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Lincoln School principal details new norms, behavior-system transition and classroom technology trial
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Summary
Principal Albers told the Mendota CCSD 289 board that Lincoln School is reinforcing a morning creed, moving fourth graders to a new behavior system to align with Northbrook, beginning departmentalization for fourth grade and trialing two Promethean interactive boards in classrooms.
Principal Albers updated the board on Lincoln School’s midyear work, highlighting classroom routines, staffing changes and steps to align younger students with the district’s upper-grade expectations. "At Lincoln School, we are respectful, responsible, and safe," Albers said, describing the school creed that now opens each day.
Albers introduced new teachers and acknowledged two retiring staff members, noting a district practice of inviting first‑year and retiring staff to board visits. She said the school-improvement team has developed norms across behavioral systems, attendance, arrival and dismissal, intervention and MTSS, grading consistency and communication, and that those norms are being shared with staff via team meetings and a teacher landing page.
On behavior systems, Albers explained a planned shift for fourth graders from the current PAWS system to an "X" system used at Northbrook to smooth transitions between schools: "Next year, they're gonna be using the x system that is completely in line with what fifth grade has," she said, and administrators will begin transitioning fourth graders in the third trimester this year. She said parents were notified by letter and teachers discussed the change at conferences.
Albers described departmentalization planning: fourth grade is "leaning towards departmentalization" for the coming year, while second and third will remain self-contained; the decision follows teacher confidence and interest surveys and schedule problem‑solving to preserve science and social‑studies time in a long reading block. "We have a schedule that I think is maybe 95% there right now for next year," she said.
She also outlined pilot testing of classroom technology: two Promethean interactive boards will be used by selected teachers for a month to evaluate curriculum compatibility and usability. "The feedback that we're really looking for is usability, but also how our curriculum works with these," Albers said. The trial will inform whether to expand the technology elsewhere in the district.
Albers highlighted student and community activities — a canned‑food drive that yielded more than 100 pounds, a fourth‑grade candy‑cane sale that raised $1,090 for the Mendota food pantry, Grandparents' Day that drew about 300 visitors, and new programs such as a fourth‑grade kindness club — and closed by thanking staff and emphasizing the school's role as a bridge to Northbrook. The board asked clarifying questions about scheduling, instructional time and implementation; Albers said team members will bring final schedules back for placement decisions.
The board then offered public and board recognition for retiring staff and welcomed new teachers.
