News Releases
Lincoln School Joins “No Excuses University” Network
March 20, 2007
Elementary school may seem a bit early to focus on college planning—but not at Lincoln School in Palatine!
Recently the school was named as a member of the No Excuses University (NEU) network—affiliation of six elementary schools in Illinois and California which aggressively promote college readiness and universal achievement.
Lincoln’s journey to becoming an NEU school began in summer 2006 when a group of Lincoln staff members attended a two-day workshop presented by Damon Lopez, principal of Los Penasquitos Elementary School in San Diego, Calif. Lopez is a co-founder of the NEU network. Intrigued by the successes other schools in the network have had, Lincoln School applied to become an NEU school. The application required documentation, including a video, to demonstrate Lincoln’s culture of universal achievement and exceptional systems which respond to specific needs of the school and its students.
“Your application showed a true dedication to holding students, parents, and staff to the highest expectations possible,” the letter announcing Lincoln’s selection noted. As the newest school to become part of the growing network, Lincoln joins Los Penasquitos, San Diego, Calif.; Collett School, Riverside Calif.; Fox School, Hanover Park; Lakeview School, Hoffman Estates; and Winchester School, Hemet, Calif.
At Lincoln, each classroom is working on “adopting” a college by writing letters and hanging college pennants or banners in their classrooms. Every Monday, students and staff are encouraged to wear college shirts or the school’s own “LSU” shirts which display the year each student will graduate from college. A hallway display shows where teachers attended college.
Teachers and students have created classroom goals for students relating to college readiness, and classroom discussions focus on the students’ futures and their college goals. Future plans include the distribution of handbooks in which children can track their own MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) test scores and development of three-way goals for students, staff and parents.
Lincoln has adopted the No Excuses University pledge: “We are committed to creating a school that knows no limits to the academic success of each student.” Or, as one sixth-grade team expressed it: “We’re setting our goals high because college is on our minds.”
For more information, contact Mary Beth Knoeppel, assistant principal, at 847-963-5704.
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