A New School Year Begins

Dear Northwestern Families and Community,

Welcome back to the 2026-2027 school year. The school supplies are ready, classrooms are waiting, and the alarm clocks are about to become our least favorite part of the morning! On behalf of the Board of Education and the Northwestern Local Schools Staff, I want to welcome our students, families, staff, and community back. I am excited about the year ahead and grateful for the opportunity to serve this district.

On our first day back with staff, we had the opportunity to hear a keynote speaker describe schools as the Heartbeat of a community. A heartbeat keeps things moving. It connects everything. And when the heartbeat is strong, the entire body benefits. Our schools bring people together. We gather in our classrooms, on our athletic fields, in our auditoriums, at concerts, activities, and events. We celebrate with our students, support one another, and create memories that often last long after the school year ends. We are incredibly blessed at Northwestern to have a community that supports our schools and shows up for our students and staff.

Northwestern staff, thank you for the time, energy, patience, and heart you bring to this work. The impact you have on students may not always be immediate, and you may never know the full difference you made in a child’s life. But I can promise you that those moments matter.

To our families, thank you for trusting us with your children. We value the connectivity between home and school, and we know that our students do best when we work together. I feel that we have continued to grow stronger and reach higher not only as a school district, but as a community.  

To our students, welcome back! We are ready for you. Bring your questions, your ideas, your talents, and maybe a little patience for all of us as we get back into the routine. Try something new. Make a new friend. Ask for help when you need it. Give your best effort. Please remember that you don’t have to be perfect to make progress.

Thank you for your continued support of Northwestern Local Schools. I am proud to be part of this community, and I look forward to everything we will accomplish together this year.

With gratitude,

Julie McCumber
Superintendent
Northwestern Local Schools