Northview Middle School

The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) announced this week that Northview Middle School in Washington Township, Indiana, has been awarded $10,000 for its selection as an NIET Founder’s Award finalist. The prestigious Founder’s Award was created by Lowell Milken in 2008 to honor one school in the United States each year for exceptional implementation of NIET’s principles to build educator excellence and advance student success.

Founder’s Award finalists are selected by NIET based on several factors, including improving classroom instruction, creating high-quality professional learning focused on the real-time needs of teachers and students, and engaging teacher leaders and school leaders in building a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.

After strengthening the Instructional Leadership Team, Northview Middle School now provides teachers with tailored professional learning and support that ultimately moves the needle for students. From 2023 to 2025, the percentage of Northview Middle School students scoring Proficient on state assessments increased 22 points in math and 11 points in English Language Arts (ELA). The proficiency rate statewide increased by only one point in math and decreased in ELA during the same time period.

“Northview Middle School exemplifies what is possible when a school’s Instructional Leadership Team commits to meeting weekly to focus on instruction and student outcomes,” said NIET Chief Executive Officer Dr. Joshua Barnett. “This dedication has spread across the campus, with teachers strengthening their instruction to help students succeed.”

“Our partnership with NIET allowed us to reshape our ILT, moving from a group that previously met weekly to discuss building-wide logistics to a team that put instruction and student outcomes as the focus of our work,” said Principal Tom Hakim. “NIET helps us put up the guard rails so that we stay focused on instruction.”

As Northview Middle School experiences increased student achievement, teachers feel motivated and encouraged to continue refining their instructional skills, further solidifying the school’s positive learning environment. “With NIET, we are not just focusing on the standardized-tested subjects and teachers,” said Hakim. “All our teachers are involved with the idea that if we all level up, then the rising tide lifts all ships. Our students and families are starting to see that and are helping us create a culture of high achievement.”

We understand that the uncertainty around SNAP benefits will create challenges for many families and we want to offer support during this time. Here is a list of community supports that may benefit your family. Washington Township School Social Workers connect families to school and community resources. Please reach out to your school social worker if you have questions, need support or want to know how you can help. 

COMMUNITY RESOURCES