LincolnNortheastMissionStatement

DescriptionoftheSetting

LincolnNortheastHighSchool,homeoftheRockets,wasfoundedin1941andlocated
on2635N.63rdStreetinLincoln,NE.Theschoolissurroundedbymultipleneighborhoodsand
couldbeconsideredthecenterofitscommunity.Northeastishometoatleast1,500studentsand
continuestogroweachyear.Itisknownto
beabluecollarschool,educatingmany
studentsfromalowersocioeconomic
environment.Whenconsideringits
reputation,onemustlookattheschools
missionstatementtotrulyunderstandwhatit
standsfor.Itsbeliefinoptimizingstudent
learningandachievementshowsinthe
dedicaitionofthestaff,parents,andstudents
alike.LNEpridesitselfindiversity:ethnic,
religious,andsocioeconomic.Graduation
requirementsincludethecompletionof
grades912andatleast245credits.The
schooloffersavarietyofcoursesbasedon
studentachievementlevel:standard,
exploratory,orintensive.

CultureandCommunity

WhenconsideringLNEculture,itisimpossibletopinpointjustoneoverridingaspect.
Primarily,thehighschoolisknownforitsbasketballteamwhichholds12statetitles.Girls
basketballhasalsobeenpraisedforitshighaccomplishmentsandstudentdedication.Although
footballmenhavestruggledintherecentyears,thesupportfortheRocketteamneverseemsto
falter.ThespiritweekbeforeLNEsHomecominggamedisplayedoverwhelmingenthusiasm

andencouragementforthefootballteam.Theyoungmenlookedproudwearingtheiruniforms
andthecheeranddanceteamsrecognizedoutstandingplayersbyplacingcongratulationsand
goodlucknotesontheboyslockers.
Besideshavingastrong
studentsupportstructure,the
LNEstaffshowsneverending
spiritandcommitmentto
creatingathoughtprovoking,
creative,andrespectful
atmosphere.Eachyear,
Northeastsponsorsa
KnowHow2Goassembly,
encouragingfreshmentobegin
thinkingabouttheirjourneys
towardhighereducation.The
workshopinvitesmotivational
speakers,distinguishedalumni,
andrepresentativesfrom
SoutheastCommunityCollege
toengagefreshmeninthinking
abouttheirfutures.Studentsparticipateineducationalgamesandgoofychallenges,aswellas
witnesstheirteachersonstageactingjustasgoofily.Overall,theatmospherecreatedduringthe
assemblymadefreshmenfeelbothwelcomingandexcitedforthingstocome.

Duringthefreshmenfundraisermonth,communitymembersactivelyreachedouttohelp
studentsachievetheirgoals.Thecommunitylookstobeinvolvedincommunityserviceswith
LNEstudents,alwayssupportsathleticsandthearts.Somenotablecommunitymembersand
alumniareofteninvitedtospeakattheschoolsrallies.VeteransDayrallyservesasaperfect
exampleofcommunityoutreach.Multipleveteransgracefullyagreedtospeaktothestudentsof
theiraccomplishmentsandservice.Inreturn,NortheastsJROTCandbandputonanextravagant
performanceforthevisitors.Intruth,thereisnosingleculturalaspectthatcouldfullydefinethe
school.Students,parents,staff,andcommunityallcometogethertocreatetheculturethatis
Northeast.

DemographicCharacteristics

BasicStatistics:
Fouryearhighschool.Sevenperioddays.EightperiodofferedaspartofAcademic
Support.
Faculty:122teachers:64%holdMastersDegrees11Administrators,Student/Faculty
ratio:12:1
Students:Totalenrollment14,733students.Ethnically,culturally,andlinguistically
diverse.Approximatepercentageofstudentsofdifferentrace:28%.
HonorrollstudentsasofSpring2014:26%witha3.5+GPA
Dailyattendanceonaverage:92%

Studentachievementdata:

InformationtakenfromLNEprovidedPDF

ClassroomContext

OnmyfirstdayatNortheast,backinAugust,duringLincoln
PublicSchoolsmeetingsandlongdaysofplanning,Ms.Janssen
surprisedmebyprovidingmewithmyowncorner:adesk,myown
shelvesforbinders,andmyownpinboard.Withonesimplegesture,
mycooperatingteacherimmediatelymademefeelincludedinthe
classroomandallowedmetocreateawarm,welcomingspacefor
myselfandmystudents.Theboardnexttomydeskwasperfectfor
keepingclassobjectivesanddailycartoons.OnthefirstdayIasked
mystudentstonametheirfavoritecartoon/cartooncharacterand
madeanattempttorecreatethosecharactersontheboard.Itwasnt

