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Lincoln Elementary principal credits community, teachers for school turnaround
Summary
Principal Milton Collins told the Utah State Board of Education at its November meeting that Lincoln Elementary’s culture and targeted supports helped raise the school’s accountability score while serving a high-poverty, multilingual student body.
Principal Milton Collins told the Utah State Board of Education at its November meeting that building relationships, strong teacher support and wraparound services drove improvements at Lincoln Elementary School in Granite School District.
Collins, who said he became Lincoln’s principal in 2017, described a concerted effort to change school culture and daily routines that he said produced measurable results. "I am a scholar. I can get smarter," Collins said, describing a daily motto used with students. "Basketball saved my life," he added, explaining how sports initially opened educational opportunities for him and later led him into education.
The principal said Lincoln serves approximately 650 students in preschool through sixth grade, with about 25 languages spoken and roughly 95 percent of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. He told the board Lincoln's state accountability score rose from 32.7 (in the bottom 5 percent) to 52.9 between 2017 and 2023.
Collins described routine, hands-on leadership practices: greeting students at multiple school entrances, maintaining an open-door policy for teachers, and prioritizing staff morale through daily contact. "I lead with my heart," he said, adding that staff retention improved because teachers felt supported.
Board members responded with praise. Member Bridal introduced Collins and said she was "so inspired" by his visit to the school. Member Riel thanked Collins for enriching student lives and encouraged board members to visit Lincoln. Member Green asked about Collins’s book; Collins said it is "still in process."
Collins also described practical supports he provides, such as checking in on students who appear troubled at arrival and providing food or other immediate needs. He credited a mix of teacher dedication, community partnerships and consistent routines for academic gains and higher staff retention.
That account was presented during the board’s member message portion of the November meeting and reflects Collins’s on-the-ground description of school practices and outcomes rather than a board action or policy change.
Collins concluded with a request for continued support for schools serving high-need students and invited board members to visit Lincoln Elementary to see the work firsthand.
