With our change in administration this year, I wanted to speak with both faculty and students about their opinions regarding the new admin and principal, Mr. Lilly. I wanted to hear what changes they had noticed and how they’ve been affected by it. But first I’ll share a bit of my opinion.
When I started here at Lincoln in 2022, I’m not going to lie, it was rough. I didn’t feel supported much by the administration. It felt like they saw the students as a burden and were only concerned with keeping them in class rather than making the school a more enjoyable place to be.
I had my fair share of annoying, uncomfortable, and disrespectful interactions with our then principal and I wasn’t happy with how the campus felt almost like a prison. However, starting this year under Mr. Lilly has, so far, been wonderful.
The first day I stepped onto campus, everything felt lighter, the atmosphere was happier, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of everyone’s shoulders. I’ve noticed that other administrators have been more helpful and supportive towards students and staff. You don’t just have to take my word for it, I asked a few teachers, some new, some more experienced, as well as some students from ranging grade levels about their opinions on the change and how it’s impacted them.
I began each of my interviews with the question, “What is your opinion on Principal Lilly? Do you like him? Do you dislike him? Why?”
Every single person I interviewed all went into detail about their experience and ended up answering a few of my following questions without any prompting. The answer to this question was roughly the same for all of my interviewees, saying that with Lilly as the new principal, they felt supported, something that they hadn’t felt much in the years prior.
“I feel very appreciated by him…he’s always telling me ‘We’re so lucky to have you’, ‘I’m so thankful for you’, ‘You’re the best’.”, says Ms. Rueda, one of our lovely art teachers.
“I think he brings a lot of positive energy to Lincoln… I do really like him.”, explains Ms. Neely, one of our English teachers who has worked at Lincoln for several years.
“None of the micromanaging, all of the support.” Mr. Rascher, another well-versed English teacher tells us.
Another very prominent opinion I noticed is that almost everyone I interviewed said the same thing about the atmosphere of the campus changing.
“The entire atmosphere has felt light, positive, friendly, welcoming…” says Ms. Rueda. “The biggest change or difference that I’ve seen is not a physical or tangible thing…more like the mood…the vibe of the school. In the past, staff and students alike would be cautious…there was always a little bit of fear that you’re going to mess up…” Explained one of our teachers, then going on to say, “[School] is the place where you’re supposed to mess up, right?”
Precisely, students shouldn’t be afraid of making mistakes, they should be excited to learn.
I also asked about any interactions with Mr. Lilly that stood out to them. Several teachers said that in hard times, they went to him for support or to request time off and he was extremely understanding and sympathetic. Saying “Oftentimes, teaching does feel like a thankless job…”
“[He] made me feel very seen and supported.” and that they feel like they’re being seen as people too.
Overall, throughout my interviews the overarching consensus was that under Mr. Lilly, Lincoln is beginning to thrive again.
And I agree.
The future is looking brighter for students and staff alike, I really expect to see even more positive change in the near future. I’m glad that I get to graduate from this school with a principal that I can get behind, that I support and, that supports our community.
Thank you Mr. Lilly for your hard work and dedication to our school. Please continue being the great person you are.
