Eastridge students celebrate effort with new schoolwide program < Updated

Eastridge Elementary School students are learning how effort can lead to excellent moments both inside and outside the classroom.
 
Fifth graders like Addie and Paul are part of a new Eastridge initiative to celebrate effort in academic, social and behavioral settings. The Eagles earn points each day for showcasing good actions like listening in class, working hard on assignments and asking for help if needed. They have learned how trying your best in every situation can help them reach individual, classroom and schoolwide goals.
 
Addie and Paul said they have noticed a difference this fall throughout school. They felt the effort plan has given all Eagles a chance to become better leaders, classmates and friends.
 
“It has helped us in showing our current behavior and how we can improve,” Addie said.
 
“It has helped in specialists,” Paul said. “I feel like our behavior is different now in specialists.”
 
Eastridge Principal Traci Boothe said the idea has led to many exceptional outcomes for the Eagles. Many teachers have reported a complete effort buy-in from their classrooms this fall, which has led to higher test scores and fewer behavior referrals.
 
“This has been incredibly successful,” Boothe said. “We try a lot of ideas in education, and some work out and some don’t. This is one of those ideas that’s a keeper. It’s worked out really, really well this year.”

 
Virginia Huckeby introduced the effort concept to students in August through her role as school counselor. Eastridge staff created an effort scale that gives students clear markers for their behavior. Each classroom can earn a maximum of 12 points per day. They can receive four effort points in their morning subjects, four points in specials like music and art and four points in their afternoon subjects.
 
“I’m outside the classrooms at the end of each day, and kids will come up to me and tell me what their effort score was for the day, especially if their class got a 12,” Huckeby said. “They’re really proud of what they’re doing in class. It’s really exciting, because they’re realizing that effort is important and that other people are seeing the type of effort they’re displaying.”
 
Eastridge staff developed the effort initiative as part of their 2025-26 School Improvement Plan (SIP). They set a goal of having 85 percent of students meeting district expectations in reading comprehension by the end of the school year. They also wanted 80 percent of students to meet district expectations in reading fluency.
 
Boothe said teachers felt there was a strong connection between effort in class and overall test results. They felt they had a better chance to reach their SIP goals if they encouraged effort-based actions as well as core academic material.
 
“Classroom engagement and positive behavior both make a huge impact on learning,” Boothe said. “We wanted to come up with a way to address both of those issues, and we wanted to be specific on the format that we were going to use. The effort initiative really tied into all of those areas well.”

 
Teachers give students a score of one if they have not met any expectations of successful effort. A score of two indicates that students were not fully engaged. The Eagles would have rushed through tasks and would not have followed directions or asked teachers for help on assignments.
 
A score of three indicates that students met their effort standards. They checked their work and fixed any mistakes, listened to instructions, asked for help when needed and remained focused on their tasks.
 
A score of four indicates that the entire class showed exemplary effort. They challenged themselves academically, remained highly focused and engaged in the lesson, worked carefully on assignments and showcased good problem-solving skills.
 
The effort scales provide extra motivation for the Eagles. For example, third graders in Jacob Baden’s class walk past a chart with spots for possible daily scores of one to 12. Baden attaches small plastic turtles to Velcro squares that indicate each day’s total.
 
One week, Baden’s class received a score of seven on Monday and six on Tuesday. Seeing those marks inspired them to be more energetic and attentive the next two days. Their effort skyrocketed to ten on Wednesday and nine on Thursday.

 
Staff members have also created incentives for students. For example, Eagles in several classrooms can earn extra recess time if they reach their effort goals. Other classes have celebrated positive scores with activities such as a “blanket learning day” in their rooms.
 
“They understand what the scores mean,” Huckeby said. “It’s neat to see how they set their goals and are truly trying to show good effort.”
 
Boothe said she believes the effort initiative will help the Eagles long after they leave Eastridge’s hallways.
 
“It’s been a great way for students to learn about bigger life lessons,” Boothe said. “For example, if their class has a lower effort score that day than they’d like, they learn that things might not always turn out the way you want to at first, but it’s important to keep trying. Keep going because you’re going to do well in the long run. Effort is something that’s a critical skill to have, because it’s central to so many areas of life.”

Eastridge’s effort goals are examples of schools taking action to support student wellbeing and outcomes connected to the 2024-29 LPS Strategic Plan. Learn more about our current strategic plan at home.lps.org/strategicplan.
 
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Posted on November 21, 2025

Wadhams makes substantial impact as substitute teacher for LPS students < Updated

Judy Wadhams is making a substantial impact on Lincoln Public Schools students through her significant work as a substitute teacher.
 
Wadhams is continuing her lengthy LPS career as a dedicated substitute teacher at many LPS buildings. She primarily serves in special education classrooms as both a long-term and short-term substitute. She taught special education at LPS on a full-time basis from 2003-21.
 
Wadhams said she enjoys helping current teachers in her meaningful subbing role.
 
“Yes, you do get paid, but they also need people,” Wadhams said. “They need people to come in and do these jobs. I know a couple of my friends who are retired are coming back in and doing it too, because, as a sub, you always have wonderful paraeducators or co-teachers that you’re working with. I could work every day. That’s just the way I am.”

 
LPS Special Education Coordinator Tara Troy said substitute teachers are important members of the LPS community. She said they provide experienced leadership in classrooms and allow students to continue making academic progress. Dozens of substitutes share their teaching talents across Lincoln every day.
 
“They’re essential,” Troy said. “Substitute teachers like Judy fill the need that we have for sustaining the academic rigor in our classes. We truly appreciate their help.”
 
Wadhams graduated from Wayne State College with a degree in earth science and biology. She taught outside Lincoln for several years before staying home to raise her children. She began subbing in LPS buildings in 2000 and earned a special education teaching degree in 2003.
 
Wadhams spent one year in the life skills room at Northeast High School before moving to the Independence Academy team. The program provides students ages 18-21 with opportunities for skill development in communication, employment and independent living. They work, learn and prepare for their futures with a variety of school and community activities.
 
Those experiences have prepared Wadhams for the wide array of assignments she accepts during the school year. Some of her substitute teaching positions are in life skills rooms, but she often assists students who may need extra help in subjects like math, social studies or reading.

 
“I just like going to different places,” Wadhams said. “It’s good for my mind, because I’m relearning eighth grade math, and just with social studies, I’ve revisited the Revolutionary War at several schools. I’ve also been able to work with some really cool young teachers who have great ideas. This job gives you an opportunity to keep your mind sharp.”
 
When Wadhams first began subbing, she would receive a phone call early in the morning from LPS employees who would inform them if any jobs were available that day. Those dial-up deliverers of subbing news have been replaced by an online system that is available on computers, smartphones and other devices. It lets teachers schedule subbing opportunities days, weeks and even months in advance, which Wadhams said has been revolutionary.
 
“You can get on the system and see when teachers put on their absences, and you can go and pick them up,” Wadhams said. “It’s incredibly user-friendly. The jobs are out there weeks ahead of time, but even if you wait until the very last minute, there’s always a job. There have been times that I’ve waited until the day before because I wasn’t sure if it was going to work with my schedule, but even then, there were jobs available.”

 
Classroom teachers can upload lesson plans and daily instructional files into the system for substitutes to read ahead of time. They can also provide additional peace of mind for substitutes with bell schedules, parking instructions and directions on which door to enter in the morning.
 
Wadhams said those types of supportive actions continue as the school day moves along. She said teachers, paraeducators and staff members have been kind and generous to her at every LPS building.
 
“I’m a little bit anxious every time I go into a new place, but every time I do go into a new place, everyone is like, ‘We’re here if you need help,’” Wadhams said. “And they are. I have not had any negative experiences. Ever.”
 
Wadhams said she also enjoys her role because of the flexibility it offers. She and other substitute teachers are not limited to a certain minimum or maximum number of jobs they can take throughout the year.
 
“If you have to take a day off, you can,” Wadhams said. “I have grandchildren in Colorado, so if I want to go visit them, I can, and if I want to teach, I can do that. It’s a really good situation. I try to get to as many places as I can now because I love doing it, but if I need or want to take time off, I have that option.”
 
Wadhams said she would encourage people to explore the idea of becoming a substitute teacher at LPS. She said it has given her a chance to continue helping students in substantial ways every day.
 
“I appreciate the opportunity to be able to come in and do this,” Wadhams said. “It’s something that I genuinely enjoy.”
 
Substitute teachers like Judy Wadhams are making a major difference for LPS students and staff every day. Want to explore the possibility of joining them? Visit home.lps.org/hr/substitutes to learn about the application process, pay rates, handbooks and other essential information for substitute teachers.
 
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Posted on November 21, 2025

Bryan Community artists share hopeful mental health messages < Updated

Bryan Community art students turned the invisible world of mental health into visible displays of perseverance, inspiration and triumph this fall.
 
Students like Bella, Ivanah, Jurny, Lola and Manuel created powerful artworks that were displayed in the school’s main hallway. They offered messages of hope and support for people who either have been or currently are experiencing mental health situations.
 
Bella, Lola and Manuel said the project gave them an outlet to share mental health experiences that they have lived through. They said they wanted to express their feelings to help classmates who may be going through similar struggles.
 
“As hard as it is to talk about, it’s important to share your past experiences and the things you’re going through in the present,” Bella said.
 
“No one should ever be afraid to be able to explain how they feel or ever to hide how they feel about certain things or anything like that, because it’s not really fair for them or their mental health,” Lola said.
 
“I think about my mental health often,” Manuel said. “I just don’t think about a way to portray it to people often.”

 
Porter Chollet was proud of his Art 1 and 2D Art students who participated in the project. The Bryan teacher said they had impacted many people in positive ways.
 
“These students are awesome and they truly rose to the occasion, so for the most part, I just had to sit back, have some great conversations and watch it all happen,” Chollet said. “As with all projects, some students were quick to find their inspiration. Others needed more time to process and digest. However, in all classes I saw students having honest conversations about mental health, pushing and encouraging each other, which was all very empowering.”

 
Chollet first heard about the proposed project from Melissa Sellon, who is Bryan’s school counselor. Local Kiwanis Club members wanted to sponsor a student art show dedicated to mental health awareness during parent-teacher conferences earlier this semester. They also wanted to invite local agencies to set up booths at Bryan so families could learn about Lincoln-based mental health resources.
 
Chollet began the artistic venture by discussing how mental health diagnoses such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can affect an artist’s motivation and creativity. He then asked students to generate artwork that either expressed personal experiences or conveyed uplifting messages for friends, classmates or relatives.
 
Jurny lost someone close to her from suicide last year. She created a purple and blue butterfly with a semicolon-shaped body for her picture. The semicolon represents the choice of living while struggling with the trauma of suicide or self-harm. There are two scars on both of the butterfly’s wings, which represent wounds that are healing.
 
“I started with the body because I wanted it to be a semicolon, and I didn’t know what I wanted to do around it, but then I was thinking, ‘Well, people need to know that they can overcome it and help it, so I looked up what’s a symbol for recovery?’” Jurny said. “And it was butterfly wings. And I was like, ‘Okay, this is perfect. The body will be the semicolon, and we’ll do the butterfly wings around it.’”

 
Ivanah drew a woman holding several flowers over her eyes with her right hand. Her left hand is holding a watering can that is sprinkling water on the flowers. Her shoulder contains the phrase, “Always do your best. What you plant now will harvest later.”
 
Ivanah said she wanted her drawing to inspire people who are experiencing depression. She said the flowers are symbols of regrowth that can happen after periods of personal drought.
 
“I hope my project is a reminder that when you feel down or feel out of your body that it is okay, because at the end of the day, you’ll always be able to water yourself into the beauty that you’ve always had,” Ivanah said.

 
Chollet said the artwork had already made lasting impressions on everyone at Bryan. He said it had prompted many students to share their own experiences with mental health, which began healing processes for themselves, friends and family.
 
“It’s these connections that build community, support systems and feelings of self-acceptance, all the hallmarks of a show dedicated to mental health awareness,” Chollet said. “I hope this experience made them all feel proud, acknowledged and validated.”
 
Bella’s painting summarized the powerful feelings that Bryan Community students showcased. The artwork’s sky features a large yellow sun, an orange and yellow sunset and three rain clouds. The rain is falling on a field of flowers that have red, pink and yellow bulbs. She included a quote that she said is dear to her heart: “Let the flowers remind us why the rain is so necessary.”

 
“The flowers show the beauty even in the dark, stormy days, and the rain shows the bad,” Bella said. “But despite the rain being bad, you need it to grow, just like the flowers need the rain to grow.”

“I think the exhibition was a good reminder that our students’ interior worlds are much bigger than we often get to see, and that school is often only a portion of the day they are trying to navigate,” Chollet said. “Many students bravely opened themselves up, and I am truly proud and humbled by their efforts.”
 
LPS school counselors and social workers provide caring expertise and professionalism to help many students every day. Visit home.lps.org/counseling and home.lps.org/socialworkers for more information about mental health resources and support systems available throughout the school district.
 
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Posted on November 20, 2025

Roadrunners take positive steps with help of supportive paraeducator < Updated

While Gemma Love was talking with another adult near one of Norwood Park Elementary School’s classrooms, a student walked downstairs and ran over to embrace her in a hug.
 
During the next five minutes, two other Roadrunners gave her bright smiles as they walked by, which caused Love to exclaim how much she loved her job.

 
Love has generated heartfelt moments for dozens of Roadrunners with her daily work as a paraeducator. She helps students who need additional assistance in subjects like reading, writing and math through individual and group visits. She said it is fulfilling to watch them reach their goals as they move through the academic year.
 
“I thrive on that,” Love said. “It’s the most rewarding part of my job when I hear them say, ‘Mrs. Love, I know how to read the first paragraph now!’ They feel confident and capable. They’re so excited to learn now, because you’ve provided that guidance and support, and now they can do it independently. It just makes me extremely happy that I can offer that support to them.”
 
Norwood Park Principal Monique Ruiz said paraeducators play key roles in the building. They serve as trusted adults whom students from all grade levels can rely on. They assist classroom teachers with their lessons, help students with academic needs and promote social-emotional learning throughout the building.
 
“It is incredibly important to have amazing paraeducators like Gemma,” Ruiz said. “Without them, we’re not able to offer the type of support that helps our students in so many ways. They’re extremely valuable members of our team.”
 
Love attended school in Washington state and worked as a paraeducator there for two years. She spent eight years as a paraeducator in Montana before she and her family moved to Lincoln in 2023. She said her time at Norwood Park can be summed up in one word: spectacular.
 
“As soon as I stepped foot into Norwood Park, I felt like I was part of a family,” Love said. “Everyone greeted me and welcomed me, and I feel everyone is treated equally here, which is highly important. Just knowing that I can go to any one of the teachers, the principal, the coordinators, if I have a question is huge. Whatever you may need, they have the answer, and they’re willing to help you.”

 
Love begins most of her mornings in kindergarten classrooms. She works with students individually to help them with reading comprehension activities, such as letter recognition. She then moves to older grades to assist Roadrunners with a wide range of subjects.
 
One example of Love’s leadership took place in a first grade classroom this fall. She helped a student read story problems in a math lesson at a table. She encouraged him each time he read a word correctly, and she beamed when he solved a number-based problem.
 
“You’re so smart!” Love exclaimed. “Yeah, you’ve got it.”
 
Love said offering that type of praise and inspiration to students is essential in her role. She said creating a trusting environment allows potential breakthroughs to take place.
 
“Building those relationships is huge,” Love said. “That’s what everything is based on. If they don’t trust you, then they won’t come to you for anything in class, and we want them to come to us. We want to be that person who is there to help them and support them.”

 
A central part of Love’s teaching strategy is showing students the value of patience and persistence. She said the Roadrunners are determined to reach their goals, whether it takes two days, two weeks or two months.
 
“I had a kiddo say to me the other day, ‘Mrs. Love, I don’t know it yet,’” Love said. “And I said, ‘I love how you said that. It’s not that we can’t do it, because we can.’ I then told him that I was happy that they were displaying perseverance, because they were trying for it. And they said, ‘Mrs. Love, we’ll get there.’ It was really neat to see. It definitely made my heart happy.”
 
In addition to one-on-one lessons, Love also helps students in groups of two or three in older grades. She said many Roadrunners emerge from those gatherings with valuable life skills.
 
“There’s a lot of teamwork being learned there, and that just helps set the tone for the classroom,” Love said. “We’re making sure they have what they need to be successful in class.”
 
Love is looking to continue her own educational path in the future. She is planning to obtain the necessary college credits to enroll in the Nebraska Teacher Apprenticeship Program. She would like to become a full-time special education teacher once she completes the LPS Grow Your Own initiative.
 
Love said she is happy to share smiles, hugs and high fives with Norwood Park students every day in her paraeducator position.
 
“I’m just thankful for this opportunity,” Love said. “I would say if anyone wants to become a paraeducator, it is an incredibly rewarding job. If you love kids and love supporting them, this is a place to be.”
 
Want to help LPS students as a paraeducator? Visit home.lps.org/hr/careers to discover many job opportunities throughout Lincoln Public Schools. 
 
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Posted on November 19, 2025

Owls help downtown mural take flight with printmaking activity < Updated

Elliott Elementary School students helped a downtown mural take flight this fall by picking up printmaking skills in their art class.
 
Dozens of Owls created hand-printed bird images for a new mural at the corner of 14th and N streets as part of a “What Moves You?” project. They used artistic tools such as water-based ink, plexiglass, rollers and a portable printing press to make many vibrant paintings. They joined a citywide effort that included artists from Lincoln High, Park Middle School and Everett Elementary School.
 
Fifth graders Jordan and Jonathan said they were happy when they learned people from across Lincoln would view their artworks. Elliott art teacher Jodi Heiser and guest artist Angelica Tapia led their class through a process that ended with students personally hand-turning the printing press to produce their birds. Both Owls beamed as they brought their drawings back to a metal rack to dry.
 
