A Portage Life in the Spotlight: Andrew Halaschak

Generations of Portage students have passed through the halls of Portage High School with just one constant over the last three decades.  While many teachers and administrators have come and gone, Andrew Halaschak has been a fixture in Portage Township Schools for the last 32 years.

Halaschak latched on with Portage because he knew that he was a perfect fit for the strong school system that was already in place.

“I came to Portage because I saw what the school had to offer,” he said.  “I moved to Portage and wanted my kids to be educated in Portage because I saw how good the quality of the school was.”

Come August, Halaschak’s absence will be apparent as he is set to retire at the conclusion of the school year after a total of 42 years in education.

“It’s going to be difficult to leave.  It’s going to be a tough transition at first, but I think I’ll get over it,” Halaschak said.

Halaschak started his teaching career in 1969 in Muskegon Heights, Mich.  He quickly returned home to Northwest Indiana to teach at his alma mater Lake Station Edison from 1970 to 1972.  Next, Halaschak taught at River Forest High School 1972 to 1979 before finding his comfort zone in Portage in 1979.  He took his first administrative position in 1986.

“I was an educator first, I loved to teach.  When I became an administrator, I continued to teach.  I taught at the Adult Education Center for 25 years,” Halaschak said.

The longtime Portage administrator spent nine years working in the PHS attendance office before becoming a principal at Willowcreek Middle School

“It’s funny, when I first became an administrator I said that I didn’t think I would ever want to work in a middle school, just because of the younger age and working with the young adults in the high school all those years.  When I went to the middle school, I loved it,” Halaschak said. 

“The younger kids are still able to be molded.  They’re not set in their ways, they’re looking for guidance, they really want your help and your interactions, and I think that’s the biggest difference.”

However, Halaschak was convinced to return to the high school by his good friend, PHS principal Caren Swickard.

“I left the principalship at Willowcreek to come to be with Mrs. Swickard, because in the backs of our minds we always wanted to work together,” he said.

Halaschak’s current position is a principal of PHS West, the freshmen building.  His additional duties include being in charge of custodians and serving as the school safety specialist.  He is one of the people in charge of the safety of the students at all grade levels for Portage Township Schools

On a day-to-day basis, Halaschak’s role is to help make sure the school runs correctly and make sure that teachers are following the goals of the school.  Student discipline is a big part of his job as assistant principal.  However, he also gets to oversee the development of students as they make a difference in a positive manner.

“I decided that I wanted to become an educator to make a difference with students, to try to touch their lives and make education important to them,” he said.

Halaschak was a member of the Police Commission for ten years, hiring a lot of the police officers that are currently on the force during his tenure as president of the Police Commission.  He also spent time on the board of directors for North Shore Health Center.

During his retirement, Halaschak cited the contact with the students and his peers as the aspects of his career that he will miss most.  Halaschak cherishes the relationship that he has with his fellow principals. Now that his schedule will be open, he plans to enjoy his cottage and spend a lot of time fishing.

“I figured 42 years in education is enough,” Halaschak said.  “I’m ready to retire.  It’s not that I don’t enjoy what I’m doing, but I feel that it’s time for me to enjoy life a little more.”