By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — Melissa Kissling was chosen to fill the District 3 vacancy on the Warsaw School Board Monday night.
The unanimous appointment by the board came after the school board interviewed three candidates.
A long-time member of the community, Kissling has an impressive history of board governance, having served on the boards of Tri Kappa, Presby Preschool, Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church and the Aquatic Club.
Her two children graduated from Warsaw Community High School and are currently in college.
Kissling previously worked as the College & Career Connections Manager at Warsaw Community Schools as well as with the front office at Madison Elementary.
Beyond her professional roles, Kissling has actively served on various district-wide committees, including those focused on calendar planning, homework policies and redesigning school counseling. Her expertise in grant writing and school funding has been instrumental in advancing key district initiatives, according to information provided by the school district in a news release.
The opening came at a time of transition for Kissling.
“I had quit working at the career center last June and had given myself six months to figure out how I could serve the community and then about six months later, this position became available,” Kissling told News Now Warsaw.
She also talked about her interest in helping students.
“I was always at the school, not for my kids, but for the kids who didn’t have the family support, the people helping them to sign up for clubs, to go the extra mile,” she said. “That’s why I’m still interested in serving the schools.”
Kissling’s appointment comes after a newly elected school board member stepped down after realizing she did not live in the correct district.
Seven people initially expressed interest in the seat.
Warsaw Community Schools also acknowledges the impressive strengths of the other two candidates who were part of the process:
Michael Gough’s corporate background in adult learning, training and compliance, combined with his data-driven decision-making approach, high-level systems perspective and dedication to fostering individual student success, makes him an inspiring advocate for education. His leadership experience includes serving on ZimmerBiomet’s corporate policy committee and as a Cub Scout leader, with priorities focused on student absenteeism, employee retention and strengthening college and career counseling programs.
Berto Nunez, who initially participated in the process, chose to step out of the running after the interviews and just before the board meeting, citing concerns about time commitments and his desire to ensure he could be a valuable piece to the team.
In his statement, he shared his gratitude for the opportunity and expressed appreciation for the dedication of the board and staff.
Despite stepping aside, Nunez’s leadership experience in policy review and public relations, along with his focus on staff recruitment, enhancing the Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program and fostering connections within the Hispanic community, remains a significant contribution to the district. He expressed hope to work with Warsaw Community Schools in the future.
Warsaw Community Schools extends its gratitude to all candidates who participated in the selection process.
