News Release

June 7, 2019

NDE LAUNCHES NEBRASKA LEADERSHIP AND LEARNING NETWORK TO SUPPORT SCHOOL LEADERS

The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) is addressing the state’s commitment to equity with the launch of the Nebraska Leadership and Learning Network (NLLN), a system of support created by school leaders, for school leaders, in schools with the highest need for leadership development.

Stakeholders from across the state, including members from Educational Service Units (ESUs), the Nebraska Council of School Administrators (NCSA), higher education institutions, and the NDE, help direct the work of the NLLN. These stakeholders provide guidance to a team of school principals and superintendents, to ultimately scale the system across the state. Other key educational organizations such as the Urban League, the Nebraska School Board Association, and the Nebraska State Education Association are also involved as advisory partners.

“The role of school principals has fundamentally changed,” said Kim Snyder, Director of Statewide Teacher and Principal Support at NDE. “It is incumbent upon all educational partners to support Nebraska’s school leaders in new ways to ensure equitable opportunities for each student.  The relationships formed in this collaborative process are key to its success and the NDE is happy to be a part of it.”

The NLLN is comprised of five schools: Winnebago Middle School, Winnebago High School, Wauneta-Palisade Middle School, Bayard Elementary School, and Walnut Middle School in Grand Island. Participants engage in activities designed to help leverage new approaches to solving problems of practice, build a network among themselves, and apply applicable research and case studies to their contexts.

“Through the work of the Nebraska Leadership and Learning Network, I have access to an extended system of support, tools, and resources to positively impact the effectiveness of school leadership and ultimately student outcomes,” said Toni Palmer, Chief of Leadership and Learning at Grand Island Public Schools.

More information on the NLLN is available online at https://www.education.ne.gov/educatoreffectiveness/nebraska-leadership-and-learning-network-nlln/

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