What was it like when they saw their birds coming out of the printing press?
 
“It was really cool,” Jordan said. “It was awesome.”
 
“I was very excited because it was fun to do,” Jonathan said. “I liked it.”

 
Tapia said it was encouraging to watch Elliott students experiment with printmaking during the morning. She grew up in a town near Kearney and first learned about the artistic style in college. She now owns a master’s degree in painting and printmaking and has showcased her skills throughout the state.
 
“It was such a thrill when I discovered printmaking, and that’s the feeling that I want these kids to have,” Tapia said. “I want to give these kids a chance to learn about this while they’re young. If they know about it now, who knows what they’ll be able to do with it in middle school and high school and beyond? They’re getting a real head start on this, which makes me happy.”
 
Local artists Kat Wiese and Lindsey Weber jump-started the project this summer when they began creating a mural at the MusicBox (MBX) rehearsal and recording venue. The Downtown Lincoln Association asked them to design a mural that focused on themes of connection and transformation.
 
Wiese and Weber wanted the artwork’s viewers to reflect on what moves them. Answers could be literal ones, such as travel, music or dance. They could also be metaphorical, like emotions or personal growth. They are currently in the process of collecting hundreds of hand-printed birds that will add another layer of movement to the mural.
 
Tapia began her time at Elliott by explaining how printmaking works to the Owls. She then gave each student bird-shaped cutouts made of delicate newsprint paper. They used watercolor crayons to decorate their birds with lines, pictures and drawings.

 
Students brought their birds to a table that contained plexiglass, rollers and several hues of paint. They told Tapia which colors they wanted to surround their bird, and she helped them roll a custom-made paint mixture on a rectangular pane of plexiglass. They then set the plexiglass in the printing press, placed their bird on top of the paint and laid a press blanket over it to avoid having roll marks appear.
 
Each Owl then moved the plexiglass through the printing press to create a stenciled image of their animal with the paint around it. Jonathan’s brown bird was contained in a sea of blue, green and yellow paint, and Jordan’s red-and-white bird was flying inside red and peach colors.
 
Jordan said he was proud of how his artwork turned out.
 
“I liked how it came out on the glass,” Jordan said. “I really want to keep it.”

 
Tapia said she was pleased with how the Owls followed her instructions.
 
“I think they got the idea of what to do pretty quickly,” Tapia said. “They did a really nice job listening to everything.”
 
Many Owls also used problem-solving skills to leave personal marks on their projects. Tapia told the class that the printmaking process creates a mirror image of an artwork when it travels through the printing press. Several students, like Daniela, wanted to include their name on their bird, and they realized that they needed to write the letters backwards in order for it to come out correctly.
 
“Writing names backwards is a huge challenge, and the fact that they did it was really impressive,” Tapia said. “That was pretty neat to see.”
 
Tapia said she hopes the printmaking activity will allow a love of art to take flight for all Owls who worked on the project.
 
“This was a lot of fun,” Tapia said. “I love working with students because they’re so full of energy and they have a lot of great ideas. Having them be part of this mural is hopefully something that they’ll remember for a long time.”
 
Thousands of Lincoln Public Schools students are flying into successful artistic frontiers in their classrooms every day. Learn more about the LPS art curriculum at home.lps.org/art.
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on November 19, 2025

LPS world language teachers win prestigious state awards

Four Lincoln Public Schools teachers are speaking the supportive language of providing excellent instruction for their students.
 
The Nebraska Languages Association (NEBLA) honored Brenda Lopez Adame, Mohammed Alnajem, Sarah Klankey and Janine Theiler with state awards at their fall conference. Lopez Adame received the NEBLA Outstanding Language Teacher of the Year Award, Alnajem received the NEBLA New Language Teacher of the Year Award, Theiler received the Nebraska Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese Teacher of the Year Award, and Klankey received the Nebraska Association of Teachers of French Teacher of the Year Award.
 
NEBLA Executive Director Danielle Fulcher said having passionate and dedicated world language teachers in Nebraska is important for many reasons. In addition to providing a host of college and career readiness skills, world language teachers also give students essential social and cultural knowledge in their classes.
 
“Those teachers have the ability to ignite their students’ curiosity to know more and to open their eyes to the world around them,” Fulcher said. “I read the nomination letters for these teachers, and there was a very clear commonality in all of them. Those teachers, like Janine, Mohammed, Sarah and Brenda, plant those seeds of love in their students and inspire them to love languages.”
 
LPS Language Curriculum Specialist Katie Damgaard said it was “an incredible honor” to have four of this year’s state recipients representing LPS world language programs.
 
“Their recognition reflects the exceptional dedication, creativity and expertise our language teachers bring to their classrooms every day, inspiring students to connect not only with cultures and communities around the world, but also with the rich diversity within our own city of Lincoln,” Damgaard said.
 
Brenda Lopez Adame
Lopez Adame leads a variety of Spanish classes at Lincoln High. She helps many Links learn the basics of the language each day, and she also guides students who have spoken Spanish for a longer period of time. She said it is fulfilling to help heritage speakers feel more comfortable with their conversational skills.
 
“The thing that I enjoy the most about teaching Spanish at Lincoln High is working with heritage speakers and helping them grow the language they have grown up with,” Lopez Adame said. “Even though they have grown up in a Spanish-speaking household, most students do not feel confident in their language skills, so seeing them grow, being more confident and helping them see the importance of maintaining the language is what I enjoy the most.”

 
NEBLA President Terri Wright said Lopez Adame has established herself as an influential member of Nebraska’s world language community. She began teaching at LPS in 2018 and has led professional learning sessions for many fellow instructors.
 
“Brenda had several nominations, not only from colleagues, but from her students,” Wright said. “Everyone praised her passion and dedication, noting a deep connection with students and their families that was above and beyond expectations for a classroom teacher. Her work with heritage language learners, which included her work with them in the classroom and her creation of a heritage Spanish speakers club, was highlighted and praised repeatedly.”
 
Lopez Adame had originally majored in business at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, but she switched to education after volunteering at several local schools. She enjoyed student teaching at Lincoln High and was thrilled when a full-time position became available there. She later earned a master’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Kearney.
 
Lopez Adame said one of her top goals is creating a sense of community within the classroom. Students in one of her advanced courses achieved that one morning when they were immersed in the Spanish language. Lopez Adame spoke to them primarily in Spanish and helped them discover new words such as la manzanilla (chamomile herb), la sabila (aloe vera) and el ajo (garlic).

 
Lopez said she also strives to help students realize that everyone can accomplish hard things. Not only does this boost their confidence in their Spanish classes, but it also provides a meaningful lesson that will remain with them after they graduate.
 
Wright said that encouraging mindset makes Lopez Adame an outstanding world language teacher.
 
“Her creative projects, enthusiastic approach in the classroom and her collaboration with other teachers make her a role model for world language teacher colleagues and her students,” Wright said. “She is very deserving of this award, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to honor her.”
 
Mohammed Alnajem
Alnajem teaches Arabic classes to high school students at both North Star and Northeast. He said it is rewarding to help the Navigators and Rockets learn more about the language.
 
“Arabic has been my chosen field of study and professional focus from the very beginning of my life,” Alnajem said. “Studying Arabic not only deepened my appreciation for the language itself, but it also helped me develop the ability to learn English more easily and quickly. I found that I could communicate more fluently than many of my peers, which further strengthened my passion for teaching Arabic.”

 
Wright said one of Alnajem’s supervisors highly recommended him for the new language teacher award. She said the nomination letter confirmed how much of a difference he has been making for students.
 
“His work in teaching Arabic extends well beyond the classroom,” Wright said. “He has worked tirelessly to create all levels of curriculum for Arabic, and he founded the LPS Arabic for Arabic Students class to better differentiate the curriculum and reach students more at their level. He maintains great relationships with his students, is very giving of his time and is always willing to listen to students.”
 
The Rockets and Navigators rely on Alnajem’s expertise every time they open their classroom materials. He wrote the Arabic language textbook that they use each day for their lessons. He decided to author the book after observing the needs of his students in previous years.
 
Alnajem said he is continually encouraged by the progress students make in his classes. During one of his sessions at North Star, many Navigators spoke words and phrases with confidence in front of the entire group.
 
“I consistently remind my students of the goals they can achieve through studying a second language, or Arabic in particular,” Alnajem said. “When students set clear goals, understand their purpose and recognize their own progress, they experience genuine satisfaction and motivation. My overarching goal is for students to study Arabic over four years and become fluent in reading, writing and comprehension and be able to hold a conversation.”

 
Wright said Alnajem will continue to help many LPS students achieve those dreams in the coming years.
 
“He is the kind of new world language teacher that we want to encourage and keep in the profession,” Wright said. “Hopefully this award helps him realize how much we all value him and his contributions to world language teaching in Nebraska.”
 
Sarah Klankey
Klankey began leading French and World Languages classes at Moore Middle School two years ago. She said she enjoys watching the Mountain Lions learn how to read and write foundational nouns, verbs and adjectives.
 
“I love teaching French and World Languages because I love helping students discover a new way of communicating and viewing the world,” Klankey said. “Learning to speak another language is a long process that is fun, challenging and highly rewarding. I truly enjoy helping to start students on that journey!”

 
LPS teachers Stephanie Miller and Sara Parkening nominated Klankey for the Nebraska Association of Teachers of French honor. They said they have been impressed with her leadership and enthusiasm.
 
“Sarah has been a great addition to the world language team in LPS,” Miller said. “She has innovative ideas and takes the little things into consideration when working on curriculum planning. She is passionate about teaching French and enjoys imparting her knowledge to her students at Moore Middle School. Moore is lucky to have such a dedicated, hardworking teacher like Sarah!”
 
“Her passion for French and languages is evident in her teaching and in her collaboration with colleagues,” Parkening said. “She is hardworking, shares awesome ideas and contributes positively to curriculum development. She is an amazing addition to the LPS world language department.”
 
One example of Klankey’s uplifting teaching style came during a first-period French class. After teaching the Mountain Lions new family-based words such as grand-mere (grandma), tante (aunt) and oncle (uncle), she focused on basic conversational phrases such as reste chez moi (stayed home).
 
Students then created 30 flashcards filled with verbs, adjectives, feminine nouns and masculine nouns. The activity provided a fun way for them to continue learning important French words with their classmates. It also gave them more ownership in the process of studying for upcoming tests and projects.

 
Klankey said she wants to set up her students for successful language adventures as they move into high school.
 
“My goals for my French students are that they learn to communicate in French and that they get a lot of speaking practice every day,” Klankey said. “For World Languages, my goal is to introduce students to other languages and cultures and help them build skills that will help them learn languages down the road.”
 
Janine Theiler
Theiler teaches Spanish classes at Northeast High School and has spent more than a decade leading LPS students. She said it is a good feeling to help the Rockets reach new milestones on their Spanish language pathways.
 
“I find joy in the challenge of figuring out what motivates every scholar, of determining how to build that sort of ‘Goldilocks’ scaffolded space where every student is supported ‘just right’ so that they feel safe, capable and ready for success with language learning,” Theiler said.

 
Nebraska Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (NATSP) President Theresa Jensen said Theiler has distinguished herself as a state leader in both classroom management and instructional practices. Jensen received a quote from a Northeast student who said Theiler teaches Spanish with both excitement and enthusiasm. The student said Theiler’s “ability to keep any material from being boring” has been extremely helpful.
 
“It was an easy choice selecting Janine for Spanish Teacher of the Year,” Jensen said. “She exemplifies excellence as a master teacher who creates an engaging, immersive and equitable learning environment. She uses the target language consistently, tailors instruction with authentic materials and real-world applications, and is deeply invested in her students’ success, earning high regard from both students and colleagues as a leader and advocate for language learning.”
 
Theiler owns bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In addition to her teaching expertise, she has also worked for UNL and the Nebraska Department of Education. She was a research assistant at UNL from 2005-12 and was the NDE’s director of educator effectiveness from 2015-18.

 
Theiler said she enjoys watching the Rockets become more familiar with the Spanish language and culture during their high school careers.
 
“My main goals are that students build confidence in and skill with communicating using a language that is not their native language, and that they build intercultural competency while exploring the amazingly diverse world in which we live – whether that diversity be situated in the student next to us in class, our neighbors across the street or our friends in another land,” Theiler said.
 
Brenda Lopez Adame, Mohammed Alnajem, Sarah Klankey and Janine Theiler represent the strong world language curriculum that exists at LPS. Discover more information about the school district’s world language classes at home.lps.org/worldlanguage.
 
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Posted on November 17, 2025

TCA celebrates educational milestone with tenth anniversary event

Maddy, Sha, Sami and Kaylie gave a perfect illustration this fall of the healthy impact The Career Academy has made on thousands of Lincoln Public Schools families.
 
The four health sciences students joined their classmates in a blood-pressure screening session during TCA’s tenth anniversary celebration. They checked vital signs of dozens of visitors at the event, which was held at TCA’s campus at 8800 O St. The future health professionals said it was exciting to prepare for their upcoming careers in a fun and engaging way.
 
“I loved showing people the process of how to do it,” Sha said. “It was fun to use the skills outside of class.”
 
“It allowed us to practice our skills on people besides our peers and allowed us to feel the sense of having a real patient,” Maddy said.
 
“I enjoyed meeting different people and getting different readings on people,” Sami said. “I also liked answering their questions and encouraging emergency medical training.”

 
Firsthand experiences like that have been the heartbeat of TCA for the past decade. The school, a partnership between LPS and Southeast Community College, offers both academic and real-world opportunities to students in more than a dozen career pathways.
 
High school juniors and seniors spend two hours each day at TCA taking lessons on everything from engineering to early childhood education. They complete their LPS degrees by taking their remaining courses at their home high schools.
 
TCA Principal/Director Josh Jones said he is proud of TCA’s growth since the building’s ribbon-cutting ceremony in August 2015. Approximately 800 students are currently registered for courses throughout the day.
 
“We have grown the enrollment of The Career Academy by over 500 students,” Jones said. “This is due to our dynamic partnerships with the business community and the incredible experiences our students are offered through these partnerships. These experiences include unique field trips, guest speakers, career fairs and internship opportunities.”
 
The Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools sponsored the tenth anniversary celebration on TCA’s campus. Foundation President Natalia Wiita said she enjoyed watching visitors share smiles with everyone at the event. Students showcased their career pathways with many activities on both floors of the building.
 
“This milestone is a celebration of students, families, educators and community members who have made TCA a success over the past decade,” Wiita said. “The impact of TCA reaches far beyond the classroom. Students are exposed to careers in the trades, earn valuable college credit and build confidence, strengthening their lives and the Lincoln community as a whole.”
 
Culinary arts students like Drake, Ruby and Tayvian said they had fun making food for guests to sample during the evening. Chef Christina Bugay guided them as they prepared a wide variety of hors d’oeuvres. They then beamed as visitors complimented them on their delicious work.
 
“I enjoyed cooking, doing something new and getting to see so many people enjoy the food,” Drake said. “I also liked cooking alongside my classmates and Chef.”
 
“We got to share with the public all of the skills we have been learning these past couple of years,” Ruby said.
 
“I liked the experience of serving people,” Tayvian said.
 
Knowledgeable teachers in all 16 pathways and dual-credit programs provide classes with a large amount of information. More than 150 business and industry professionals have also teamed up with TCA to offer important mentorship opportunities. They serve on pathway support groups that arrange field trips, provide industry-specific advice and help students expand their career networks.

 
Isabel, Ruby and Tayvian said cooking in TCA’s state-of-the-art kitchens has been a recipe for their personal success.
 
“TCA has given me a head start on my career,” Ruby said. “I was able to find something I love to do in high school, which is an amazing resource at a fraction of the cost of college.”
 
“TCA sparked my passion for school again,” Isabel said. “It made me more confident and ready for the world.”
 
“TCA has helped me see what my future could be like and helped me decide on a career I want to go into,” Tayvian said.
 
Sami said TCA has also helped her develop talents for her future career as a doctor. She said it has prepared her well for the rigorous coursework she will have both in college and medical school. Kaylie and Maddy agreed with their classmate about TCA’s benefits.
 
“I feel TCA has shown me lots of opportunities that will be helpful for my career,” Kaylie said. “It is a learning experience, and I have liked being part of it.”
 
“TCA is allowing me to gain a head start in knowing and confirming what I want to continue my studies for, as well as gaining connections and hearing information from those already in the healthcare profession,” Maddy said.

 
The tenth anniversary event offered students, teachers and guests a chance to celebrate those types of life-changing highlights. Sha said the supportive atmosphere illustrated why TCA has made a healthy difference for so many people.
 
“TCA is a huge help,” Sha said. “There are a lot of resources, and it’s given me an opportunity to be a leader and strive in our community. I also love the classes and the way TCA shows us what the college experience is like, so we can test the waters and see if we want to continue our journey.”
 
Want to test drive your future with The Career Academy? Visit tca.lps.org to learn more about the various career pathways available and how to apply for the next school year. 
 
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Posted on November 17, 2025

Bay High students gain galaxies of social media skills at state workshop

Bay High Focus Program seniors rocketed into new social media galaxies this fall when they learned about branding, storytelling and content creation.
 
Bay High students like Emory and Lexie traveled to downtown Lincoln for the Class Intercom Content Generation Workshop. It was the first time Bay High had participated in the event, which focuses on digital content creation across social channels. They shared an educational orbit with professional journalists, storytellers and entrepreneurs who spoke about topics like caption writing, interviewing and online design.
 
Emory said she was excited about having a chance to meet people from across Nebraska at the workshop. She felt it was important for teenagers to learn more about the social media landscape and how the technology can benefit everyone.
 
