By Newsroom Staff | Updated June 3, 2026 | Columbia, Maryland
A short cafeteria video has reshaped the final weeks of the year at Atholton High School Principal Milk.
It shows principal Nick Novak wiping spilt milk off a table with a student’s homework, then throwing the wet paper toward teens.
He is now off campus, and Columbia, Maryland families wanted answers before the Class of 2026 walked the stage.
| KEY TAKEAWAYS Atholton High School principal Nick Novak is on leave for the rest of the 2025–2026 school year.The cafeteria incident happened in early April 2026 and spread through a recorded video.Christine Schmidt is acting principal; the district called the moment an “emotional interaction.” |
What actually happened in the cafeteria?
The clip was filmed in the senior cafeteria.
On the video, Novak accuses a group of students of throwing food.
He then appears to mop up spilt milk with what students say was a homework assignment.
Seconds later he throws the wet paper toward the group and says, “Don’t you talk to me like that again.”
WMAR-2 News aired the footage as an edited clip, and The Baltimore Banner noted it had not independently verified the video.
| Detail | What we know |
| Who | Nicholas “Nick” Novak, principal of Atholton High School |
| What | A recorded cafeteria confrontation involving spilt milk and a student’s homework |
| Where | Senior cafeteria, Atholton High School, Columbia, Maryland |
| When | Early April 2026; video circulated later that month |
| Status | Novak is on extended leave and will not return for 2025–2026 |
| In charge now | Christine Schmidt, acting principal |
| District | Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) |
Where does the principal stand now?
- Status: Novak is “on assignment” and on extended leave from Atholton.
- Return: He will not come back to the school during the 2025–2026 year.
- District line: spokesperson Brian Bassett called the escalation “extremely disappointing.”
- Leadership:Christine Schmidt is acting principal through the year’s end.
- Comment: Novak did not immediately respond to press requests.
| Date | What happened |
| Early April 2026 | Confrontation occurs in the senior cafeteria and is filmed |
| Late April 2026 | Clip spreads online; WMAR airs it; district confirms Novak is on leave |
| May 2026 | School year winds down under acting principal Christine Schmidt |
| June 1, 2026 | Class of 2026 graduation proceeds as scheduled |
Who is Nick Novak?
Novak is a 26-year veteran of Howard County Public Schools.
He started as an English teacher at River Hill High School before moving into administration.
Before Atholton he led River Hill and then Howard High, earning several honors along the way.
| Role | School | Years |
| English teacher | River Hill High School | Early career |
| Assistant principal | River Hill, then Glenelg High | Mid career |
| Principal | River Hill High School | 2009–2015 |
| Principal | Howard High School | 2015–2023 |
| Principal | Atholton High School | 2023–2026 |
Recognition over his career:
| Recognition | Awarded by |
| Principal of the Year | Maryland Association of Student Councils |
| Best Principal | Howard magazine |
| State Principal of the Year | Maryland Association of Secondary School Principals |
What does this mean for Atholton families?
- Operations: day-to-day school life continues under acting principal Christine Schmidt.
- Year-end: events, including the June 1 graduation, went ahead as planned.
- Next year: the district has not announced a permanent leadership decision.
- Stay informed: families can follow official updates on the school’s HCPSS page.
Sources and further reading
- The Baltimore Banner: https://www.thebanner.com/education/k-12-schools/atholton-high-school-principal-nick-novak-on-leave-columbia-HXU6VBT6XJF4XOFTRC6T7OH6SI/
- WMAR-2 News: https://www.wmar2news.com/news/region/howard-county/columbia-principal-on-leave-after-seen-on-video-throwing-paper-at-students-during-heated-exchange
- Atholton High School (HCPSS): https://ahs.hcpss.org/
- Atholton High School staff list: https://ahs.hcpss.org/school-staff-list
- Atholton High School background (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atholton_High_School
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