Duneland School Corporation first in Northwest Indiana for AED certification

Chicago Tribune

06-05-2025

The Duneland School Corporation has become the first district in Northwest Indiana to have all of its school buildings with employees who are certified to administer an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) for a cardiac emergency.
Assistant Superintendent Robert McDermott told the Duneland School Board Monday that Project ADAM granted the certification after training was completed with the five elementary and two intermediate schools.
Chesterton High School received its Project ADAM certification last fall. The program is named after Adam Lemel, who collapsed and died while playing basketball in 1999 in Whitefish Bay, a Milwaukee suburb. Adam's life might have been saved if those helping him had an AED available.
Duneland knows the value of an AED as there have been 10 cases in the past three years where the equipment was used in a cardiac emergency, McDermott said.
'In many cases, the difference between life and death comes down to having the right equipment in place and people who are ready and trained to use it,' McDermott said.
McDermott said he was so impressed with the program that he asked Chesterton High School nurse Brittany Smith if she would supervise the Project ADAM certification for the other seven school buildings.
To become certified, each school must have a detailed cardiac emergency response plan, personnel must be trained, and the AEDs have to be properly maintained and placed in an accessible location. A drill is also observed before the certification is granted.
The Duneland board presented Smith with an award, recognizing her effort in obtaining the Project ADAM certification for all of the district's schools.
'Her commitment, passion and leadership have made our schools safer places for students, staff and visitors alike and will save lives,' McDermott said.
The Duneland School Board also awarded a contract to Gough, Inc. for $415,000 to do site preparation at the Bailly, Brummitt, Liberty and Jackson Elementary schools before new playground equipment is installed.
Superintendent Chip Pettit said that the playground equipment is anticipated to cost $500,000 at each site for a total of $2 million. Pettit said the equipment will be purchased through a cooperative to ensure that the district gets the lowest and best price.
The Duneland School Corporation has budgeted $2.5 million out of a general obligation bond to pay for the project. That $14.3 million bond will also finance the construction of a soccer stadium complex and replacing carpet at Chesterton High School.
Duneland Schools will also purchase two I.C. Collins buses for $365,326. The two 54-passenger buses are equipped with lifts for special needs students. The buses will also be equipped with cameras and 10 specially integrated seats.
Lynn Kwilasz, Duneland's assistant superintendent/chief financial officer, said that the purchase of the two buses is within the school corporation's budget of $397,400. She also said new buses that were ordered in 2023 and last year finally arrived at the end of March.
The board also honored George Fox, a special education teacher of science and math at Chesterton High School, as the Secondary Teacher of the Year and Russ Hardsock, a third-grade teacher at Yost Elementary School, as the Elementary School Teacher of the Year.
Chesterton Police Officer Shauna Jesse, who is a school resource officer at Chesterton High School, was chosen as the School District's Employee of the Year. Jesse couldn't attend the school board meeting. Each of the award winners received a check for $500 and are eligible for statewide recognition.