Student Information Day will be held on Tuesday, August, 4, 2026, @ Norwell High School from noon - 7p.  This is an exciting and important step in preparing for the upcoming year!  During this time, student and staff school pictures are taken, review of class schedules, bus information, and lunch accounts, and payment of required student fees.  This is a day where families also have the opportunity to connect with school administrators and MS/HS students can find classrooms and locate lockers.  It’s a great chance for students to reconnect with friends, get familiar with the building, and start the year feeling confident and ready—we look forward to seeing you there!

Knights Quest! Returning student enrollment for 2026–27 should already be complete, including students receiving special services or bus transportation. If you haven't yet enrolled your student, please do so today!

Know someone interested in joining Knight Nation? Help future Knights start their adventure by enrolling at nwcs.k12.in.us/enroll.

To prepare for the 2026-2027 school year, please plan to pay the following fees by the first day of school, August 12, 2026.  Invoices will be issued before Student Information Day on August 4, 2026, and sent through My School Bucks via email if a parent account is set up.  Be sure to set up your My School Bucks account by selecting the My School Bucks icon in the left menu of your Powerschool Parent Account after adding all of your students.  Payments may be made online through My School Bucks once invoices are issued, or a cash or check can be remitted to your student's school office.

transportation@nwcs.k12.in.us

Transportation Director - Amy 260-622-4125 x1017

Transportation Secretary - Hattie 260-622-4125 x1016

School Times for 2026-2027:

Lancaster and Ossian Elementary - 8:45a - 3:30p **NEW start time**

AM Preschool - 9:15a - 11:45a

PM Preschool - 12:45p - 3:15p

Norwell Middle and High School - 7:30a - 2:20p

Bus Schedules will be posted and available in the StopFinder App in late July. Any changes to transportation needs for the start of the 2026-2027 school year should be communicated to our Transportation Department by August 4, 2026.  Any changes after this date may delay your bus transportation services until the week of August 17.

Preferred method of communication to the Transportation Department is via email: transportation@nwcs.k12.in.us

For Emergencies, please contact our Transportation Director, Amy, at 260-622-4125 x1017.

For those who are new to our bus transportation, Stopfinder App is a parent engagement app that is free and can be downloaded from App Store (Apple Devices) or Google Play (Android Devices).  This app will provide parents/guardians with real-time updates on their student's bus location, ETA, and arrival.

Invites to StopFinder are only sent to the primary contact provided on the student's enrollment.  Primary contacts can then invite others to view a student's schedule (click on the three dots to the right of a student name and select share schedule and enter the information for those you'd like to invite and submit).

You can also set up GeoAlerts or ETA Alerts within the StopFinder App.  See "How do I create a GeoAlert to receive GeoAlert notifications?" section in the StopFinder FAQ along with other helpful information here: https://stopfinder.com/faq/

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to our 2026 retirees for their years of dedication and service to Norwell Community Schools and the students in our community. Your commitment has made a lasting impact, and we are truly grateful for the difference you have made.

We wish each of you all the best as you begin this well-earned new chapter—enjoy your “permanent vacation” filled with happiness, relaxation, and new adventures!

Ron Harnish - HS Ice/Internship Teacher - 39 Years

Deb Adams - Financial Services Director - 30 Years

Theresa Casto - Ossian Elementary Principal - 34 Years

Amy Pfaff - Ossian Teaching Assistant - 25 Years

Julie Kohler - MS Teaching Assistant - 18 Years

Crystal Hippensteel - 7th Grade Math - 2 Years

Congratulations to our 2026 graduates as they embark on their next chapter! We are proud of all they have accomplished and confident they are Ready for What’s Next!  No matter where life takes you next, carry your Knight pride with you.  We're excited to see all the great things you'll do--once a Knight, always a Knight!

We are incredibly proud of our students whose outstanding extracurricular achievements have earned recognition from the school board. Their dedication, creativity, and hard work outside the classroom showcase the well-rounded excellence we strive for in our community. These accomplishments reflect not only their talent but also their commitment to growth and leadership, and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate their success!

Math Stars Recognition

In conjunction with the Indiana Department of Education, National Math Stars (NMS) recognizes exceptional students the scored withint he top 2% of third grade students on the math portion of the ILEARN Assessment.  Ossian Elementary was proud to recognize Ivan Hicks as a nomination for this program.  Congratulations Ivan and keep up the great work!

Photo courtesy of The News-Banner, Bluffton

New Principal and Assistant Principal Named at Ossian Elementary

At the July 14 School Board Meeting, Matt Taylor and Janelle Valenti were approved as the next Principal and Assistant Principal, respectively, of Ossian Elementary School.

Congratulations to Matt and Janelle on their new roles!  We look forward to their leadership, dedication, and commitment to the students, staff, and families of Ossian Elementary and Norwell Community Schools.

Photo courtesy of The News-Banner, Bluffton

2026-27 School Year Board Meeting Dates and Locations 
Start Time 5:30 p.m. (unless otherwise noted)

**Any updates throughout the year will be posted on our website**

July 14, 2026 - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200

(Quarter 2 Financial Report and 2027 Budget Timeline) 

July 28, 2026 - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200 

August 11, 2026 - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200

August 25, 2026 - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200

Collective Bargaining Hearing) 

September 8, 2026 - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200

(2027 Budget Workshop)

September 22, 2026 - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200

(2027 Budget Hearing) 

October 13, 2026 - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200

(Quarter 3 Financial Report and 2027 Budget Adoption) 

November 10, 2026 - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200

November 24, 2026 - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200 

 
December 8, 2026 - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200 

January 12, 2027 - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200

(Annual Financial Report) 

January 26, 2027 - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200 

February 9, 2027 - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200 

February 23, 2027 - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200 

March 9, 2027 - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200 

April 13, 2027  - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200 

April 27, 2027 - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200 

May 11, 2027 - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200 

May 25, 2027 - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200 

June 8, 2027 - Regular Meeting at Norwell High School H200 

Love helping students succeed and need a schedule that works with your family? Click on the link below for employment opportunities.
Apply today—your impact starts here.

Not interested in employment, but still want to help? Fill out a Volunteer Application here.

Don't have time to volunteer, but want to provide support for student programs? Donate to the Norwell Education Foundation here. 

To make direct contributions, please contact Central Office @ 260-622-4125

Use one of these rewards to donate--every contribution counts!:

Kroger Community Rewards (sign up in the Kroger app and choose where your rewards go): Norwell - Music Boosters; Lancaster Central Elementary - PTO; Ossian Elementary PTO

Midwest America Affinity Visa Debit Card - Support Norwell with everyday purchases