thestudentrecognitionofmyabilitythatmademefeelaccomplished,butseeingmystudents
faceslightupwhenIacknowledgedtheirfavoritecharacter.
DuringmyfirstfewweeksIfeltintimidatedandattemptedtoappeasemystudents
becometheirfriend.ThiswasnoBellevueWest,however,andIwasnostudent.Studentswere
sharper,quicker,andtheywerereadytoseehowfartheycouldpush.Manycomefromtroubled,
brokenfamilies,borderingpovertylines,historyofdrugsorabuse...notsomethingayoung
womanfromthesuburbsevertruly
encountered.Afterstrugglingwith
classroommanagementandseeing
mycooperatingteacherataloss,I
reachedouttoyoungerteachers,
observedotherclassrooms,andmet
withmyDoaneadvisor,Linda
Kalbach,todiscoverpossible
solutions.Thesolution,asitturned
out,wasquitesimple.AsIhave
discovered,relationshipswith
challengingstudentswillcomefrom
establishingstructureandroutine.
FromthenonIworkedoncreating
anatmosphereofmutualrespect,not
necessarilyfriendship.OnceI
focusedonstructuringmylessons
andreestablishedmyexpectations,Isawimmediateimprovements,notonlyinstudent
behavior,butintheflowandcohesivenessofmyownlessons.
MorethanahalfofmystudentseitherhadIEPsorspecialmedicalneeds.Theother
portionwereconsideredgifted.WhileIstruggledwithmychallengingstudents,Iwashappyto
findconnectionswiththemjustasmuchaswithhigherachievingstudents.Afterseveralweeks
oftryingtofindmyground,IknowIhavemadegreatstrides.

ManagementPolicies

EveryteacheratLincolnNortheastdemonstratesclearexpectationsofrespectfulbehavior
andencouragesthefollowingpractices:listening,followingdirections,consideringotherpeople
andtheirdiverseopinions.BeRespectful.BeResponsible.BeSafe.Thismessageisdisplayed
ineveryclassroomandservesasabasisforeveryteacherssyllabus.Whenstrugglingwith
classroommanagementonmyown,IwentbackandlookedatthefirstmessageofLincoln
Northeastsclassrooms:berespectful.Iaskedstudentstowriteareflectiveessaybasedontheir

thoughtsaboutrespectandwhatitshould
looklikeduringourmeetings.Forseveral
followingdays,Icontinuedtoaddress
respectandpersonalresponsibility.
WithinweeksIsawdefiniteimprovement
inbehaviorandourdailyroutines.
Everyclassroomhasa
paraprofessionaleducatororan
instructionalassistant.Mr.CraigSongster
isthespecialeducation/instructional
assistantforMs.JanssensCivicsclasses.
Mr.Songsterisaninvaluableassettothe
classroom.Besidesdemonstratingunique
connectionswiththestudentsheworked
withclosely,heprovidedbehavioral
managementsupport,worked
individuallywithstrugglingstudents,and
relocatedstudentswhowereinneedof
havingquizzesortestsreadoutloudtoa
moreintimatespace.
LNEhasatardypolicy:afterthefirst
tardy,teacherscounselwiththestudent.
Theeducatorslistentothestudents
reasonsfortardinessandcreateaplanofhowtoavoidfutureconcerns.Secondtardyresultsin
contactingtheparent/guardianofthestudent.Thirdandsubsequenttardinessleadtoanoffice
slipandalunchdetention.Northeastalsonewlyestablishedhallsweeps.Atthestartof
randomperiods,anadministratorannouncesahallsweepandurgeseveryteachertoclosethe
doorstotheirclassrooms.Anystudentcaughtinthehallwithoutavalidpassservesalunch
detentionthesameorthefollowingschoolday.
Policyonuseofcellphonesandothertechnologicaldevicesisleftuptoindividual
classrooms.Attimes,nothavingaschoolwidecellphonepolicyprovedtobeproblematic.
Whilesometeachersallowedlenientcellphoneuse,othereducatorsstruggledtocontrol
cellphonesoncestudentsenteredtheirclass.
Severalofmystudentshavegottensuspendedfortheftorholdingschoolinappropriate
objects.Conflictsthatpotentiallyendangerpublicorindividualsafetyarelefttoberesolvedwith
theadministration.Withbehavioralconflictsintheclassroom,mostteachersusetheirbest
judgementsandattempttoresolvetheissueoneononewiththestudent.

LNEHallways

Northeasthallwaysarebrightenedbyfundraising
andcommunityserviceposters,urgingstudentsto
positivelyparticipatewithintheircommunities.

Allthroughoutthesemester,administrators
introducedstudentstocharitiesandencouraged
studentstodonatechange,cannedgoods,orspare
clothes.

Besidescommunityinvolvement,
Northeastlookstosupportstudentsby
providinghelpful,essentialtipsand
creatinganatmosphereofmutualcaring
andtrust.

Schoolclubslookfordonationsfordifferentcauses,as
wellasraisemoneyfortheiractivities.TheStar
Strutters,NortheastsDanceTeamsellsyearly
calendarstoraisemoneyforcompetitionsandtrips.

TheStarStruttersperformregularlyforschoolrallies
andpublicevents.Oneoftheseniorgirls(classof
2015)waschosentoparticipateintheMacys
ThanksgivingDayParadeoverthe2014Thanksgiving
Break.