“Social media is not going to go away anytime soon,” Emory said. “It’s becoming a bigger thing in all aspects of everybody’s lives, so it’s important to yes, learn why it’s bad, but also learn how it can support you and how it’s good for school, work, everyday lives. Students learn from being taught what they’re not supposed to do, but they learn a lot better with knowing what they should do and how to do it correctly.”
 
Lexie felt it was crucial to learn new ways to develop and promote positive social media content. She said many students are trying to avoid viewing negative content because it does not uplift them. Instead, they are gravitating towards reels, pictures and videos that make them feel better about themselves and the world.
 
“People are looking for positive, and if you know how to create positive and how to share that with the community, that will gain traction,” Lexie said. “That’s what people are wanting to find.”
 
Bay High business teacher Brent Jarosz said the workshop provided seniors with helpful information that they will use both in their classes and careers. Bay High students learn the basics of social media content creation in classes such as Sports and Event Marketing as juniors. They are taking several entrepreneurship courses this year, which focus on more advanced techniques to use to build a brand.
 
“It’s more of rehearing it again,” Jarosz said. “How to shoot a good picture, how to make a good caption, how to get people’s attention. It’s just another big reinforcement.”
 
Students spent a large portion of the day learning various ways to become better storytellers. Keynote speaker Mike Smith shared tips on how to increase connections with other people, expand a product’s appeal and engage readers and viewers with captivating details. Smith founded The Bay in 2010 and helped it become a nationally recognized youth development nonprofit.
 
Emory said she discovered that effective storytelling makes a difference for people who deliver and receive the content.
 
“Saying it in a way that impacts other people’s lives so then it’s meaningful to them, and they can carry your story with them to also help build their stories,” Emory said.
 
Students also spent time completing a variety of workshop challenges. They created content and submitted it to social media channels in real time, which let them practice their new skills in a team-based format. The Bay High group produced a video about their focus program experiences, shared part of their advertising plan for last year’s Skate Art Music Fest event and explored social media themes with other students.
 
Emory and Lexie said the quick-hit challenges mirrored what Bay High students do every day in their classes.
 
“At The Bay, this is kind of exactly what we do pretty much for all assignments,” Emory said. “It’s our own creative mix on a task that we’re given. It’s kind of just like getting back into a group with people who you enjoy working with and then creating something to share with everybody else.”
 
“All we do is create, and it was good to come out here and create for and in front of people,” Lexie said.
 
Jarosz said the professional panelists also gave key advice for Bay High attendees. Each of the six mini sessions focused on content generation tips that students could put to use right away. Several industry experts ended the day with a 30-minute discussion about social media subjects.
 
“Whether it’s them thinking about the pictures they’re taking or even the captions that they have, just so that it’s in the back of their mind, I think is the big thing I’m going for today,” Jarosz said.
 
Lexie said her time at the workshop was a worthwhile experience for her. She said she had acquired a solar system-sized amount of material that she would use for the rest of the year at Bay High.
 
“I’d say that these kinds of things are the most important part in learning and gaining skills and education, because when you’re around a big group of people and you have public speakers who are important and have done all of these large experiences, it’s the best thing to retain, or it’s the easiest to retain,” Lexie said.
 
Bay High Focus Program students learn about subjects such as video production, marketing, photojournalism and content creation in their classes. Explore summaries of Bay High’s wide variety of courses at bayhigh.lps.org.
 
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Posted on November 14, 2025

Kodiaks learn cool lessons about school from UNL student-athletes

Kooser Elementary School students like Maela and Matthew learned that school is cool from four college athletes who have enjoyed success both on and off the field.
 
University of Nebraska-Lincoln track and field athletes Axelina Johansson and Ashriel Dixon, women’s basketball player Logan Nissley and baseball player Caleb Clark visited with more than 400 Kodiaks at a special assembly. They delivered encouraging messages about setting goals, trying new things and working hard to a room full of third, fourth and fifth graders.

 
Maela said she liked how Johansson, Dixon, Nissley and Clark shared their stories with everyone. The fifth grader said it was fun to hear from the Huskers during the morning.
 
“I learned what they love and what sports they like,” Maela said. “I also learned that it’s good to try hard in everything you do.”
 
Fellow fifth grader Matthew said he discovered that the Huskers would be coming to Kooser shortly before the event started. He wanted to find out what they most enjoyed doing when they were not busy and what they like to do with their family whenever they visited them. He was pleasantly surprised when he was chosen to ask them one of his questions.
 
“I enjoyed having the opportunity to speak to athletes,” Matthew said.
 
Clark and Johansson both wore wide smiles as they gave hellos and high fives to the Kodiaks after their presentation. They felt it was important to come to Kooser for the inspirational visit.
 
“I remember what it was like being in elementary school and having a guest speaker come in and just hearing their words, remembering those things that they said,” Clark said. “This is the fourth time I’ve been able to do this in four years, so it’s incredible to come to schools and give back to the community. I’m not from Nebraska, but everyone here has kind of taken me in as their own, so I just always want to be able to give back.”
 
“I want to give back to the community, because I feel like we have such good support from the local fans,” Johansson said. “I have a lot of experience, and I wanted to share that with the kids. Hopefully it made a difference for them.”
 
The visit to Kooser was part of a weeklong series of “School is Cool” activities at Lincoln Public Schools buildings. Husker athletes also visited elementary students at Hill, West Lincoln, Zeman, Norwood Park, Cavett, Riley, Huntington and Hartley. The trips were co-sponsored by the LPS Special Education Department and the UNL Athletic Department as a way to celebrate public school education.
 
Clark, Johansson, Nissley and Dixon have all excelled both academically and athletically. Johansson, a native of Hok, Sweden, has been an Academic All-American three times and is a four-time Big Ten Conference shot put champion. She finished tenth in the shot put while representing Sweden in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
 
Nissley was the North Dakota Gatorade Girls Basketball Player of the Year three times and the North Dakota Volleyball Player of the Year twice in high school. A child, youth and family studies major, she was a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten selection this past year.
 
Dixon, a Georgia native, and Clark, who hails from Orillia, Ontario, Canada, are both majoring in sports media and communications. Both earned Academic All-Big Ten accolades this past year and have been key members of the track and field and baseball teams.
 
Johansson said she wanted to set a good example for the Kodiaks to follow in their careers, activities and hobbies.
 
“It’s important to try to inspire kids,” Johansson said. “I remember when I was younger, I looked up to athletes and thought they were super cool. I just want to show that it’s possible to be successful. You have to show the kids that they can do it too.”

 
Nissley encouraged the Kodiaks to explore a wide variety of interests while growing up.
 
“Everybody has different and unique talents, and so you don’t have to do the exact same thing as the person you’re sitting next to or your best friend,” Nissley said. “It’s just putting yourself out there trying new things, trying different things, getting out of your comfort zone. That’s going to help you find what you’re best at.”
 
Dixon told students that belief and perseverance are two main ingredients of successful outcomes. He emphasized that education is the driving force of those bright futures.
 
“There are going to be people who say you can’t do this. You can’t be a musician, you can’t be a teacher, you can’t be a professional athlete, but you can definitely do it,” Dixon said. “But it starts here. The foundation is here.”
 
Maela said she would remember what the Huskers had said to the Kodiaks for a long time.
 
“I loved how they came in to talk to us,” Maela said.
 
Clark hoped the “School is Cool” presentation would help Maela, Matthew and many other Kooser students flourish in their futures.
 
“As you start to grow up more, you realize that there’s a future ahead of you, and I have to find what I’m passionate about,” Clark said. “Maybe if they even think for a second that, ‘What do I really enjoy? What would I like to do?’ If that sticks, then I think we’re doing something right.”
 
Kooser Elementary School students are gaining valuable life skills from their classroom lessons every day. Visit kooser.lps.org to search library materials, view the Kooser handbook and learn information about many school resources.
 
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Posted on November 13, 2025

Pound students incorporate robots into interactive mathematics lesson

Pound Middle School seventh graders programmed mathematical excitement this fall with the help of measuring sticks, graph paper and aqua-colored robots.
 
Students in April Schermann’s Math Course 2D classes incorporated robots into a lesson about distance, rate and time. The main learning goal was for them to recognize that the robot’s constant speed acted as a rate of change. After measuring how fast per second their robots traveled, they could make accurate predictions about their future movements.
 
Liz and MihKing said they enjoyed exploring math equations in an energetic way. They programmed their robots to travel at different speeds, recorded many data points and built a graph that illustrated how to solve distance, rate and time problems.
 
“It was really fun and interactive,” Liz said. “Probably in the textbook, we wouldn’t be able to do something that is this interactive. We were able to do hands-on work.”
 
“We might have done something boring, but this was way more exciting,” MihKing said. “It was fun.”
 
Schermann began working at Pound this fall after spending the previous 23 years teaching high school math, physics and computer science classes outside of Lincoln. The original distance, rate and time lesson featured several options that involved wind-up toys and videos. Schermann decided to use the robots to give the Squires more memorable experiences to draw from.
 
“Now when we talk about proportions and the relationship of that idea of the robot going a constant speed, we always have that to relate back to,” Schermann said. “It was really good, because it’s a moment in their learning that they have as a core memory, and now we can always relate back to it, versus, ‘Hey, remember when we watched a video of a toy walking?’ They programmed the robot, they timed it, they measured it, they collected the data and they made the graph, so they had more invested in that learning experience.”
 
Students like Liz and MihKing began the activity by programming their robots to complete two functions. If the Squires pressed the machine’s A button, the robot would travel one meter at ten percent of its maximum speed. If they pressed the B button, the robot would travel at 20 percent of its maximum speed.
 
They then placed the robot on a flat surface next to a measuring stick. They used stopwatches to collect data based on how far the robot traveled in five, ten, 15 and 20 seconds. The sturdy makeup of the robots ensured they would move in a straight line each time, providing reliable data for the experiment.
 
The Squires then built a table, graph and equation that mathematically modeled the robot’s constant movement. They recorded their findings and compared them with other groups. The whole class then determined that their equations had proved the mathematical principle of distance, rate and time.
 
Schermann said it was exciting to watch light bulbs of understanding begin to shine bright for the Squires as the lesson unfolded.
 
“I knew we could incorporate a little bit of logic with coding, a little bit of physics with distance, rate and time, and then data collection and analysis with math,” Schermann said. “I really, truly think that students need more hands-on learning, whether it’s using a stopwatch, measuring, anything like that. Doing anything hands-on to enhance learning is really important.”
 
The activity was the second time Schermann’s students included technology in their math period. During a recent lesson on probability, she asked her classes to program tiny micro:bit computers with an accelerometer function. When they shook their micro:bit device, it produced random integers between one and 20. Students then studied whether the micro-computers came up with certain numbers more often or if there was the same probability for all of them to appear.
 
“It’s giving students opportunities to be creators of technology rather than just consumers of technology,” Schermann said. “They could have just clicked a link to do this, but they got more out of it when they actually programmed the micro:bit.”
 
Liz felt the robots and micro:bits could be part of many more math activities. Math Course 2D topics include proportional relationships, rational number operations, linear equations, probability, geometry, transformational geometry, 3-D geometry, angle relationships and the Pythagorean Theorem.
 
“I’m definitely hoping we can use the robots for other lessons,” Liz said.
 
Schermann said her goal as a teacher is to create meaningful lessons that help students increase their math knowledge. She felt this fall’s technology-based activities have met that standard.
 
“I think it’s been worth it,” Schermann said. “The payoff is definitely worth it.”
 
LPS students are multiplying their math knowledge at elementary, middle and high school levels every day. Visit home.lps.org/math to view descriptions of elementary and secondary math courses and access many helpful math tools.
 
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Posted on November 12, 2025

LPS students, staff celebrate Veterans Day with many activities

When Matthew Manning heard about the Veterans Day activities taking place at Riley Elementary School on Tuesday morning, he knew he wanted to invite one of his students to join him there.
 
That decision led to a happy conversation between Manning and Riley fourth grader Zora over doughnuts and orange juice in the school cafeteria.
 
Riley was one of multiple Lincoln Public Schools sites to hold Veterans Day ceremonies over a three-day span. Preschool, elementary, middle and high school students took part in assemblies, speeches and hallways parades on Friday, Monday and Tuesday.
 
Students and staff at several buildings also contributed photos of family members who either have served or are currently serving in the military. The schools mounted them on display walls for students to look at during the week.

 
Manning, a veteran, teaches instrumental music classes at Riley during the school day. Manning was the guest speaker at Riley’s 2023 ceremony, and he wanted to continue participating in this year’s event.
 
“Zora’s my bass player, and I thought it would be good to invite her to come today,” Manning said. “I thought it would be a great opportunity for her.”
 
Zora smiled when asked what her reaction was when she learned Manning had chosen her.
 
“It felt good,” Zora said.
 
Alissa Cookston has been teaching at Riley for 14 years and organized the school’s Veterans Day program. Her husband is a service member and joined her in the cafeteria for the pre-assembly breakfast. She said it was exciting to have community members join students for both events.
 
“This day means a lot to everyone,” Cookston said. “We’re really happy to be able to have this at school today.”

 
Riley students Darien, Kennedy, Nora, Elizabeth, Eliana, Ruth and Nefetari began the assembly by reading facts about the various military branches. Thirty members of a school choir then sang “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee” and “The Star-Spangled Banner” for the audience. The program concluded with a slideshow that featured pictures of veterans who have ties to Riley students.
 
Cookston told the Rams gathered in the gym that she was pleased with the way they listened and acted throughout the ceremony.
 
“I am so proud of Riley Elementary students right now,” Cookston said. “I’m happy with how calm and respectful you were.”
 
School leaders at Fredstrom Elementary were equally happy with the pride and patriotism the Falcons displayed at their event. The school hosted a hallway parade for the first time last year, and administrators decided to repeat it this fall due to the positive reception from both students and veterans. Fredstrom Assistant Principal Kathy Moldenhauer said it was a good opportunity to increase family engagement and honor veterans at the same time.
 
“We feel it is a great way to recognize and celebrate our Fredstrom community,” Moldenhauer said.

 
The first part of the celebration took place outside the front doors. Nebraska Army National Guard Sergeant First Class Jasmine Main secured two military vehicles to bring to school for students to inspect. Falcons in preschool through fifth grade climbed into a smaller Humvee and sat in the back and front seats. They also gazed up at a larger rescue vehicle that service members use during emergencies such as flooding.
 
Main, who is based in Mead and has three children, said she was happy to help spread the word about the Nebraska Army National Guard to the Falcons.
 
“I serve on the PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization) here, and they do the veterans program here every year, so I was like, “Do you guys have any interest in stepping it up a little? I can get trucks here pretty easily,’” Main said. “So, we brought a couple of trucks, which was super fun. It was awesome to see the kids’ reactions to them.”

 
The smiles continued inside the school. Fredstrom sent a note home to families prior to Veterans Day encouraging them to participate in the hallway parade if they knew a veteran. Students then cheered for them on both sides of the main hallway with signs, posters and American flags.
 
Main’s son Dawson said he was happy to walk in the parade with his mom. They were at the front of a long caravan of veterans, parents and students who received applause from all of the Falcons.
 
“It was cool that everybody was watching and we were the first ones to go,” Dawson said.
 
Main said she was grateful to see the “pure appreciation” that the Falcons showed to dozens of veterans throughout the day. She said the joy on everyone’s faces made her 18 years of service well worth it.
 
“We fight for these guys to have the life that they live, and I wouldn’t change it for the world,” Main said.
 
Schools across Lincoln celebrated a wide range of Veterans Day activities. View pictures from several LPS sites at photos.lps.org.
 
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Posted on November 11, 2025

Raptors soak up knowledge about water, engineering at project site

Robinson Elementary School students turned on faucets of aquatic knowledge this fall when they learned about water and engineering in Lincoln.
 
Students in third and fifth grades traveled to the intersection of 98th Street and White Pine Road to inspect a major water infrastructure project. They signed their names on two large water main pipes, sat in several construction machines and discovered the importance of having clean water to drink.
 
Third grader Aurora said she enjoyed writing her name on a water transmission main pipe that weighed 7,000 pounds. Lincoln Transportation and Utilities (LTU) employees provided students with markers to use on the blue pipe, which is part of a project called Lincoln’s Water 2.0: Securing Lincoln’s Second Source. The 98th St. transmission main will serve as a link between the city’s current water source in the Platte River wellfield and its proposed second source at the Missouri River in Cass County.
 
“It was really fun, because it’s going to be down in the ground for a long time,” Aurora said.
 
Classmate Marc said he was impressed with the size of the pipe. The sections of the transmission main will range between 54-60 inches in diameter.
 
“I’d kind of seen them before, but I didn’t think that they would be this big up close,” Marc said.
 
Robinson third grade teachers Ashley Lammers, Jordyn Moerer and Adina To smiled as their students climbed inside construction equipment, inspected the pipes and soaked up facts about Lincoln’s water supply. Lincoln Public Schools partnered with LTU to give the Raptors a firsthand view of the engineering project. Experts from Judds Bros. Construction Company and the engineering firm HDR were also on hand to help teach students.
 
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to be able to partner with LTU to teach lessons on water and engineering,” To said. “It gives students an immersive, hands-on experience and correlates with our social studies unit about natural resources found in Nebraska, specifically water. We believe being involved in this experience will help students remember the importance of water conservation as they get older.”
 
“They’ve been really excited,” Lammers said as students walked to the site. “We’ve been talking about this all week.”

 
Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird said she was excited for students to become more familiar with water-based topics. She shook hands with the young Raptors, signed her name to the pipe and spoke with teachers about the educational opportunity.
 
“I don’t think a lot of people think about what it takes to have water flow to their kitchen sink, and this is a chance to show that to our kids,” Gaylor Baird said. “It’s also a chance to help them become a part of the conservation efforts that we need in order to have enough water for everyone in our community while we get this Water 2.0 project in place. And we hope that it might even inspire a few of the children to think about becoming an engineer, to be able to be the kind of community leader who helps get this work done so that we can grow our community far into the future.”

