Board Member Danek shares northeast Lincoln history to Mickle staff

Mickle Middle School staff learned about the history of the neighborhood they serve during their staff training on Aug. 8. 

As staff gathered in the school’s media center, Lincoln Board of Education member Kathy Danek shared how her district formed. She communicated the importance of community in northeast Lincoln since joining communities such as Havelock and University Place was essential to its development. 

“The history of this area is that education is the one link that brought all people together. Northeast High School brought three rival communities together and it served as the impetus and the home base of every kid that lived in this district,”  Danek said. “Mickle has been an integral part of the northeast population since its inception. The historical connection between the name of Mickle and Northeast High when it opened is Robin Mickle and the connection is very imperative.”

The presentation was part of Mickle’s staff development before school starts next week. Mickle Middle School Principal Jason Shanahan organized the presentation after hosting Danek and her classmates at their 50th class reunion. Shanahan heard their conversations about the area's history and thought it would be valuable for his staff to hear ahead of the school year. 

“The staff has to understand the community that they serve to best serve it,” Shanahan added.

After the presentation, staff members greeted Danek and shared their ties to northeast Lincoln. Shanahan said creating these opportunities for board members to connect with the schools they serve is vital. 

“Board members are really the champions for Lincoln Public Schools. They are the ones making the decisions. It’s important they are in the building to see what’s going on. Not just knowing people by numbers and data, but faces and names so they can make the best decisions for the students of Lincoln Public Schools,” Shanahan said. 

Take a look at some highlights from Danek’s presentation in the slideshow below


Published: August 10, 2022, Updated: August 16, 2022

Board Member Kathy Danek shared the history of northeast Lincoln to Mickle staff during training.