Lincoln Consolidated Schools

Top of the Class

Supporting Student Success in a Community Alive with Connection and Opportunity

Serving approximately 3,400 students across its 7 schools and consortium programs, Lincoln Consolidated Schools serves students from pre K to twelfth grade, in Washtenaw County Michigan. At the heart of this diverse and expansive district, lies a mission that states, “Lincoln Consolidated Schools provides an exemplary educational experience where students develop the foundation for lifelong learning.”

For Superintendent Robert Jansen, this aligns perfectly with his personal core value, “every human being is important.” He shares, “To have the opportunity to work alongside families to help every child reach their full potential is an incredible honor. And for us, it’s created an environment where we are working towards ensuring every child feels a sense of belonging, a sense of connection.”

A Culture of Belonging and Trust

Jansen emphasizes the importance of creating a school environment where every student has the opportunity to experience positive, trusting relationships. “Once you create that, true learning can take place,” he depicts, touting that Lincoln Consolidated Schools is fortunate to have wonderful staff, and a supportive community who go above and beyond to build these trusted connections with students.

As a district made up of 5 townships, Lincoln Consolidated Schools truly is a center of the community. “We have a couple of small communities, but our families look to us to be the hub if you will,” Jansen portrays. “We are also a very diverse district, which makes us beautiful, but within that there’s so many different ways of thinking and we spend a lot of time just communicating with our community about us being that safe place, where kids can come and be connected with people. We talk a lot about kindness, compassion, and modeling that as adults in the community.”

Early Learning Initiatives and Community Engagement

Recognizing the value of early childhood education, Lincoln Consolidated Schools offers a range of programs through their Model Early Childhood Center, including Great Start Readiness Preschool, and Head Start. “With the state moving to universal preschool, that is a priority of ours,” Jansen reports. “Developing the relationships with the school community early on is going to be a long term goal of ours. Parenting is not easy. And the sooner we connect and make those relationships, the better.”

Director of Communications and Information Services, Vicki Coury, details the district’s proactive approach to community engagement. “We are the center of the community, so we continually are working not only with our families, but also with partners,” she emphasizes. “We have partners from Regional Health Alliance, through University of Michigan. We have partners with Eastern Michigan University (EMU) and student teaching. We work with our local realtors and with our state and local leaders to make sure that we are building our relationships.”

The district reaches out to families through initiatives such as Reading in the Park, as Coury describes, “We bring in guest readers, it could be anything from firefighters and EMTs to parents or engineers, all different kinds of people come in. The kids come, they get a free book, and they get to listen to stories.” Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, Karen Smith adds, “We also have our bookmobile, which goes out to the communities for two weeks throughout the summer. The students will get a free book, they’ll get some Lincoln swag, and they’re really excited about having the bookmobile come to them.”

Technology and STEM

At Lincoln Consolidated Schools, technology and STEM education are central to the mission of preparing students for the future. The district has implemented a one-to-one device program, where Kindergarten through second-grade students are provided with iPads, and third through twelfth graders receive Chromebooks. The district has also embraced advanced technologies such as Prisms VR, a virtual reality tool used to engage middle and high school students as they explore math and science concepts. “They can jump into the virtual world and actually see in the real world how to apply the information, which helps to make that real life connection,” relays Jansen.

A significant boost to the district’s STEM initiatives comes from a partnership with Toyota through the Driving Possibilities program. This initiative provides $10 million over five years to support STEM education for all levels. “Working with Driving Possibilities, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti Community Schools, and other local organizations, we are really bringing partners together with the focus of PreK-12 STEM alignment for all kids, with STEM being a mindset shift that we’re taking through the educational process,” expands Jansen.

The district also emphasizes what they term “stackable credentials”, providing opportunities for students to accumulate certifications and skills that build upon one another, providing a clear pathway from high school to college and beyond. In addition, Lincoln Consolidated Schools prioritizes a commitment to providing students with

real-world experiences and exposure to various career opportunities. “We have a big umbrella of equity over everything that we’re about,” Jansen highlights. “Part of this partnership with Toyota includes integrating STEM lessons with real-life experiences and exposure to diverse professionals and opportunities, ensuring that all students, regardless of their background, can envision themselves in roles they may not have considered before.”

Brick Elementary was proud to be recognized with a NISE (National Institute for STEM Education) Pro certification, a credential awarded to schools that demonstrate excellence in STEM education. Recently, a major event was hosted at the school exposing students to a diverse array of organizations and professionals from STEM fields. “We had everything from a helicopter landing from the National Guard to people from Toyota. We had people from different fields that are STEM related, so kids could interact and really be inspired,” says Jansen.

Career Readiness

Lincoln Consolidated Schools has developed a Portrait of a Graduate, outlining six key competencies: critical thinking, empathy, communication, collaboration, global citizenship, and adaptability. Jansen conveys, “We feel like if we instill these in kids by the time they graduate from Lincoln, alongside all of these other initiatives, they will be prepared for whatever the world is going to be in 10,15, 20 years from now.”

To further support career readiness, the district offers a range of opportunities for secondary students, including career and technical education (CTE) programs. Through a partnership with the South and West Washtenaw Consortium students are able to explore fields such as auto repair, marketing, photography, health sciences and more. “These are hands-on career classes which they attend off site at another school partnering with us,” outlines Coury. In addition, the early college program allows students to take courses at EMU, earning up to 80 college credits free of charge, beginning in the tenth grade.

Lincoln Consolidated was also one of only a few districts in the state to be awarded an SME Prime grant, for advanced manufacturing. With this, the high school will see the introduction of a solar car and 3D printers on site. “It is a very next generational type of opportunity,” Jansen acknowledges. “When we talk to the folks out in the fields in the industry, it seems like we’re going to be preparing our kids, and they will be able to have jobs lined up for them.”

Award Winning Arts Programs

The arts thrive in the district, with award-winning band and choir programs consistently achieving top honors. “We had competitions, this last winter, where both our choir and

our music programs all scored the highest marks, and they sounded beautiful. I am very proud of our music programs” remarks Jansen. Fine arts are also celebrated at Lincoln Consolidated Schools, where a recent art exhibit allowed students to showcase their work to the community. “It was a great turnout, where the community came together with parents very proud to see their students work. We have such gifted kids, it was just beautiful to see their artwork,” he adds. On the performing arts side, the students put on annual musicals and plays, which Jansen characterizes as “magnificent.”

He continues, “One of our goals here in Lincoln is to have every kid connected to something, whether it be performing arts, some kind of club, a sport, something that they’re interested in. When you look at our band, our choir, the performance arts, it’s like a community for these kids, as they go through these productions, and all the hard work behind the scenes. Those common bonds that come together are so wonderful to see.”

Looking Ahead

As Lincoln Consolidated Schools continues to support the competencies described in the Portrait of a Graduate, Jansen says the district will remain focused on holistic education, robust partnerships, and innovative approaches to learning, ensuring that every student reaches their full potential. By nurturing a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement, the district, and the community is committed to removing barriers and empowering students to achieve their dreams and aspirations.

AT A GLANCE

Lincoln Consolidated Schools

What: An innovative PreK-12 school district

Where: Ypsilanti, Michigan

Website: www.lincolnk12.org