 
The 98th Street water transmission main project includes the design and construction of a pipe that will be installed under neighborhood streets. LTU is creating a connection between the Northeast Pump Station, located at 98th St. and Alvo Road, to the Vine Street Reservoir. The new water transmission main will allow the city’s water distribution and supply system to expand in the future.
 
The 98th Street project is one of the first steps in the large-scale Water 2.0 effort, which has a long-term goal of connecting Lincoln to Missouri River wellfields by Beaver Lake in Cass County. LTU employees are currently performing general survey work within both Lancaster and Cass counties to support future planning. Construction would likely begin in 2035 and would have a proposed completion date of 2048.
 
Aurora said she first learned about the water cycle process in second grade. She and her classmates discovered that liquid water becomes water vapor and turns into dew, frost, fog or clouds. The water vapor in clouds can then return to the ground in precipitation like rain or snow.
 
Marc said he was happy to find out more facts about the local water supply. LTU employees told students that Lincoln residents use approximately 40 million gallons of water each day. The city maintains 1,370 miles of water mains, 12,823 fire hydrants and 29,344 valves.
 
“It’s fun knowing more things about water, because all I knew about water was that it tastes good and I like to drink it,” Marc said.

Gaylor Baird said she is hopeful that Robinson students will continue filling up their knowledge tanks about water, engineering and resource management topics.
 
“This project is for them,” Gaylor Baird said. “This project is about the future. It’s about growing our community and making sure that we continue to have an amazing quality of life and all the resources we need for them to have bright futures.
 
“So really, it’s for them, and to have them come be a part of laying this pipe, to sign it, to learn more about what it takes to get it done, I think is really special, and hopefully will inspire them to think about how they can be caretakers for Lincoln’s future as they grow.”
 
Water is one of many science-based topics that LPS students learn about at elementary, middle and high school levels. Visit home.lps.org/science to view curriculum objectives, course guides and summaries of science lessons at LPS.
 
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Posted on November 07, 2025

Turley wins national award for guiding Links in geography classes

Chris Turley’s ability to link human geography concepts together for Lincoln High students has been noticed on a national scale by social studies professionals.
 
The National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE) announced this fall that Turley had earned the organization’s K-12 Distinguished Teaching Award. The prize, which honors excellence in geography education at the primary and secondary levels, is one of the nation’s most prestigious honors. Turley is the first Nebraska teacher to win the award, which has been given to only 12 people in the United States prior to this year.

 
NCGE President-Elect Celeste Reynolds said Turley is shaping the future of geography education with his work at Lincoln Public Schools. She presented the award to him during the NCGE’s annual conference Oct. 17 in Omaha.
 
“Geography’s vitality depends on two things: a commitment to conveying the lessons that places and regions teach us, and a strong community of advocates who advance this endangered subject through classrooms, communities, school districts, social media and the halls of state capitols,” Reynolds said. “Chris exemplifies the very best of these ideals.”
 
LPS K-12 Social Studies Curriculum Specialist Jaci Kellison was one of three people who provided letters of support for Turley’s award. Harris Payne, chair of the Geographic Educators of Nebraska (GEON) organization, nominated him for the national honor. Kellison and LHS Social Studies Department Chair Laurel Maslowski both advocated for his selection.
 
Kellison said she is proud of Turley for his willingness to go above and beyond in the classroom. He joined Lincoln High’s social studies department in 2014 and has led world geography, human geography, psychology, civics and United States history classes on campus. He currently teaches Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography and Government and Politics courses.
 
“Chris is an exceptional teacher and professional,” Kellison said. “His commitment to professional growth and leadership in geographic education is evident in all his actions, which makes him an ideal candidate for a prestigious award such as this one.”

 
Turley spends the majority of his day teaching AP Human Geography classes to ninth graders. He said leading AP Human Geography courses has acted as a second spark for his love of teaching. He said it means the world to him to help students figure out how global communities interact with each other.
 
“I love how the course really helps students understand the world around them, such as how connected the world is and how places and people are similar and different,” Turley said. “There is not a day in the class that the content we talk about does not impact students’ lives in some way. Helping students make that connection and helping them understand the world they are a part of is very rewarding.”
 
Turley said one of his top goals is to instill a deep curiosity about human activities on many continents. That includes understanding how people communicate with each other, what various cultures around the globe are like and how different cultures are similar to students’ own cultures. He felt that awareness would help them become lifelong learners in every subject.
 
“We learn so much in class, but it is only a fraction of what students can learn about the world, and I want them to keep adding to their own knowledge,” Turley said. “I hope students gain academic skills by improving their writing and reading skills. I also hope students learn helpful studying strategies that work for them, and perseverance to continue to improve their knowledge and academic abilities.”

 
Kellison said many LPS students, teachers and co-workers notice and appreciate Turley’s passion for people. Turley has worked on several leadership teams that have revised and updated the school district’s geography curriculum for thousands of students. He and other teachers have created new curriculum materials such as inquiry lessons, stimulus-based multiple choice questions and free response questions, and he has served as a mentor teacher for many incoming LPS geography educators.
 
“Chris is an exceptional social studies teacher because he has an incredible work ethic, is thoughtful and contributes positively to a team,” Kellison said. “He also cares deeply about his students, which is evident the minute you step into his classroom. He holds students to high expectations and provides them with the support they need to be successful. Chris truly believes that every student is capable of performing at a high level, and students feel that belief he has in them.”

 
A prime example of Turley’s dedication came when a group of teachers organized a new sequencing of AP social studies courses at LPS. Kellison said the work was both important and challenging since it was the first time an AP class was offered to ninth-grade students.
 
“Chris was instrumental in helping to prepare for the transition,” Kellison said. “His ability to think ahead, ask thoughtful questions and find positive solutions made him an invaluable part of the team, and his belief that all students deserve access to high-quality geography education was clear throughout the process.”
 
Reynolds said she was happy to celebrate Turley’s achievements at the national convention. She said his ability to connect students with geographic concepts would influence people for many years to come.
 
“I am grateful for the opportunity to present this award and confident that Chris’ work will continue to inspire colleagues and students alike to pursue leadership and innovation in geography education,” Reynolds said.
 
Lincoln Public Schools students are learning important social studies concepts from teachers like Chris Turley every day in their classes. Visit our website at home.lps.org/socialstudies to learn more about the social studies curriculum at LPS. 
 
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Posted on November 07, 2025

Spartan Spirit Soars: How East’s Inclusive cheer team is uniting more students

East High School is spreading more school S-P-I-R-I-T at home games on the sidelines with a new opportunity for its students. 

The Spartans added an inclusive cheerleading team last fall, which has doubled in size after one year. It went from four members in 2024 to eight this school year. This year’s team consisted of Alyssa, Anna, Mariah, Desiree, Sophia, Elly, Chloe and Hillary. 

“I feel amazing, honestly, because I get to see all my friends cheer with them, and it just makes me happy and just makes my day when I get to cheer with all my friends and do that kind of stuff and get involved,” Senior Alyssa said. She’s one of the team’s newest cheerleaders. 

Coaches Sydney Mickells and Anna Schulz got the idea to form the squad from another LPS high school and an inquiry from an incoming ninth grade parent. A future Spartan mom asked Mickells, the school’s head varsity cheerleading coach, if she had ever considered creating an inclusive cheer team while looking for high school activities for her daughter. 

“I think it's just really important that we are providing an opportunity for students with disabilities to be a part of, you know, their school community and school spirit,” Mickells said. 

That’s when Mickells, who is also a special education teacher at Robinson Elementary School, tapped the shoulder of her colleague Schulz to serve as a co-coach to start one. Schulz works as a speech-language pathologist at Robinson and East.  

“I said yes immediately, but I was like, ‘There's one problem. I know nothing about cheerleading.’ I was a basketball player,” Schulz said. “But I know everything about these girls because I was their speech-language pathologist, so I knew behavior plans, strategies to increase success.”

The pair not only collaborates to gather staff recommendations for new members, but also to find ways to adapt cheerleading techniques and routines to make them accessible to all their athletes and boost their confidence. Both coaches also noted the amount of development they’ve seen in the team over the season. 

“Last game, we couldn't believe their technique. It was so beautiful and so much progress,” Schulz said. “They are capable, like I don't know if people really understand how capable our girls are, but seeing them cheer and get the techniques down. Holy cow! They're so capable in every way, more than cheer.”

“We're just feeling so proud of them,” Mickells said. “Just a really big sense of pride seeing them out there and seeing them be really, really brave and just shine honestly in front of the school.” 

This year, the team cheered during volleyball and football matches. The inclusive cheerleaders worked to hype up Spartan fans during home games with East’s varsity cheer squad. The varsity members worked with their new teammates on basic cheerleading skills, such as arm motions, jumps, kicks and crowd involvement, also known as “spiriting.” The coaches said the spiriting aspect is the athletes’ favorite part. Their spirit also brightens the overall atmosphere for their varsity peers. 

“The thing that I like the most about our inclusive cheer team is the positive environment and how just being with those girls for one minute can make my day so much better,” East varsity cheer co-captain and senior Ava said. 

The positivity has also been a favorite part of the experience for Alyssa and her fellow teammates Anna and Mariah. Both seniors, Mariah and Anna are returners to the inclusive team. Anna has been its captain for two years and Mariah now cheers alongside her younger sister, Desiree, who joined this fall.

The cheerleaders added that there’s more to hear than just chants and the rustling of pom-poms at East sporting events. You can also hear laughter and the new bonds forging. They shared that the relationship building among the squads and the coaches has been a highlight.  

“Working with my new teammates on the inclusive cheer team has been a blast, and I love how close I have gotten with all of them,” Ava said. 

“I love all my cheer people and friends, and I also love you both, Miss Schulz and you (Coach Mickells),” Alyssa said.  

If you’re looking for ways to get involved at Lincoln Public Schools, check out our Athletics and Activities page on our website at https://home.lps.org/athletics/ for more opportunities. 

 
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Posted on November 06, 2025

TeamMates of the Month: Mike and Ethan

The first time Ethan met his mentor Mike, he found something he’d lost when his first mentor wasn’t able to continue in the TeamMates program.

“I found that connection again, like a spark.”

As many TeamMates do, they played UNO at first. Mike is surprised how much Ethan has grown in confidence and determination since those early days.

“Ethan was just a shy young man. Now, he’s determined to find the right path, the right friends, get the right grades. He’s focused.”

Going beyond surface conversation takes trust. Mike says their trust really grew last year.

“We started talking about deeper things – how to fit in or not fit in and goals for the future.”

Ethan agrees.

“I trust Mike. I could tell him anything that is going on at home or school. I know that if it's something that needs to be forwarded to another adult for my safety, I can trust him to do that.” 

Ethan didn’t know, until they shared their story with TeamMates of the Month, that Mike had grown up without a dependable male role model. That piece of Mike’s history motivated him to be a TeamMate.

“I kind of had to make up what it meant to be a young man. I figured if there's an opportunity to help a young person navigate those rough waters, then that'd be great.”

And Ethan’s growth means a lot to Mike.

“I get a lot of satisfaction out of watching Ethan grow. I mean, freshman to junior year, man, it's like night and day as far as his personality growth, his confidence growth.”

Ethan beams seeing the words he chose to describe his mentor (wise, kind and enthusiastic) in action. 

“When I first met Mike, he was very kind. That stuck out. Every time I see Mike, I just get happy. Every time.”

Of course, life can throw a few curves. When Ethan lost his stepfather to cancer, Mike helped him through it.

“Mike was the go-to person I would talk to about my feelings. I wasn't happy. I just, I didn't want to be anywhere at the time.”

Week by week, Mike helps Ethan remember the strengths he sees: determination, energy and intelligence. He reminds Ethan what it takes to succeed.

“You just have to believe in yourself. And find the path.”

That makes a difference for Ethan.

“It really has helped me. It really has built my personality and my strong characteristics.”

Posted on November 04, 2025

Eagles spread wings of kindness through AAC awareness activities

Huntington Elementary School students used the tools of compassion, creativity and understanding to build strong communication bridges with classmates this fall.
 
Hundreds of Eagles formed winning connections at school during Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Awareness Month in October. They spent several weeks learning American Sign Language (ASL) words, decoding visual sentences from AAC devices and gaining empathy for everyone on campus.
 
Fourth graders Tatum and Leora said they enjoyed taking part in the activities. Both have been sharing their new ASL knowledge with family members at home. They have also been speaking more often with classmates who use computer devices to communicate.
 
“It’s really important to get to know these things, because some kids communicate differently than some other kids do, and it’s good to know how they speak and how they express themselves,” Tatum said.
 
“We’ve been learning a lot of new signs that I can use with my cousin, because she uses sign language,” Leora said. “It’s helping me a lot to figure out how to speak with her.”

 
Huntington Special Education Coordinator McKenna Machal said she has been thrilled with those types of positive reactions from students. The school decided to host AAC activities for the first time this year as a way to promote the ideas of belonging and acceptance.
 
“It’s gone really well,” Machal said. “They’ve been so excited to get to help their friends by learning all of this new material in a fun way. The response has just been incredibly encouraging.”
 
AAC is defined as all of the ways that someone communicates besides talking. This includes spelling out words by pointing to letters, drawing pictures of objects or using facial expressions. There are also many high-tech options such as creating words and sentences through computer applications or speech-generating devices.
 
Kyrie Kellogg and Michelle Wieser spearheaded the AAC activities for more than 350 Eagles. Kellogg is a life skills special education teacher and Wieser is a speech-language pathologist at Huntington. They said it has been heartening to see the compassionate reactions from students each week.
 
“I think the biggest thing was just to bring an overall awareness to the kids and teachers so that we can support everyone at school,” Wieser said. “I think Huntington’s been doing a great job of having everyone feel included here, and that includes our students who use AAC devices. I think this is giving our kids who don’t use AAC devices more tools to be confident in communicating with our students who do use AAC devices.”
 
“The students have been really excited about it, and the teachers have done a great job of hyping them up and keeping them engaged,” Kellogg said. “They’ve been making the effort to find time to put the activities into their day, and I think that’s made it even more meaningful for students. They saw right away that it really was a schoolwide thing that we were doing.”

 
Wieser said Kellogg spent “a good amount of time” planning each of the activities. Kellogg placed 150 signs with core AAC words printed on them around school for one lesson, and she created slides with multiple ASL signs for students to study during another week. She also generated read-aloud lessons about different forms of communication and trivia questions about AAC programs at Lincoln Public Schools.
 
“I know she has a special place in her heart for all of these kids who use devices, and I just wanted to support her along the way,” Wieser said.
 
Kellogg visited each classroom at the beginning of the month to provide general information about AAC to students. She was inspired when she heard many Eagles talk about their existing relationships with people who have AAC abilities.
 
“Some people said, ‘Yes, there’s a girl in my class who uses AAC,’ or ‘I see some kids in the hallway using their devices,’’ Kellogg said. “And some of them said, ‘Oh, my neighbor uses ASL’ or ‘My little sister used to use a device when she learned how to talk.’ Knowing that they had those connections that they’ve already made was really cool to see.”
 
Tatum and Leora spent one morning decoding picture symbols with their classmates. One puzzle included eight blocks of shapes, drawings and signs that students use on their AAC speech-generating devices. The fourth graders used teamwork to determine that the blocks meant “Will your grandpa go to the birthday party?”
 
“What I enjoyed about the activity was just learning ways how other kids communicate,” Tatum said. “Now I know some words that I can use to communicate with them.”

 
Machal told the group she was proud of how enthusiastic they were about their AAC experiences.
 
“You might know some of your classmates and friends who use an AAC device to communicate,” Machal said. “They’re just as eager to talk with you as you are to talk with other people. They just do it in a different way.”
 
Kellogg said she is hopeful to have even more AAC activities at Huntington in years to come.
 
“This year was our trial run, so we’re figuring it out as we go, but because of the reception that we’ve had and the interest that everyone has shown, I’m really excited to see where this takes us next year or even in the future after that,” Kellogg said. “It’s been amazing for awareness of AAC and how that’s used in our school and our world.”

LPS special education staff members are creating welcoming learning environments for students across the school district. Visit home.lps.org/specialed to view more information about special education programs and activities.
 
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Posted on November 03, 2025

Rice receives state honor for many art education achievements

Lorinda Rice has sculpted an art education career that has had a Michaelangelo-sized impact on thousands of Lincoln Public Schools students.
 
Nebraska Arts Council (NAC) members honored Rice for her many contributions to the Nebraska arts scene Oct. 10 with the Excellence in Arts Education Award. Rice, the visual art curriculum specialist at LPS, took part in a ceremony that honored painters, performers and educators from across the state. Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, Nebraska State Poet Emeritus Matt Mason and NAC Executive Director Mike Markey were among those who gathered at the Cornhusker Hotel for the once-every-two-years celebration.
 
Rice said it was an honor to be included in the 2025 NAC State Arts Awards program. She said she was especially grateful for her family and mentors who have championed her work for many years. She was also deeply appreciative of LPS art teachers who have partnered with her on projects and programs across the city.

“The work of LPS visual art education is a shared journey,” Rice said. “Meaningful change doesn’t happen in isolation. It grows through the support, ideas and collaboration of our district leaders and fellow teachers. I couldn’t do this work without the team of people in Lincoln Public Schools, especially the art teachers.”

Nebraskans for the Arts Executive Director Lance Nielsen and Lincoln Arts Council Executive Director Robert Goldberg said Rice has made a major difference both inside and outside Lincoln’s city limits. She currently serves on the board of directors of both groups and has held leadership roles in numerous other arts-based organizations. She has worked at LPS since 1998.
 
