Due to growing programs at the Lincoln Public Schools (LPS), the institution thought of putting new principals for its three behavioral skills programs. The positions were previously tagged as coordinators but the district said these were given to people with higher administrative authority.
"Those programs are growing and growing and we are looking at the long-term leadership needs," said LPS associate superintendent for instruction Jane Stavem in a Journal Star report. Two years ago, the LPS started its efforts to train its staff to deal with the increasing number of students who have behavioral problems.
The three principals it recently named to join the LPS are expected to improve the leadership in the district. For the Donald D. Sherrill Education Center, former Cavett Elementary School assistant principal Cindy Vodicka was assigned. She specialized in instruction, educational leadership and curriculum.
Another principal name was Jaime Boedeker for the Bill Nuernberger Education Center. Boedeker, as per Journal Star, was an eighth-year student services supervisor before she accepted her recent position.
Meanwhile, Lincoln Southeast associate principal Erik Witt will head the Yankee Hill Program. He was previously an instructional and special education coordinator at North Star.
According to Examiner, the Bill Nuernberger Education Center is a recent addition to the two existing behavioral skills program schools. The growth in the number of students who have serious behavioral problems called for the new school addition.
Journal Star said that the new program of LPS is dubbed Success Schools. This is a whole-day comprehensive program which implements rigorous academic activities and teachers social skills using strict rules on behavior.
Stavem said this began at the Sherrill Education Center and will soon be expanded to the Yankee Hill program. "This is an important distinction we wanted to make as we move forward. Those programs are that important to us," the LPS associate superintendent added.
