Boost Student Improvement and Rigor Districtwide with AI-Supported Instruction

About the Presenters

Phil Misecko joined the Hanover family in 2022 as the new Principal of Jane Ball Elementary School. He moved into the role of Assistant Superintendent/Director of Curriculum and Instruction in 2023. He taught sixth grade at Hobart Middle School for 10 years. He was an assistant principal at the middle school and high school levels and has been a principal at the middle school and elementary school levels. Phil received his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Purdue, his master’s in educational administration, and his Ed.S. from Indiana State University.

Keith Elsbree grew up in the Catskill Mountains of Upstate New York and then attended Monmouth University on the Jersey Shore in West Long Branch, NJ. Keith began his teaching career in DeSoto County, Florida, at DeSoto Middle School, teaching seventh- and eighth-grade ELA. He then spent 15 years at Sarasota High School in Sarasota, FL, teaching English, journalism, and media studies. Keith and his wife, Dawn, relocated to NW Indiana to be near Dawn’s family in the summer of 2020. Since then, Keith has been teaching 10th-grade English and evaluating ELA testing data at Hanover Central High School in Cedar Lake, IN. Keith is also the girls golf coach and assistant girls basketball coach at HCHS.

Michael Tinich is a dedicated math and science educator at Hanover Central High School with 10 years of classroom experience and a strong passion for instructional technology. He holds a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics from Purdue University and integrates technology into his teaching on a daily basis to enhance student engagement and deepen conceptual understanding. Michael has presented at multiple technology conferences, sharing best practices for meaningful classroom integration using the SAMR model. Prior to Hanover Central, his teaching experience includes Rensselaer Central High School, Klondike Middle School, and Twin Lakes High School. Through his work, Michael focuses on leveraging technology to transform instruction, strengthen problem-solving skills, and prepare students for success in a modern, STEM-focused learning environment.

Melissa Walley is the Educational Technology Specialist for Hanover Community School Corporation, located in Cedar Lake, Indiana. She has 25 years of experience in education and is an ISTE Certified Educator. Melissa has teaching experience in kindergarten through third grade and also has experience as an elementary school principal. In her current role with Hanover Community Schools, she oversees the elementary computer science curriculum and programming for the district, as well as secondary instructional technology coaching. In this role, she assists staff in using technology to support their learners in meaningful ways. Melissa is a Board Member for Hoosier Educational Computer Coordinators (HECC) and is a member of Indiana Connected Educators and ISTE. She also serves as an Innovation Coach for Keep Indiana Learning. Her goal is to support all educators and help them step out of their comfort zones.

Learning and teaching are what Rachel Anderson does best. As a professional educator, she is driven by a deep curiosity for new ideas and a commitment to breaking down complex concepts so others can truly understand them. Clear, effective communication sits at the center of every learning experience she designs and delivers. Rachel’s career spans three closely connected areas: education, communication, and sales. She brings over ten years of secondary classroom teaching experience in English, Spanish, and college-level speech. She now serves as a Professional Learning Specialist at Khan Academy, where she supports educators through meaningful, practical professional learning. Rachel has also spent eight years coaching competitive Speech & Debate, serving as a program director, and tutoring students in writing and English as a second language.