“Lorinda is a respected leader and educator because of the innovative professional learning she has shared with her peers at state, regional and national visual arts conferences,” Nielsen said. “She is also a passionate advocate in promoting arts education as relevant and essential for all students, regardless of zip code. Because of Lorinda’s vision of the importance of arts education, she has become a valuable board member for the Nebraskans for the Arts.”

“For many years she has helped facilitate new and creative programming with the Lincoln Arts Council to bring arts opportunities to students across the district,” Goldberg said. “We are now lucky to have her on our board, where she always brings creativity and new ideas. Lorinda is a real treasure and a great asset to LPS and all the students it serves.”

Nebraska Art Teachers Association (NATA) President Samantha Ashcraft said she was happy to learn of Rice’s recognition. Rice has been a NATA member for more than two decades and has promoted the arts on multiple NATA boards and committees. She has presented at many NATA state conferences and has been a staunch advocate for the group at national conventions.
 
“I love working with Lorinda,” Ashcraft said. “Her knowledge of the art community, current and historical art news and relationships, and the visual arts education system are truly inspiring. She is so deserving of this award!”

 
NAC is the latest organization to honor Rice for her years of hard work. The Lincoln Arts Council presented her with the Gladys Lux Education Award at the 2021 Mayor’s Arts Awards, and NATA leaders named her the recipient of the 2022 Roscoe Shields Service Award. The National Art Education Association (NAEA) presented Rice with the Western Region Supervision and Administration Award in 2023 for her leadership talents. The NAEA’s Western Region includes 15 states and three Canadian provinces.
 
Rice first pursued a career in graphic design at Northwest Missouri State University, but she decided to reroute her artistic talents into the education field. The decision led to a 17-year run helping students as a classroom teacher. She then switched to the administration realm and began supporting teachers by developing innovative curriculum. She also encouraged them to explore many professional learning opportunities at city, state and national levels.
 
Rice said one of the most profound changes during her career has been a shift in the overall goals of art education. Instead of focusing solely on a rigid scoring rubric for painting or drawing, students are now encouraged to keep track of how their art experiences have shaped life skills like creativity, teamwork and risk-taking.
 
“If we start looking at a portfolio of learning and talk about what had an impact on you, it’s not the score, it’s the experiences,” Rice said. “I remember making this work of art, I remember writing this essay about this book in fourth grade. Those are the things that we need to focus in on in education, and to help our students see, and our families see, that those moments are the moments that the child will carry with them out into their future.”
 
Rice has spread that message across the nation in conference halls, board rooms, museums and schools. She was part of a grant team that supported art-based inquiry and interdisciplinary learning with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and she served as supervision and administration director on the NAEA’s board of directors. She also exhibits her own artwork at the Burkholder Project Gallery in Lincoln.

 
Rice said the new strategy is allowing the process of artmaking to become just as important as the final product. She said it is encouraging to watch LPS students sculpt their own artistic pathways in classrooms every day.
 
“I love the curriculum that we do now, because it brings in lots of different artists and lots of different ways of making, and that is the essence of our world,” Rice said. “It’s a continually changing space, and if we’re curious, if we ask questions, if we look closely, we’re going to see those and want to know more and want to express that in different ways.”

Rice said she enjoyed speaking with fellow recipients during the afternoon. She said everyone who was there shares the same purpose of trying to make their cities, schools and state a better place to live.

“As I connected with other award winners at the ceremony, I was reminded of a common thread throughout all of our work,” Rice said. “Together, our goal is to help Nebraskans see how artists think and create, developing both technical skills and the creative thinking habits that matter most. Throughout history, artists have shared their interpretations of what they see and feel.”
 
Want to learn about art education at LPS? Visit our website at home.lps.org/art to explore our curriculum and more. 
 
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Posted on November 03, 2025

Skyhawks weave together art, science and language with a cultural lesson that takes flight

Schoo Middle School students embarked on a learning journey when they linked the migration of monarch butterflies with a major Mexican holiday in late October.
 
Eighth graders in Jillian Schernikau’s Spanish I class weaved together science, art, history and culture with Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL) words in their lesson. They practiced the names of animals in ASL, wrote sentences about monarch butterflies in Spanish and created their own origami versions of the colorful insects.
 
Millie and Ryan smiled as the wings of their origami butterflies began to take shape in the classroom. They said the interactive lesson would help them remember words and phrases like mariposa (butterfly), naranja (orange) and puede volar (can fly).
 
“At least for me, it makes it easier to understand,” Millie said. “It was fun.”
 
“I think it’s more exciting,” Ryan said. “We get to do something hands-on.”

 
Schernikau said one of her top teaching goals is to help students gain a worldwide view on how culture and language impact one another. She felt tying ‘la migracion de la mariposa’ (butterfly migration) to the Day of the Dead holiday was a good way to do that. She added the origami and ASL components into the lesson two years ago to create even more educational benefits for the Skyhawks.
 
“For this lesson, we introduce Day of the Dead through the Great Monarch Migration and allow students to make connections to the holiday and their personal current level of understanding of the holiday and Hispanic culture,” Schernikau said. “We connect science, art, history, culture, Spanish and American Sign Language in this lesson to engage students of varied preferences and learning styles.”

Students began their lesson by watching a four-minute video that explained the history of Day of the Dead, known as Día de los Muertos in Mexico. The holiday combines the ancient Aztec custom of honoring the spirits of ancestors with the All Souls Day tradition that Spanish soldiers introduced in the 1500s. It takes place from Oct. 31-Nov. 2 each year.
 
Families welcome back the spirits of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes many celebratory dances and feasts. They believe monarch butterflies represent the souls of the dead who have come to visit with them. Festivities often include songs that reference the monarch butterfly in their lyrics and dances that mimic their delicate flight patterns.
 
This belief is bolstered by the fact that the monarchs always return to the highland forests of central Mexico when the holiday happens. Their migration from their summer homes in the United States and Canada acts as a cultural symbol of linking the living with the dead.
 
After reciting names of animals like tiger, hamster, shark and crocodile in Spanish, students added ASL signs to each of the words. They displayed movements with their hands as they listed more than a dozen mammals, fish and insects.
 
Schernikau said she has enjoyed watching the Skyhawks increase their vocabulary in a pair of languages.
 
“Going step by step with them really makes a difference,” Schernikau said after class. “They do a great job with it.”
 
Students continued the lesson by writing Spanish sentences about the physical traits and actions of butterflies. They then used origami to create a visual connection with the Day of the Dead. Schernikau guided them as they carefully folded the edges of their paper into the shapes of winged butterflies. They added orange and black colors with markers to complete their artistic projects.
 
After they were finished at their tables, the Skyhawks produced a Schoo-themed butterfly migration outside Schernikau’s classroom. They taped the origami on the wall with their wings pointed in the same direction.

 
Millie said the origami project made ‘la migracion de la mariposa’ come alive even more for her.
 
“It gave us a visual representation of what we were learning,” Millie said.
 
Ryan and Millie said they have enjoyed taking Spanish I with Schernikau this year. They said these types of activities were helping them discover the joy of becoming bilingual.
 
“I like it,” Ryan said. “I enjoy learning new things, so learning another language is really cool.”
 
World language teachers like Jillian Schernikau are helping LPS students expand their global knowledge in class every day. Visit home.lps.org/worldlanguage to learn more about the world language curriculum, grading guidance and world language competency-based credits.
 
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Posted on October 31, 2025

Schwartz honored for 21 years of leadership with surprise celebration at West Lincoln

As soon as West Lincoln Elementary School Principal Scott Schwartz returned to campus from a district meeting in late October, he noticed something was different at the school building.
 
There was a banner on the fence out front that wasn’t there when he left earlier in the morning.
 
And then he saw a staff member dressed up in the school’s Wildcat mascot costume.
 
And when he walked in the front door, there were rows of cheering students waiting to greet him in the hallways.

West Lincoln students and staff members honored Schwartz for his devotion to the school and community with a surprise celebration for more than two decades of service. 

Schwartz said he was in disbelief as he realized that West Lincoln Assistant Principal Sara Rose had organized the special event. His principal antennae picked up something unusual when he saw the banner as he was parking his vehicle. It then dawned on him that there was much more going on than just one congratulatory sign.
 
“I was shocked,” Schwartz said. “I was shocked to see that. I thought, ‘There’s a little more behind that.’ Then Sara came out, then the Wildcat came out, and then I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, they’re doing this for me,’ and it was pretty special.”

Rose said it was fun to watch Schwartz’s astonishment during the morning and honor him for his many years of service. He began working at Lincoln Public Schools in 1993 and entered his 21st year as West Lincoln’s principal this fall. He has stayed longer at West Lincoln than any other current LPS principal has at their school.

“We work hard and laugh a lot, even if the laugh is more of a chuckle and an eye roll at a corny joke,” Rose said. “It was so satisfying to turn the tables on him this time and pull off this surprise to celebrate 21 years as principal at West Lincoln Elementary. He had no idea it was coming!”

Rose and LPS Director of Elementary Education Gena Licata both said Schwartz has been a valuable leader at West Lincoln. He has overseen many educational improvements during a time of growing enrollment. There were 386 Wildcats at the school when he first stepped into the principal position in 2005. The official Fall 2024 enrollment figure was 463 students.
 
“Serving as principal at the same school for 21 years demonstrates remarkable dedication to the West Lincoln community,” Licata said. “Mr. Schwartz has positively shaped generations of students through his compassion, consistency and unwavering commitment.”

“His longevity and loyalty set an example for the staff at West Lincoln who also choose to be at West Lincoln because of their commitment to the school, the neighborhood and each other,” Rose said. “For many years, Mr. Schwartz has reminded us to treat ‘every moment as a last moment,’ meaning make the most of every interaction you have with each other, with students and with families. Make it the best interaction you can.”

 
Schwartz reacted with joy as he walked down West Lincoln’s hallways and waved to Wildcats from each grade level. The surprises then continued when he stepped into his office. There was a blue-and-white cake, two golden balloons in the shape of 21 and a special page of The Wildcat Wire newspaper. The custom-made front page commemorated Schwartz’s anniversary during National Principals Month.

Schwartz said he enjoys working at West Lincoln because of the relationships he has developed with the community. He has promoted the school’s partnerships with agencies such as Lincoln Community Learning Centers, Food Bank of Lincoln and the National Center for Family Literacy, and he has helped implement instructional strategies such as Behavior Intervention Support Team (BIST) measures. He has also witnessed many technological upgrades during his tenure that have benefited students.
 
“I’ve tried to give them the best education possible, and I’ve tried to be consistent and true throughout my time here,” Schwartz said. “I’ve tried to get to know our community and just be steadfast for them. I think advocating for this part of town is what I’ve always wanted to do, and I love it here.”

Licata said Schwartz’s compassionate role at the helm of West Lincoln has impacted people on educational, social and community levels.
 
“West Lincoln is stronger because of his steady leadership and belief in every student’s potential,” Licata said. “Scott leads with heart each day and deeply cares for the students, staff and families he serves.”
 
The bonds between Schwartz and West Lincoln families have deep roots. During kindergarten orientation sessions each fall, Schwartz asks adults to raise their hands if they attended West Lincoln as children. Dozens of parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and guardians lift their arms high every year to display their Wildcat pride.
 
And for many of those alumni, Schwartz is the face they associate most with the school. He was their principal and the principal of their brother and sister, and now he is West Lincoln’s leader for the youngest members of their family.

“I have that connection with them,” Schwartz said. “It’s great to have instant trust with people because you’ve been here, because you’ve worked hard to have a relationship with them. It’s special.”

“Those partnerships with families have resulted in a trust between the West Lincoln school and the community it serves,” Rose said. “Teachers trust parents and parents trust teachers with Mr. Schwartz at the center of it all.”
 
Schwartz said he enters West Lincoln every morning with the same positive mindset as he first did 21 years ago. He said his daily interactions with all of the Wildcats are why his enthusiasm for education remains so strong.
 
“It’s this place,” Schwartz said. “It’s the place, the kids, the teachers. I’ve just been here, and that’s what keeps me coming back.”
 
Scott Schwartz is guiding a team full of staff members who are helping West Lincoln students in many ways every day. Visit westlincoln.lps.org to read the school’s handbook and newsletter, view a calendar of upcoming events and access a large database of library materials.
 
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Posted on October 31, 2025

LPS Superintendent Paul Gausman announces retirement

On Friday, Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent Paul Gausman announced in a letter to staff, families and the community a transition plan for his retirement as superintendent at the end of December. The Lincoln Board of Education will vote on the transition plan as part of the consent agenda at an upcoming regular meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10.

“My time here as superintendent has brought about even stronger feelings of regard for the people who make LPS and the community of Lincoln so remarkable,” said Gausman. “It is, therefore, bittersweet that I announce today that I will retire from the LPS superintendency at the end of this calendar year and from LPS at the end of June 2025.”

Gausman joined Lincoln Public Schools in July of 2022, coming from Sioux City, Iowa where he served as superintendent since 2014. Prior to joining the Sioux City Community School District, Gausman also worked at West Central School District and Sioux Falls School District in South Dakota, Millard West High School in Omaha, Lincoln Northeast High School and at Wisner-Pilger Public Schools.

Gausman also said in his letter, “I have determined that while 20 years in the public eye as a superintendent of schools has been vastly rewarding, it is time for me to explore other opportunities.”

In order to ensure a smooth transition and minimize the disruption for the school district, Gausman will retire from his superintendent duties on Dec. 27, and work with district leadership and the Board as a superintendent emeritus until the end of June 2025. In this position he will be available to consult and advise as needed on initiatives that are being worked on.

Per Board policy 2410, LPS Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs Liz Standish will step in as interim starting Dec. 28 until the Board determines the next steps at their Jan. 14 regular meeting.

“On behalf of the Board, we would like to thank Dr. Gausman for his service to Lincoln Public Schools and wish him the very best in his future endeavors,” said Board President Bob Rauner. “Paul took over the leadership of LPS during a time when we as a district were recovering from a global pandemic. As our new data shows, our graduation rates have now recovered to and exceed our pre-pandemic graduation rates.”

“I was, I am, and will continue to be one of the greatest advocates and supporters of the Lincoln Public Schools,” signed Gausman.

You can read the full letter from Superintendent Gausman to the families and community below. 

December 6, 2024

To the Lincoln community and Lincoln Public Schools families:

The Lincoln Public Schools are a shining example of what is good and positive in American Public Schools.

I have the highest regard for the Lincoln Public Schools and our community partners. When I taught instrumental music 30 years ago at Lincoln Northeast High School, I learned that LPS is truly special. I spent the next thirty years honing my knowledge and skills as an educator and school administrator in other states, including working as a public school superintendent for 20 years now. I am most proud of the LPS accomplishments of which I have been a small part but that we have experienced together and

• The development of a new Strategic Plan for the District focusing on
• Student Wellbeing and Outcomes
• Staff Wellbeing and Outcomes
• Family and Community Engagement
• District Systems and Operations
• The implementation of our new student behavior framework focusing on Prevention, Accountability, and Restoration (PAR) as well as other student behavior initiatives, including:
• The installation of vape detection devices in all high schools
• The implementation of a cell phone program to remove the digital device distraction from the instructional arena
• The use of an electronic hall pass system to increase safety and prioritize classroom instruction
• Implementation of staff culture, retention, and recruitment programs, including:
• “Grow Your Own” initiatives to prepare high school students for a career in education
• A program to assist current paraprofessionals to gain their teaching certificate to serve in district preschool classrooms
• The communication feature for staff to be in direct contact with the superintendent of schools to ask questions and share ideas for improvement
• Significant growth in the Four-Year Graduation Rate
• Growth in the District's Early Childhood Program
• A plan to add twelve new Early Childhood Classrooms to the district inventory, now under construction
• Growth in students enrolled at the Career Academy and participating in our eleven High School Focus Programs
• Over $2 Million raised in two years to bring closure to the LPS Foundation’s “Fielding Dreams” Campaign

It is, therefore, bittersweet that I announce today that I will retire from the LPS superintendency at the end of this calendar year and from LPS at the end of June 2025. I have determined that while 20 years in the public eye as a superintendent of schools has been vastly rewarding, it is time for me to explore other opportunities. I informed the Board of Education of my decision in November, and we agreed to a transition process to have me become Superintendent Emeritus starting in January for the Spring semester, where I will assist the district leaders and the board, as they desire, for consultation and support.

I was, I am, and will continue to be one of the greatest supporters and advocates of the Lincoln Public Schools.

Thank you,

Dr. Paul Gausman | Superintendent of Schools
Lincoln Public Schools

Posted on October 31, 2025

Student News Desk: Lily, Myla showcase leadership talents on Southeast newspaper

Southeast High School juniors Myla and Lily are crafting award-winning journalism careers with their caring and confident leadership talents in the newsroom.
 
The two Knights are headlining this year’s editions of The Clarion newspaper in their roles as co-editors. Both are in their third years with the paper and have worked on stories ranging from country music dancing to the marching band’s color guard. They are guiding a staff filled with editors, writers, photographers and designers of print, online and social media content.

 
Myla and Lily said they enjoy supporting their teammates every day in class. In addition to compiling material for their own stories, they also answer questions from fellow Clarion staffers, offer suggestions for projects and ensure each monthly publication meets the deadline.
 
“For me, it’s the connections we make with all of the people, especially now that we’re in this higher position,” Myla said. “We get to talk with everyone, and we get to work with everyone. I’ve made some incredible friendships and met so many new people that I probably would never have gotten a chance to talk to if I wasn’t on the newspaper.”
 
“It’s amazing getting to teach all of our younger teammates and helping them become better journalists,” Lily said. “I’ve learned a lot being on The Clarion. I’ve learned a lot about design and writing and deadlines, so it’s a really good simulation of what it’s like to be a journalist in the real world.”

 
Their efforts have made a difference for younger staff members like Lida, who is a copy editor on this year’s group. The sophomore said she has sought advice from more experienced teammates like Lily and Myla throughout her time on The Clarion.
 
