding! After May of 2023, my new name will be Mrs. Zucker.