Lincoln PreK–8 leaders highlight attendance push, interventions and new vocational 'Lincoln Leaders' program

Alex Jordan, campus leader at Lincoln PreK–8, told the Warren City School District Board on Feb. 25 that the school is emphasizing attendance, expanded interventions and community partnerships to support students.

Jordan introduced the building's administrative team and said Lincoln serves a large daily population (the presentation stated "1,160 people walking through the hallways"). He credited staff and community partners for helping the school run programs that support students beyond classroom instruction.

"We're really doing what we can as an entire staff," Jordan told the board, introducing principals and specialists who led the subsequent report. Nikki, the district's principal of school improvement for Lincoln, described four building priorities: attendance for all, proficiency, PBIS/CHAMPS behavior systems, and consistent bell‑to‑bell instruction. Nikki said the school offers built‑in intervention blocks of 30–45 minutes and reported a targeted after‑school high‑dosage tutoring program that invited 240 students and averages roughly 175 attendees daily.

Alicia Williams, Lincoln's 6–8 principal, outlined community partner support including Christ Episcopal Church and Second Harvest Food Bank (weekly food‑pantry bags), Akron Children's Hospital (a school clinic serving about 80 students daily with "3,292 medications" administered this school year as stated in the presentation), Oakwood Counseling and supports coordinated through the school's McKinney‑Vento team.

Behavior and restorative coach Mr. Davis described tiered interventions for students: proactive pullouts, daily walk‑bys, digital comprehension and behavior supports, reflection sheets and restorative mediations. He reported declines in disciplinary measures as presented to the board: "out of school suspensions are down 55, in‑school suspensions are down 4," and reductions in truancy and insubordination. (The presentation used the terms "down 55" and "down 4" without clarifying whether those figures are counts or percentages; the transcript did not specify.)

Nicole Meisner, supervisor of special education, described a new vocational initiative called "Lincoln Leaders," started with a Schirmer grant that allowed a small cohort of third‑through‑eighth‑grade students to learn work skills and earn money through school‑based tasks. Meisner also reported that the building's "20 First Century" program — an academic enrichment program for sixth through eighth grades — enrolled 50 students and is staffed by 13 educators.

Jordan closed the presentation by emphasizing community outreach, noting Lincoln's participation in a local parade as a way to engage families, and shared a short video of students describing what they value about the school. One student in the clip said, "I love my friends, my teachers," underscoring the presenters' point about community and student connection.

Board members and the superintendent thanked Lincoln staff for the presentation and praised the range of supports. The board's remarks highlighted the value of after‑school options, the wellness center as a district resource and the importance of ongoing communication with families.

The presentation concluded with the board's expression of appreciation and no formal action beyond the update. The district livestreamed the meeting and the board signaled they will continue to monitor progress on attendance, interventions and program expansion.