“It’s nice having people to look up to, like the editors and the people who have been on staff longer than me,” Lida said. “I can go to them and they can help me with my stories, which is really nice.”
 
Lily and Myla both stepped into the newspaper’s headquarters in Room D113 for the first time in the 2023-24 school year. Lily had heard good things about The Clarion when she first enrolled at Southeast, and she chose newspaper as one of her electives for the fall semester. Myla joined the paper after enjoying an Introduction to Journalism course during her initial semester at school.
 
“I think the thing that got me into it was writing,” Lily said. “I really enjoy getting to do that. I also think interviewing is really cool, because I like talking to people and going to events. Just getting to be part of the school and getting to cover all of the unique people and activities is a lot of fun.”
 
“In middle school I had done yearbook, so I thought I would try something similar but a little bit different,” Myla said. “I just loved it in Intro to Journalism. Once I wrote my first story, I was like, ‘Okay, this is what I want to do.’”

 
Lily and Myla both sharpened their journalism skills as copy editors last year. They then applied last spring to take over the editorship position from Class of 2025 graduates Georgia and Maren. Advisor Brianne Clark, Georgia and Maren all selected them to serve in the key leadership spots.
 
“We had a lot of experience, so I feel like we were really prepared for the position,” Lily said. “We both wanted to be good leaders for this team.”
 
“I think we were both really willing to take on more responsibility, because we both love what we do,” Myla said. “Talking to people more and just being more involved in everything was definitely a part of why we applied.”
 
The Knights added another line to their leadership resumes this fall when they spoke at the Nebraska High School Press Association Fall Convention. They created a presentation called “Wrangle Your Feature Angle” for the statewide audience. They talked about the importance of having a focused topic on feature stories and why these types of articles are key elements of a student newspaper.
 
Lily and Myla were two of only four students who presented at the conference. The majority of speakers were professional print, broadcast and online journalists from across Nebraska.

 
Both students are also involved in many activities outside the newsroom. Myla is a member of the unified bowling and track and field programs, competes on the varsity bowling team and is an officer of the Southeast Feminist Club. Lily competes on the girls golf team and is a member of Southeast’s Leadership Cadre. She also plays piano and is involved in dance competitions away from school.
 
Myla said she and other staff members are happy to have those types of full schedules.
 
“Having so many people from different areas really helps us have a tied-together paper,” Myla said. “The people in orchestra know about that activity, the people in band know about that and people in all sorts of sports kind of have that inside scoop of what’s going on there. I think it’s really important that a lot of people are involved in multiple activities.”
 
Myla and Lily said they hope to craft even more award-winning moments during their time as Clarion co-editors.
 
“It can be a lot of work, but it’s definitely worth it,” Myla said.
 
Student journalists at The Clarion are providing a large amount of content for the entire Southeast High School community. Visit The Clarion at lseclarion.com to view current and past stories by staff members.
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on October 30, 2025

Young Mustangs enjoy riding new bikes after surprise donation

Maxey Elementary School kindergarteners began striding into successful bike riding futures this fall when they hopped on two wheels for the first time.
 
Two dozen Mustangs experienced the thrill of gliding around their gym during a special presentation of 24 balance-to-pedal Strider bikes. Lincoln Public Schools partnered with TAB Performance and the All Kids Bike organization to unveil the new vehicles to happy students. Kindergarteners will use training and curriculum from the All Kids Bike program to ride the bikes in their physical education classes.
 
TAB Performance co-owner Justin Pflantz said it was exciting to watch the Mustangs move on the Striders for the first time. They spent several minutes smiling and laughing as they circled one half of the gym on the bikes.
 
“It was pretty awesome,” Pflantz said. “It’s definitely the reason why we do it. Seeing their faces and then getting a chance to see them scoot around, and how excited they are.”

 
Devin Kosmicki leads physical education classes for students in grades K-5 at Maxey. He said it is important to teach kindergarteners how to ride a bike. He said the activity would lead to many happy memories for them for decades to come.
 
“It’s basically considered a lifetime skill, like walking or swimming,” Kosmicki said. “If you catch them early, this is something they’ll carry on to middle school, maybe high school, even later on if they’re going out there on the trails in Lincoln.”
 
Pflantz said the company wanted to provide resources to help more LPS students become familiar with bicycles. He felt the All Kids Bike program would be a good partner to make that happen. All Kids Bike is a national organization that promotes bicycling skills to more than 160,000 kindergarteners in all 50 states each year. More than 1,700 schools are currently using the All Kids Bike curriculum in their physical education classes.
 
“When we got connected with All Kids Bike, we learned some statistics like some kids never learn how to ride a bike, which is unfortunate,” Pflantz said. “This is a great organization to pair with.”
 
All kindergarten teachers brought their classes into the gym for the surprise announcement. A rack containing the bikes and helmets was covered by a colorful parachute, which kept the young Mustangs from realizing what the event was about at first. They clapped and cheered after Pflantz, Kosmicki and Maxey Principal Holly David told them the good news.
 
“Once the bikes were shown, that’s when you could just look into their eyes, and their eyes just lit up,” Kosmicki said. “They had no idea.”

TAB Performance chose to donate 24 bikes because that number will allow everyone in a physical education class to practice individually. Each Strider bike can be adjusted to give students comfortable and safe rides.
 
Kosmicki will first teach them how to put on their helmet, use the kickstand and safely get on and off the bike. They will then work on their balancing skills by striding around the gym while sitting down. Pedals for the bikes can later be attached once they master those initial steps.
 
Some kindergarteners at the celebration had been on bicycles before, but other Mustangs were trying the activity for the first time. Pflantz said it was encouraging to watch them make real-time improvements as they wheeled around the gym.
 
“You see the kids that this is maybe a newer experience for them,” Pflantz said. “They’re a little bit more timid, a bit shy, but as they make a few laps, their confidence grows and you can kind of see that smile and that they’re really enjoying it.”

 
The bikes also gave the Mustangs a chance to showcase their listening skills. As soon as the class period began to wind down, David called out to the riders and asked them to slow down. Everyone who was on a bike immediately came to a halt and looked at her for directions.
 
“You stopped right away,” David said. “Great work!”
 
Pflantz said TAB Performance is planning to donate additional Strider bikes to other LPS buildings in future years. He said it was rewarding to know that the number of young bike riders in Lincoln would grow because of their new physical education experiences.
 
“It’s a good way to start as opposed to training wheels,” Pflantz said. “You learn the balance. A lot of times you can transition quicker to a full bike by learning that way. It’s a great program and great bikes, a great way to learn.”
 
Bicycle riding is one of the many lifetime skills that LPS students learn in their physical education classes. Visit home.lps.org/pe to view details about our  physical education programs at elementary, middle and high school levels.
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on October 29, 2025

Balcom brings years of expertise to LPS threat assessment program

Sarah Balcom is keeping Lincoln Public Schools students, staff and families safe with her ability to diagnose and solve threatening situations.
 
Balcom is stepping into the important role of security coordinator on the LPS threat assessment team. She works with many school and community departments and agencies to ensure people receive the best possible outcomes in safety-related situations. Cases involving stalking, child abuse, protection orders, sexual assault and interpersonal violence are included in her daily assignments.
 
Balcom said she enjoys helping both children and adults in her new position.
 
“I love being able to do threat assessment full time,” Balcom said. “I absolutely love it. This is my dream job, being able to do both threat assessment and threat management.”

 
LPS Director of Security Joe Wright said Balcom brings a deep reservoir of knowledge in both the threat assessment and education fields. She has been a classroom teacher and has worked for the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, Nebraska National Guard and Nebraska Foster Care Review Office.
 
“Sarah has a tremendous number of long-term professional relationships with individuals and agencies we often work with,” Wright said. “A lot of people in the community trust Sarah, both professionally and personally. This allows us to do our work much more effectively and efficiently, which ultimately results in a better product for our students and families.”
 
Balcom earned an art education degree from the University of Nebraska-Kearney and a master’s degree in education from Grand Canyon University. She decided to pursue a threat assessment career after watching several of her students suffer trauma from stalking, family violence and dating violence situations.
 
“It was back then, years ago, that I chose to dive into the nitty-gritty and see what I could learn, find and understand to see how things could be steered into a different direction,” Balcom said. “I wanted to look into what behaviors and signs were present, as well as what was absent, that led up to lethal outcomes. I studied and learned about stalkers, typologies, behaviors, interactions with those around them, and what signs were present that signaled dangerousness and lethality.”

 
Balcom also began connecting survivors with local school systems, child protective services and housing, law enforcement and criminal justice agencies. These experiences helped her compile a vast network of resources that she used to assist people.
 
After working with shelter programs across the state, Balcom joined the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services as the staff empowerment and resiliency/victim education and support (SERVES) coordinator. She then spent time as the joint force headquarters victim advocate coordinator for the Nebraska Army National Guard. She was part of a Nebraska National Guard Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program team that worked with victims across the state.
 
Wright said Balcom’s history with adult-related safety is proving to be valuable in her new school-based setting. Children often experience similar issues that not only affect their learning but also their health and well-being.
 
“LPS’ violence prevention efforts go far beyond student concerns, and some of our most challenging issues involve families who experience issues that may start at home but then come to school,” Wright said. “We want our students and parents to know that we can effectively safety plan for them if the family has safety concerns that involve protection orders or custody issues, so that we know students are always in a safe situation even if the family is going through rough times.”

 
Balcom and fellow LPS team members assist students with behavioral health, therapy and other multi-tiered systems of support. These measures can help children process their emotions in positive ways. They can also deter them from possibly copying negative decisions that other people in their lives may have made.
 
“Now I am part of a team that does amazing work to help kids early on in hopes of getting them onto a new path,” Balcom said. “Threat assessment is about prevention. I have seen all too much what can take place down the road, and we get the opportunity to help change that.”
 
Balcom said she has been especially impressed with the large number of resources that LPS provides for threat assessment and management. Balcom, Wright, LPS Violence Prevention Psychotherapist Liesel Hogan, LPS Safety Social Workers Allyson Headrick and Kristi Lange and Lincoln Police Department Investigator Nate Hill work together with people across Lincoln on a daily basis. She said it is exciting to help make a difference for families in her dream job.
 
“Here, you have this assortment of options, and everybody is like, ‘How do we help?’” Balcom said. “You have therapists and social workers and law enforcement and teachers, and everybody is together for these kids. It’s a cool sight.”
 
Sarah Balcom is part of a team of LPS experts who are keeping students, staff and families safe throughout Lincoln. View home.lps.org/security/threat to learn more about the threat assessment process, goals of the program and ways to contact security employees about safety situations.
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on October 29, 2025

Czapla creates bright environment at Moore with selfless leadership

Gary Czapla’s desire to share the leadership spotlight with everyone at Moore Middle School has helped him become a shining role model for Lincoln residents.
 
Czapla’s team-first leadership approach is creating sunny outcomes for hundreds of students, parents and co-workers at Lincoln Public Schools. Czapla began teaching at Bryan Community in 1993 and has helped people across the city ever since. He is being recognized during National Principals Month, which takes place across the United States each October.

 
Czapla has created a culture of respect, trust and empathy during his nine years as Moore’s principal. He credited mentors such as school namesake Marilyn Moore for teaching him the value of taking notes from many people every day.
 
“It’s really trying to think about all of the people who come into the building and getting their ideas,” Czapla said. “It’s creating a place where teachers feel that they have a lot of input as to what is going on. It’s about talking to board members and custodians and office staff and folks from operations, and we look at student feedback on what they’re thinking about and how they’re viewing things. I feel like we have a really good collective group of people who have taken ownership of the building.”
 
LPS Director of Secondary Instruction Jessie Fries said Czapla has become a beacon of goodwill to many Mountain Lion students and families. She said his selfless personality is a primary reason for Moore’s bright environment.
 
“Gary is known for his ability to recognize and grow leadership in others,” Fries said. “He is intentional about fostering a culture of collaboration and shared ownership at Moore Middle School. As a supportive and collaborative school leader, he actively engages with staff, students and colleagues, always valuing their perspectives and learning alongside them to move Moore forward.”

 
Czapla grew up in Genoa, Neb., and earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He began his LPS career as a teacher and instructional coordinator at Bryan Community, and he filled his first administrative role as associate principal at Southeast High School. He held principal positions at Bryan Community and Culler Middle School before starting his current role at Moore.
 
Czapla said he looks forward to speaking with as many people as possible about ways to help everyone on Moore’s campus.
 
“There are so many minds that you can draw from to try to create a space where teachers and students can flourish,” Czapla said. “There are always ways to adjust and change to make things better, and it’s fun to work together to come up with ideas that allow everybody to have an opportunity to be successful. Being a part of that whole collective thinking is what I really, really enjoy. It’s one of my favorite things about being a principal.”
 
Many of those conversations happen with teachers in their classrooms. Czapla said he is continually motivated and impressed by what he sees taking place during his daily building tours.
 
“There’s nothing better than going in and seeing a talented teacher working with a student,” Czapla said. “It’s seeing that teacher be able to help that student learn a new concept like figuring out how to do a math story problem, or it’s getting them excited about the school play or getting to participate in intramurals. It’s just that interaction that you get to see every day.
 
“There are just so many good teachers that I’ve been able to watch. It’s how they get students to achieve something new and believe in themselves a little bit more. It’s really remarkable to see that.”
 
Czapla said those helpful attitudes can be found in hallways, offices and cafeterias as well. His tenure at Moore has been filled with stories of staff members going above and beyond to help Mountain Lions in all grades.
 
“There’s no shortage of brilliant people to learn from, and it’s not just teachers or administrators,” Czapla said. “It’s secretaries, paras, counselors, food service workers, custodial staff. It’s everybody. It’s watching how they believe in the importance of all students being cared for. It’s that whole community coming together.”
 
Czapla said that kindness does not go unnoticed by Moore students. One of the school’s food service workers announced in October that she would be retiring, and Czapla brought her to the stage in the multipurpose room to be recognized by the eighth graders. The entire lunchroom gave her a standing ovation for her efforts.
 
“It’s been my experience that middle school students have a lot of empathy and a lot of desire to support other people,” Czapla said. “It’s really neat to see that they value other people who have helped them in their lives, and that doesn’t just happen by chance. It happens through great parenting, great teachers, great support staff. It was so cool to be a part of something like that.”

 
Czapla said he is grateful for the role models he has learned from over the past three decades. He said their expertise has allowed him to enjoy many bright moments at LPS.
 
“I’ve been so fortunate to have had the mentors that I’ve had in my career,” Czapla said. “There have been so many of them who have helped me and guided me and challenged me. It’s been incredibly encouraging. If you want to be an administrator at LPS, there are plenty of people who can help you along the way.”
 
Gary Czapla leads a team of talented staff members who help more than 800 Moore students succeed in school. Visit moore.lps.org to learn about the school’s departments, programs and daily announcements.
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on October 27, 2025

ElevatED classes help LPS educators learn about engagement strategies

As soon as Kelsey Middendorf and Rachel Houston finished leading their Lincoln Public Schools ElevatED course about poverty and trauma this month, they received a visit from a teacher eager to talk about what she had learned.
 
Rousseau Elementary School teacher Emma Ruwe spent several minutes discussing ways to help students with Middendorf and Houston, who both greeted her with encouraging messages. Ruwe then beamed as she headed out of the room to go home for the night.
 
“This has been so helpful,” Ruwe told Middendorf and Houston. “I’m glad I came to this class.”
 
Dozens of LPS educators shared Ruwe’s enthusiasm after finishing their second sessions of the LPS ElevatED: Elevating Professional Practices program. Certificated staff members who are beginning their second or third years at LPS will complete a series of classes through next spring. October’s session at Southwest High School featured more than 20 courses they could choose from.
 
“The Impacts of Poverty and Trauma” and “Engaging Every Student Every Time” were two courses that focused on ways to increase LPS student and staff wellbeing and outcomes. Middendorf said she and Houston were pleased to share their expertise with educators of all experience levels and backgrounds.

 
“It’s nice to get perspectives from multiple disciplines,” Middendorf said. “There were teachers, social workers and a school psychologist here tonight, and there was a wide array of grade levels too, so it was really beneficial for everybody.”
 
Brendan Elam was one of 17 educators who took the 5:30 p.m. session of the poverty and trauma course. Elam, who teaches vocal music at North Star High School, said he gained a large amount of valuable information. Middendorf and Houston spoke about adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), trauma informed restorative practices (TIRPs) and how to support LPS students who have encountered either poverty or trauma.
 
“This was really helpful,” Elam said. “It gave me a better thought of what maybe students are dealing with at home.”

 
Houston, a school social worker at Belmont Elementary School, and Middendorf, a school social worker at Eastridge and Kooser elementary buildings, spent 45 minutes covering how ACEs affect learning for LPS students. ACEs happen when people 17 or younger suffer abuse, neglect or dysfunction at physical, emotional or mental levels. Examples can include witnessing domestic violence, living in a household with substance abuse or encountering food insecurity.
 
According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 75 percent of United States high school students reported having one or more ACEs in 2023. These events can cause persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, increase the risk of developing chronic diseases and can negatively impact children’s brain development.
 
“For teachers who maybe haven’t had the experiences of working with poverty or trauma, it is kind of eye-opening to see these statistics on poverty and trauma,” Middendorf said. “It can give a different perspective on why some kids may be struggling at school or having a harder time.”

 
Middendorf and Houston said educators can use TIRPs to help children in their classrooms. Examples include taking deep breaths before responding to students, telling students that they are being listened to and maintaining a posture of respect and support in all conversations. They also said it was important for educators to rely on each other to maintain their own wellbeing.
 
“You cannot be a social worker and a counselor and a teacher and an administrator all at the same time,” Houston said. “Ask for help from people who are in your building.”
 
Earlier in the afternoon, Goodrich Middle School instructional coaches Sarah Baker and Katie Smith helped teachers learn how to keep their classes more fully engaged. They provided suggestions of ways to increase opportunities to respond (OTR) for students such as think-pair-share activities, action responses and a 10-2-2 note-taking format.
 
“As a teacher, you really don’t know if you’re being effective until you get feedback from every student in the room,” Baker said. “A lot of these tools, like the think-pair-shares and action responses, can be really quick, so you can scan the room and get a sense of where kids are at, and then you can use that to inform your teaching within that lesson. It helps you more immediately address student learning in that moment.”

 
Sam Klemme teaches vocal music at East High School and was part of the 12-person class. He said it gave him new instructional ideas to use with the Spartans.
 
“I took a tenure class with Sarah Baker last year, so this expounded on it and added some really good things,” Klemme said. “It was nice to put those into the toolbox.”
 
Smith said it was important for teachers to have different OTR tactics to use to increase classroom engagement and wellbeing. For example, they could ask students to share answers to a curriculum-based question with a partner under the think-pair-share plan. Action responses could include having children raise their hand to indicate if they understood the lesson on algebra, aerospace science or the alphabet. The 10-2-2 option involves students taking notes for ten minutes, annotating them for two minutes and summarizing them in class for two minutes.
 
“If you have a strategy of each type, it’s something that you know you can pull out again and again and again,” Smith said. “You’re more likely to do something if it’s a habit, so we wanted to model the strategy and then address how it could fit into their classroom routine.”
 
Baker said she has been happy with the engagement she has seen from educators during the first portion of LPS ElevatED. She said giving teachers the ability to decide which courses they wanted to take this year will pay many dividends for the entire school community.
 
“I think it’s important when teachers have a choice in what they get to learn about,” Baker said. “It hopefully feels more meaningful to them when they get to pick where they go, and that’s something that will benefit students.”
 
Visit home.lps.org/prolearn/tenure-requirements to discover how the LPS ElevatED program is helping educators across Lincoln. The professional learning program is giving them a chance to build instructional, teamwork and communication skills for their LPS career.
 
Do you have a story idea? Share it with the LPS Communications Team by filling out this form!

Posted on October 27, 2025

Williams, Austin create trusting relationships as campus supervisors

Eric Williams and Sydney Austin are providing safety, security and self-esteem to thousands of students each year through their important roles as campus supervisors.
 
Williams and Austin are part of a team of LPS campus supervisors who ensure students feel valued, respected and seen during their high school days. Williams, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate, has worked at Southeast High School for the past four years and has handled LPS security positions since 2005. Austin attended Holmes Elementary School and Lefler Middle School before graduating from East High School in 2014. She is in her third year as a campus supervisor at East.

 
Williams and Austin both said their top goal is to be a source of encouragement for students. They said making friendly connections with current Knights and Spartans can create life-changing outcomes for everyone at school.
 
“I try to touch every group in the building and make them feel wanted,” Williams said. “I don’t want kids to feel alienated or unwanted, which is why I just try to be positive. Some of them look at me in the morning, and I am like I am now. I just try to make them smile or make them aware that, ‘Hey, your day is going to get better.’ They may not hear that in other places, so I make sure to incorporate that. It’s important to make them feel good about themselves.”
 
“I love when kids feel comfortable enough to tell me what the problem is,” Austin said. “I love it when they feel comfortable enough to talk about anything, and they don’t feel like they’re going to get in trouble. I want to be a safe space for people. Just being a safe adult for them to come talk to when they need to.”

 
East Principal Casey Fries and Southeast Principal Tanner Penrod praised Austin and Williams for providing many uplifting moments. They said both are making a difference with their inspirational words, hopeful energy and genuine care for all students.
 
“In education, we often emphasize the importance of every student having a trusted adult. For many students at East, that person is Sydney,” Fries said. “She is consistently upbeat, positive and approachable, building strong connections with students while upholding the school’s expectations for what it means to be successful.”
 
“Mr. Williams embodies our most basic expectation for all – to make Lincoln Southeast a safe, welcoming environment where teaching and learning thrive,” Penrod said. “Mr. Williams connects effortlessly with students from all backgrounds, builds respectful relationships, and maintains a calm, steady presence in tough situations. His humor, consistency and professionalism set the tone for a supportive, inclusive school culture. He truly does his work as well as anyone I’ve had the privilege to work with.”
 
Williams begins each day by scanning identification badges of students as they enter the front doors. He then starts his daily patrols of the building, which he said usually equals 18,000-20,000 total steps. He scans common areas to ensure students are not there during class periods, oversees the south cafeteria during lunchtime and assists Knights who need supervision, support or a friendly smile.
 
During one morning, Williams said hello to a student who was walking toward him in the hallway. After learning that she was searching for the location of Door 12, he stopped his patrol route and immediately guided her to the correct place. Along the way, they chatted about her school activities and what she was doing that day, which caused her to leave the conversation with a wide grin.

 
“My passion in life is helping other people,” Williams said. “I like helping. I helped all the time growing up. I was always that person to get involved, whether someone needed a babysitter or help with gardening or mowing the lawn. I always tried to be the helper, and maybe that’s what I am now.”
 
Austin follows a similar routine at East. Her daily schedule includes walking through hallways, monitoring all three lunch periods and helping administrators, custodians, librarians, school counselors and school social workers. She also works at East fine arts and sports events during the evening, which connects her with even more students and families.
 
Austin said being visible in the hallways is a vital part of her job. Many Spartans will say hello to her, tell her about problems they may be experiencing or inform her about something they are worried about at school. During a 15-minute span one morning, she asked a girl who was sick the previous day how she was doing, guided a Spartan to a journalism classroom and smiled at students who were working on a class project.
 
“I think it’s important to be in the halls and have a presence there, even if nothing’s happening at the moment,” Austin said. “A lot of kids will approach us in the hallways during passing periods, so it’s really important for us to be out there, because it’s the only time when they might be able to speak with us.”

 
That willingness to provide a listening ear has helped Austin build strong relationships with East sophomores Brooklyn and Madi. Both said they are grateful for Austin’s support in their lives.
 
“It’s been really important to have someone like Sydney around,” Brooklyn said. “You need to have trusted adults like her at school. I completely trust her with everything I say.”
 
“Sydney’s really good,” Madi said. “She’s always there for me. I can go to her with everything.”

 
Austin and Williams are able to enforce rules and establish hope-filled connections with students at the same time through their work. Both said they want to make a meaningful difference in the lives of hundreds of Spartans and Knights every day.
 
“I’m not looking for things that are wrong. I’m not looking to get you in trouble,” Austin said. “I want to be your friend, but I also want to be an adult that you can trust and talk to. I needed that when I was a kid, so I want other kids to feel that way too.”
 
“That’s my enjoyment, when you get to uplift people all day,” Williams said. “It’s about making their lives a little bit better.”
 
Want to make a difference at LPS like Eric and Sydney are each day? Visit home.lps.org/hr/careers to view open positions, learn information about benefits and receive notifications about job opportunities.
 
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Posted on October 24, 2025

Rooted in Education: Adams students learn about nature by planting trees near school

Adams Elementary School students planted lasting legacies this fall when they created new homes for 51 healthy trees.
 
Dozens of Aviators took part in two tree-planting celebrations at school. Seven fifth graders in the Adams Grow Co student organization arranged the first event in late September. More than 140 fourth graders then multiplied the tree population around campus in early October.
 
Adams Grow Co members gathered on the northeast side of the school to plant their tree. Penny, Linden, Keira, Harper, Mason, Oliver and Lulu placed their Japanese tree lilac in the ground, covered the roots with dirt and added mulch and water.
 
Keira and Harper said they were happy that their tree would stand tall on the Adams landscape for generations to come.
 
“It’s just kind of an accomplishment,” Keira said.
 
“It will always remind us that we attended Adams,” Harper said.

Adams Principal Jeff Rust said he was impressed with the seven Aviators' willingness to jumpstart the project. They wrote a letter and poem to Rust in support of the tree, enlisted the help of family members and teachers and conducted extensive research on what species would work well in Lincoln.
 
“I’d say it’s something to be genuinely proud of,” Rust said. “Those seven students showed initiative, teamwork and care for their environment – qualities that go beyond academics. Planting a tree may seem small, but it’s a lasting contribution to their community and a sign of responsibility for the future. That kind of action speaks volumes.”
 
Keira and Harper co-founded the Adams Grow Co last spring. They met at recess every Tuesday and planned the project on trips around the school’s walking path. They chose a Japanese tree lilac after learning that its typical height of 20 feet would work well at Adams. The species also thrives in Nebraska’s temperature zone.
 
“We know it can’t survive in too cold or too warm weather,” Keira said. “This is just the right weather for this type of tree.”
 
Keira and Oliver penned a five-paragraph letter to Rust explaining why they felt the tree would be a good addition to Adams. Team members also wrote a poem that asked for permission to plant it.
 
“We gave it to our principal and met with him two times, and both times went really well,” Keira said. “We’re very grateful that he was so supportive of it.”

 
After the Japanese tree lilac was in the ground, the seven Aviators voted on what to name it. They selected Jeremiah the Tree for its official title.
 
Adams’ fourth graders also made positive marks on the neighborhood during their sunny day of scientific learning in October. They planted ten trees on school property and 40 trees in Folsom Park, which sits next door to Adams. Lincoln Parks and Recreation, Arbor Day Foundation and Lincoln Public Schools teamed up for the initiative.
 
Rylie said she enjoyed putting several trees in the ground with her classmates. She had never planted trees before, but she quickly picked up the best ways to reach her group’s goal.
 
“Probably my favorite part was just hanging out with my group and planting the trees,” Rylie said. “We got to all help dig the soil and the roots, and it was really fun.”

 
Arbor Day Foundation representative Taylor Barnes said she was thrilled to watch students soak up knowledge during the day. The foundation gave every Aviator a pair of gloves and provided funding for the ten trees that were planted on school property.
 
“We have kids who have planted a tree before, and we have kids who have never planted a tree before,” Barnes said. “It’s really fun to have all fourth graders take part in an experience like today. We’re creating good stewards in the home state of Arbor Day.”
 
Kaylyn Comstock, a park planner with Lincoln Parks and Recreation, said this year was the first time that fourth graders planted trees in the fall. The previous two events had taken place at other schools in the spring. The spring timeframe aligned with LPS curriculum that teaches students about the Arbor Day holiday, which began in nearby Nebraska City.
 
“My favorite part about this is just seeing kids get excited about trees,” Comstock said. “Watching them get their hands dirty and learn about the tree that they’re planting, and again, with that ownership and stewardship that they’re developing by planting the trees and naming the trees, they’re really connecting. That’s my favorite part.”

 
The Aviators spruced up the area with 13 varieties of trees. They planted northern catalpa, thornless honey locust, Kentucky coffee tree, American sycamore, eastern cottonwood siouxland, Canada red chokeberry, white oak, swamp white oak, bur oak, relict bur oak, black oak, American linden and Princeton American elm species.
 
After watching a demonstration from Lincoln Parks and Recreation employees, they embarked on their own adventures in small groups. They created the proper soil depth and added dirt, mulch and water to the ground before giving each tree a name.
 
Ollie was one of many students who noticed the beneficial role that trees play in nature. He said he was familiar with being outside, as he has spent time helping his grandfather plant fruits and vegetables in his garden. Ollie said those experiences made him more aware of what was happening in the soil by his group’s tree.
 
“There was a little caterpillar on the ground, and we got to put it on the tree,” Ollie said. “We named it Gary.”

 
Barnes said the long-term goal is to give LPS students opportunities to plant trees every spring and fall. She felt the project would have long-lasting educational and environmental benefits for everyone in Lincoln.
 
“We have a vision of how we can potentially impact all 40 elementary schools over the course of time,” Barnes said. “We hope to be able to get even more people involved as we look forward to a spring and fall planting every year.”

Tree planting activities are one of many ways that LPS Sustainability helps students, staff and families every year. Visit home.lps.org/sustainability to learn more about sustainability efforts across the school district. The website includes a list of upcoming events and information about projects involving recycling, composting, energy, water, transportation and trees.

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Posted on October 23, 2025

Kroll creates numerous ways for Navigators to succeed as principal

The common denominator of Megan Kroll’s career at North Star High School has been her love for students, staff and the community she daily serves.
 
The former math teacher and department chair is now in her fourth year leading hundreds of Navigators as school principal. The Lincoln Public Schools graduate was part of the first group of teachers who opened North Star’s campus more than two decades ago, and she has remained a guiding force in the lives of many Navigators. She is being recognized during National Principals Month, which takes place across the United States each October.

 
Kroll said she enjoys coming to work each day at North Star. She has held roles as a math teacher, math department chair, instructional coordinator, associate principal and principal during her time on North 33rd Street.
 
“I’m just fortunate to be the principal of North Star High School,” Kroll said. “The students, the staff, the community are all amazing, and it’s truly like a family here. The fact I’ve gotten to be here for 23 years is incredible. I feel very fortunate to be part of this community and to get to work with everybody here.”

 
LPS Director of Secondary Education Jess Fries said Kroll has impacted North Star families in many long-lasting ways. She said her deep roots at the school have given her the ability to make key decisions about a wide array of subjects.
 
“Megan has spent her entire career at North Star, growing from a dedicated teacher into a strategic, student-centered school leader,” Fries said. “Her deep understanding of the school and its community informs everything she does. Known for her thoughtful and reflective leadership, Megan actively listens to staff and uses their feedback to drive meaningful, forward-focused change.”
 
Kroll grew up in Lincoln and attended Huntington Elementary School, Mickle Middle School and Northeast High School. She attended Northwest Missouri State University on a volleyball scholarship and initially majored in computer management systems. Her career ambitions changed after she spent time coaching students at a summer camp with former Northeast volleyball coach Sandi Genrich.
 
“I loved working with the students and the kids,” Kroll said. “I loved seeing them be successful and work through adverse situations when something seemed hard. I realized I didn’t want to sit at a desk my whole life. I wanted to be with kids and see them achieve and do well. And so, by the beginning of sophomore year I had already switched my major to education. It was the right fit for me.”

 
Kroll said she is standing on the shoulders of many trusted mentors who have helped her. Nancy Becker was North Star’s first principal and spent 32 years in her distinguished teaching and administrative career at LPS. Former North Star principals Vann Price and Ryan Zabawa are now the associate superintendent for human resources and director of student services at LPS, and former assistant principals Mike Gillotti and Sue Cassata are now the LPS associate superintendent for educational services and Standing Bear High School principal.
 
“I had the greatest leaders in this building,” Kroll said. “I had literally the best leaders in this building to help guide who I am as a leader now.”
 
After obtaining her master’s degree, Kroll spent time helping both students and co-workers as a teacher and administrator. She created behavior plans, taught algebra blocks, prepared professional learning sessions and built a strong network of friends in the building. Fries said the teamwork skills she refined in those roles are evident in her current position.
 
“She leads with collaboration, engaging staff, families and colleagues in shared goals for student success,” Fries said. “Through intentional professional learning and a strong culture of teamwork, Megan empowers the North Star staff to continuously improve in ways that truly support every North Star student.”

 
Kroll has made it a priority to talk with Navigators in the hallways and classrooms each day. After visiting a chemistry class one morning, she spoke with excitement about one student who had compiled several strong academic achievements. She said those types of happy conversations are a prime reason why she enjoys her job.
 
“The key to North Star is that it’s all about relationships and working together as a community,” Kroll said. “It’s our students, our staff and the community as a whole. That was established from the very beginning by Nancy Becker, and that’s something that has remained.”
 
Kroll said her top goal is to help create a positive environment for all Navigators to flourish in, whether that is in classrooms, on concert stages or at community events. She said the confidence they gain from feeling valued at school is integral to the victories they experience every day.
 
“I love watching them succeed in all avenues,” Kroll said. “It could be in the classroom, in our activities, our unified program, our athletics, our theater, our music. I love watching kids succeed and do things that they love, and along the way find things that they didn’t know that they could love and be good at. It’s an amazing feeling to see that happen.”
 
North Star staff members are leading hundreds of Navigators on successful life pathways every day. Visit lns.lps.org to learn more about the school and the many academic and social learning opportunities that are available for students.
 
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Posted on October 23, 2025

2025 LPS Marching Band Festival results

Music filled the air at Seacrest Field on Saturday, Oct. 18 when 24 bands competed in the 44th annual Lincoln Public Schools Marching Band Invitational.

The awards for Outstanding Color Guard went to Lexington High School, and Outstanding Percussion went to Lincoln Southeast High School.

Bands could earn a rating of 1 for Superior, 2 for Excellent or 3 for Good. Below are the results.

Lincoln Public Schools

East High School: 2 – Excellent
Lincoln High School: 2 – Excellent
North Star High School: 2 – Excellent
Northeast High School: 2 – Excellent
Northwest High School: 2 – Excellent
Southeast High School: 1 – Superior
Southwest High School (Varsity): 1 – Superior
Southwest 9th Grade Band (Exhibition): No rating, adjudicated with comments only
Standing Bear High School: 2 – Excellent

Other participating schools

Bishop Neumann High School: 1 – Superior
Beatrice: 2 – Excellent
Seward: 2 – Excellent
Ralston: 3 – Good
Bennington: 2 – Excellent
Schuyler: 3 – Good
Lincoln Pius X: 2 – Excellent
Papillion La Vista: 1 – Superior
Grand Island Northwest: 2 – Excellent
Aquinas Catholic: 2 – Excellent
Grand Island Senior High: 2 – Excellent
Norfolk: 2 – Excellent
Park Hill: 2 – Excellent
North Platte: 2 – Excellent
Lexington: 1 – Superior

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Posted on October 21, 2025

Dering delivers oceans of caring leadership as Cavett principal

Kathleen Dering’s humble approach to her principal duties at Cavett Elementary School has created ocean-sized amounts of trust and respect in the community.
 
Dering has been a steady source of encouragement for thousands of students during her meaningful 37-year career. She spent her first 17 years teaching third through eighth grades and began her 20th year as a principal this fall. She is being recognized during National Principals Month, which takes place across the United States each October.

 
Dering’s strong belief in helping others is the bedrock of her educational philosophy. She said it is essential to be a servant leader in every situation at school.
 
“Leadership is not about power or trying to control everything,” Dering said. “It’s about serving others and putting them first. If you have that willingness, everything else will fall into place.”
 
LPS Director of Elementary Education Gena Licata said Dering has been a role model for many people across Lincoln. She moved back to Nebraska 15 years ago to become principal at Beattie Elementary School. She spent two years at Beattie and nine years at Elliott before accepting the Cavett position.
 
“Kathleen exemplifies transformational leadership through her unwavering commitment to equity, student achievement and fostering collaborative school culture,” Licata said. “She leads with intention by using data to drive decisions, empowering teachers through shared leadership, and fostering a safe, inclusive environment grounded in restorative practices.”

 
Dering initially dove into marine biology at the University of Missouri-Columbia, but she eventually followed the current of her family’s legacy into the field of education. Her mother was a high school teacher and university professor, and her father was a university professor and department chair.
 
The Wayne, Neb., native began her teaching career in the San Francisco area in 1989 and has worked at schools in California, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska. She said those varied experiences have given her a wealth of knowledge on effectively connecting with people in many educational environments.
 
“It all comes back to the truth that families want the very best for their kids, no matter where you are,” Dering said. “Working in so many different communities helped me see that early on. Giving our best as educators to every family and every child is what makes our profession so meaningful. I’m always learning from those relationships and interactions.”
 
Even after earning a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Kansas early in her career, Dering chose to remain in the classroom for another decade before accepting her first principal role.
 
“I felt I needed to spend more time teaching before I transitioned into a leadership role, and I’m so glad I did,” Dering said.

 
Dering credits that delay with providing a broader foundation and knowledge of different grade levels, allowing her to better serve the entire community as a leader.
 
Licata said Dering helps Cavett families feel welcomed at school by being consistently present, supportive and engaged with everyone she meets. One example came four years ago when Cavett Parent-Teacher Organization leaders asked her if the school could begin hosting a science fair for students. She received positive feedback from parents and teachers about the idea, and the Cardinals began showcasing projects about microscopes, mountains and molecules later that year.
 
“Kathleen is reflective and deeply invested in both student success and teacher growth,” Licata said. “Her strong instructional leadership, clear communication and integrity have built high levels of trust across the Cavett community.”
 
Dering uses the same listening-first process with Cardinals inside the building as well. All Cavett students take a perception survey when they start classes each fall, which gives them the opportunity to express their feelings about being back in school. This helps administrators and teachers plan for lessons and class meetings that can address different strengths and needs at all grade levels.
 
Dering also spends a large amount of time listening to teachers. Those conversations have helped her keep a steady pulse on what is happening in Cavett’s classrooms. That awareness lets her come up with solutions that benefit everyone in the building.
 
“Getting teachers’ input on where we’re going academically, socially, behaviorally, as a school is really critical,” Dering said. “They’re the ones who are in the classroom on a daily basis, and it’s important to listen to what they’re saying.”

 
Dering said one of her favorite parts about being a principal is watching students and teachers experience success at school. She said those smiling moments have created an ocean-sized number of good memories during her career.
 
“It’s the smile on a student’s face, or talking with a teacher who has just tried something new and fun and is excited to share how it worked,” Dering said. “That just happened the other day. A teacher had just tried this new engagement activity with her class for science, and it was a hit. For me to be able to support them and celebrate their success – that’s the ultimate reward.”
 
Cavett staff members are helping hundreds of Cardinals create positive memories at school each week. Visit cavett.lps.org to learn more about the school and the numerous academic and social learning opportunities available to students.
 
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Posted on October 20, 2025

Nutritious Deliveries: LPS employees help thousands of students with food distribution

As soon as Steve Harper pulls up to schools on the north side of Lincoln every morning, he starts a process that leads to sunny smiles in local lunchrooms.
 
Harper is one of 16 Nutrition Services Distribution Center (NSDC) employees who deliver food, milk and supplies to 60 Lincoln Public Schools locations. They ensure that more than 40,000 LPS students eat nutritious meals in their elementary, middle and high school cafeterias every day. They process full semis of incoming food products, fill daily orders from each school and ferry the important merchandise to buildings across Lincoln.

 
Harper’s sunrise delivery schedule begins at Northeast High School’s central kitchen and continues at Huntington, Pershing, Norwood Park, Kahoa, Brownell and Riley elementary buildings. The 13-year LPS employee said it is a good feeling to visit each school with valuable cargo for children.
 
“When you get a truckload of food, sometimes it hits you, ‘You know, you’re delivering all this food for thousands of kids,’” Harper said. “When you’re delivering to the kitchens, it hits you once in a while that what you’re doing is rewarding.”
 
Roland Meirose has worked at LPS for 13 years and supervises the NSDC’s operations. He leads a team that delivers food for 4.3 million lunch meals, 1.5 million breakfast meals and 208,000 snacks during the academic year. The group uses eight cargo trucks with lift gates, three cargo trucks with ramps, six milk delivery trucks and one delivery van to accomplish the mission.
 
“It’s a great job, and we’ve got good people here,” Meirose said. “That’s the best part. We have really good people who work hard and want to help others.”
 
The NSDC buys bulk items such as potatoes, pizza, beef and chicken from a variety of food companies. They also purchase truckloads of food products such as mandarin oranges, pineapple tidbits, pears, peaches, green beans, spaghetti sauce, refried beans, brown rice, frozen strawberry cups, frozen vegetables and oven fries. One large row of shelves in the NSDC’s warehouse is dedicated solely to applesauce, and other sections feature multiple boxes of ketchup, barbecue sauce, frozen juice and mixed fruit.
 
NSDC employee Dan Kopf works in the warehouse’s freezer during the afternoon portion of his job. He pulls orders from each school off the three levels of shelves with a forklift, then places each container on pallets that are staged for the next day. The boxes are marked to confirm their destination before heading out the following morning.
 
Kopf also transports food to more than 20 schools throughout his week. His morning grocery routes begin at 6:15 a.m. and take approximately two hours to complete.
 
“Knowing you’re getting food out for the kids of the city of Lincoln feels good,” Kopf said. “Knowing the kitchens will be preparing it for them makes it pretty worthwhile.”

 
Fourteen-year veteran Will Juilfs brings milk to 17 schools across Lincoln each day. His morning schedule runs from 6:30-10:10 a.m. and the afternoon route lasts from 11:55 a.m.-1:10 p.m. He said the job’s variety and his NSDC co-workers are two reasons why he enjoys his position.
 
“I come from a small town, so it’s like our own little community here in the building,” Juilfs said. “Everybody gets along great. Everybody’s willing to pitch in and help get the job done at the end of the day. It’s really nice.”
 
That type of teamwork is evident when Harper and seven other drivers begin their days on central kitchen routes. They load trucks at the NSDC warehouse with dry and frozen goods and visit one of the eight LPS central kitchens. The central kitchens – which process and prepare many food products – are located at Southwest, Northwest, North Star, Northeast and Standing Bear high schools and Lux, Schoo and Moore middle schools.
 
Each driver then loads carts from the central kitchen onto their trucks for distribution. They drop off the grocery carts at schools that have smaller kitchens by 9 a.m. Kitchen workers can then prepare and cook the orders for hundreds of students at their local buildings.
 
“It’s a very task-driven day, because we have to be at every school at a certain time to get their meals there,” Meirose said. “Our guys are really good about it. They care about what they’re doing.”
 
Incoming deliveries to the warehouse change more often. The NSDC typically receives four full semis of food every Wednesday and one to three semis on other days. Meirose said Wednesdays are the busiest day for LPS because food companies deliver large orders to restaurants on Thursdays and Fridays for the upcoming weekend.
 
Meirose said the NSDC warehouse has paid many dividends since it was completed in June 2018. The expansive dock allows semis and large trucks to unload products at a central location rather than visiting schools that may be on narrower streets. There is also space for LPS crews to have trucks ready to go for their own daily deliveries.

 
During one morning at Huntington, Harper wheeled a cart off his truck and took it through a small side door into the kitchen. He placed it next to shelves of plastic trays, said good morning to a kitchen worker and smiled as he headed outside for his next stop.
 
“This really is a good job,” Harper said. “Being able to work for the schools and help kids is something that I really enjoy.”
 
Nutrition Services staff members create millions of healthy meals for LPS students every year. Learn more about the department on our website at home.lps.org/ns.
 
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Posted on October 17, 2025

A Century of Success: Randolph marks 100th year of memories at school building

Randolph Elementary School students, staff and families celebrated a century of success at the corner of 37th and D during a joyful birthday party this fall.
 
A large turnout of happy Roadrunners came to Randolph’s campus to mark the upcoming centennial of the 1926 structure. Many generations of students and teachers reminisced about landmark moments from their school days at the celebration, which featured a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities.

 
Vicki Fasnacht has worked at LPS for 26 years and is the current Randolph executive secretary. She spent a large portion of the summer researching the school’s history and planning for the centennial event. She said it was encouraging to share smiles with people throughout the day.
 
“I thought the celebration went really well,” Fasnacht said. “We had current Roadrunner families, former Roadrunner families, former staff and even some community members come join us.”
 
Marlan Kaufman spent the afternoon recounting memories from his days as a Roadrunner. Kaufman began his Randolph career as assistant principal from 1966-68, and he guided the school as its principal from 1968-76. He said it was a thrill to walk through the familiar hallways again.
 
“Things have changed dramatically in 50 years,” Kaufman said. “But it looks like all for the better.”

 
Jim Jensen shared Kaufman’s positive view as he stood by a 1912 Ford in the parking lot. Jensen and other Randolph alumni brought many antique cars to the school to highlight the building's lengthy history. He said Randolph was especially important to him because it was the starting point for his future Lincoln High track and field career.
 
“When it used to rain a lot and the weather was where we couldn’t go out on the playground, we used to run relays on the cement on the other side of the school,” Jensen said. “That’s how I got started in track.”
 
Lincoln Public Schools built the first Randolph building at the corner of 26th and H Streets in 1901. Charles Olsen was the contractor for the new structure, which cost $12,179.24 to complete.

 
Construction on the current school began a little over two decades later. A total of 311 elementary students from Hawthorne, Elliott, Prescott and the former Randolph building came together for the first day of classes on Jan. 25, 1926. Maude Rousseau, who had been assistant principal at Whittier Junior High, was named the first principal of the new school. The building was 53,578 square feet in size and cost $188,000.
 
LPS leaders placed Randolph in the middle of a field because they anticipated future growth in the neighborhood. Many streets around the school remained unpaved for several years after construction, and none of the current large trees had been planted on campus.
 
That began to change as Lincoln’s population continued to expand. Multiple evergreen trees stood next to the building by 1953, and three construction projects in the 1950s added 14 classrooms for students. The extra space increased Randolph’s footprint to 78,244 square feet.
 
Fasnacht said it was fun to share school memories with the help of her Randolph staff family and her own family. She is part of a third-generation line of Roadrunners that includes her husband, children and grandson.
 
One of Fasnacht’s top goals was to incorporate Randolph’s history into educational displays, banners and activities. LPS Library Services helped her track down names of every Randolph administrator for the past 100 years, and she separated information by decade at stations throughout the building. For example, Rousseau was highlighted in a 1920s section that featured a banner that said “The Roaring Twenties” and a binder that contained memorable pictures.
 
Fasnacht’s research led to many historic gems that were on the tour. One of those was located outside Door 13, which was the entrance to a bicycle storage area.
 
“One of the best pictures I found was a picture of what the ‘bike room’ used to look like,” Fasnacht said. “With the help of LPS Graphics, I was able to turn that photo into a banner that hung outside over the current bike room door and display several vintage bicycles.”

 
Many alumni shared Fasnacht’s appreciation for the school’s centennial items. They pored through books of old photos and memorabilia, wore special 100th anniversary buttons with pride and smiled when they recognized the main hallway’s arched ceilings. They also enjoyed watching more than three dozen current students sing several songs on steps outside the building.
 
Kaufman said he made long-lasting friendships with Randolph staff and fellow LPS administrators during his decade at the school. He said those close-knit bonds helped everyone make decisions that benefited many Roadrunners. For example, he and former assistant principal Lois Eno formed a strong administrative team throughout his eight years as principal.
 
“That’s why we keep coming back, because half a dozen of us were so close over the years that we worked kind of like brothers and sisters,” Kaufman said. “None of us felt like we were all alone out there adrift.”

 
Jensen said Randolph would continue to hold a special place in his heart because of the way it shaped his childhood.
 
“I’ve lived in Lincoln all my life, and so I still go by this school frequently,” Jensen said. “It brings back a lot of memories.”
 
Want to learn more about Randolph Elementary School and how it is preparing students for success? Visit randolph.lps.org to view many details such as the school’s calendar, handbook and staff list.
 
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Posted on October 17, 2025

Growing Graduates: State program helps LPS educators blossom as classroom teachers

Lincoln Public Schools students are blooming in their classrooms this year thanks to the blossoming teaching talents of leaders like Isaiah Collier and Tanner Hilzer.
 
Collier and Hilzer are among seven LPS staff members who are the first graduates of the new Nebraska Teacher Apprenticeship Program (NTAP). Collier, Hilzer, Rachawadee Maungkya-Taveepanpun, Rhiannon Jurgens, Abbey Traynowicz, Megan Nicholls and Lisa Fagler began leading special education classes at LPS buildings this fall. They reached their teaching goals after completing a yearlong training program with LPS mentors and University of Nebraska-Lincoln professors.
 
Collier and Hilzer said it has been rewarding to expand their fields of teaching knowledge at LPS. Hilzer had been a behavior technician at Park Middle School and Collier had been an in-school suspension program technician at Bryan Community before applying for NTAP classes. Hilzer now leads an adjusted math course, several math lab classes and two reading groups at Park. Collier co-teaches a 12-person senior seminar class and provides specialized instruction to 12 students in a 25-person geography course at Northwest High School.

 
“I think just being able to help and assist people has always been something I’ve been interested in,” Collier said. “Being able to do it in a school, in a classroom, was something I was also interested in. It’s been a perfect decision so far.”
 
“It’s a family here,” Hilzer said. “Every day is a good day at Park Middle School. I’ve had nothing but positive experiences.”
 
Barb Miller is helping them succeed as the LPS emerging educators empowerment specialist. She was thrilled when Nebraska legislators announced in 2024 that they would provide $1 million to address a statewide shortage of teachers. Her excitement level rose even more after multiple LPS staff members asked to join the program. The seven NTAP graduates earned special education endorsements after completing their mentorships within the school district.
 
“The candidates are phenomenal,” Miller said. “Very often, it was a principal who saw that potential and connected them with the program. It was really fulfilling to see them perhaps reach goals that they didn’t even necessarily know that they had.”
 
All seven are now helping students across Lincoln. Traynowicz is leading classes at Standing Bear High School, Nicholls is teaching at Pershing Elementary School and Fagler is guiding students at Kloefkorn Elementary School. Maungkya-Taveepanpun and Jurgens are both teaching special education classes at Eastridge Elementary School.
 
Park Principal Charlotte Everts encouraged Hilzer to consider the NTAP opportunity after watching him excel as a paraeducator. A former horticulturalist, Hilzer decided to become a paraeducator in Park’s recovery room after realizing he could make a difference for students.
 
“It’s so awesome to see,” Everts said. “I watched him interact with kids when maybe they were at their lowest and needed more support, and he just has such a way with kids and helps them get to their potential. To be able to see him do that in a classroom setting, where he’s making even a bigger impact with more kids, has been really amazing to see.”

 
Collier pursued a school counseling degree before beginning his technician role at Bryan Community. He said it was a life-changing moment when he learned NTAP would provide a path for him to become a full-time teacher.
 
“I was a little nervous at first, but I just took the leap of faith with it,” Collier said. “I just ended up fully committing. I went to the first meeting, and I was like, ‘This is for sure something I’m interested in,’ so I committed from that day.”

 
Paraeducators, technicians and other LPS classified staff can apply for the program, which pays for their tuition and fees. The inaugural group took an eight-week class together at UNL before entering their yearlong apprenticeships at LPS buildings. Collier and Hilzer both said having supportive teammates made the experience enjoyable for everyone.
 
“If we had any questions or anything, it was nice just to be able to ask someone who was going through the exact same thing as you,” Collier said. “Being able to have someone that was with you willing to just kind of bounce ideas off of each other.”
 
“At first it was a businesslike atmosphere, but by the end, we were family,” Hilzer said. “We spent a lot of Wednesday nights together and a lot of summer mornings together, and so by the end, you know, we still check in on each other. It’s a pretty good thing we’ve got going.”
 
The seven NTAP graduates are the latest success stories of the LPS Grow Your Own strategy. Miller said LPS leaders are working hard to identify students and employees who have a passion for teaching. Once this happens, they can then use programs like NTAP to keep them within the LPS family.
 
“LPS is a community, and people don’t necessarily stray far,” Miller said. “This is a great place to look for future educators.”

 
Collier said he and his NTAP classmates felt a sense of accomplishment on their graduation day. He said he is grateful to help students realize their own budding academic dreams in the classroom.
 
“It was a lot of relief,” Collier said. “There was a lot of hard work that we put in over the course of the year, so to be able to be at that finish line and just know that we can actually become teachers now, it was a really big thing for us.”
 
Want to make a difference at LPS just like the seven NTAP graduates? Visit home.lps.org/hr to view job opportunities throughout Lincoln Public Schools. You can set up job notifications and view many LPS staff resources and benefits.
 
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Posted on October 15, 2025