Staff Spotlight: Rhonda Mueller - fifth grade teacher at Elliott Elementary School

December 26, 2024

Every week, we’ll shine a spotlight on one Lincoln Public Schools staff member! Get to know the wonderful people making a positive impact across various areas within LPS. This week, meet Rhonda Mueller, fifth grade teacher at Elliott Elementary School.

“Rhonda has been a pioneer of restorative practices at Elliott for about nine years. She has created a classroom community with the use of circles to facilitate relationship building, shared agreements with each other and learning with all students. Her students are engaged and reflect their shared values throughout their school day. She engages all students in a collaborative process whether it is learning new curriculum materials, building and strengthening relationships, or repairing harm when conflicts occur. Rhonda is a role model for all of her students and the sense of community and collaboration is experienced the moment you step into her classroom. Rhonda epitomizes #strongertogether.” - Mike Renn, Restorative Practices Coach

In a few sentences, briefly describe your role at LPS.
I am a fifth grade classroom teacher and a district restorative practices trainer.

How long have you worked for LPS?
Since 1996.

What inspired you to become part of the education field at LPS?
I interviewed with a number of schools when I graduated but Elliott was a stand out! The minute I walked in the door, I could feel the warmth of the community. I have always been at Elliott, though in several different positions. It still feels warm and welcoming today.

What has been your favorite part of working here? What aspect of your job do you find most rewarding?
I love what I learn every single day! I get better from what I learn at building and being a member of trusting communities. I learn from and with colleagues, students and their families. Watching communities grow in terms of the relationships and how that transforms the level of learning—just makes my heart pound! The most rewarding part of my work is facilitating the building of communities and then watching how people bond and use that bond to move forward even when the work is really hard. That applies to students, staff and families. It's just such a beautiful thing to witness!

Did you attend LPS as a student? If so, which school(s)? If not, where are you from?
I spent most of my childhood in Oklahoma during the days of desegregation. While I didn't know it then, it was such an important piece of history for me to witness as I watched children pulled from their communities and thrust into places they did not trust nor feel comfortable.I experienced both sides of this history by attending an inner city middle school where I was in the minority and a suburban school where I watched children from the inner city come to neighborhoods that weren't theirs. My heart learned the value of community! In the ninth grade, my family moved from the big city to small town Nebraska where the population was less than the number of people who lived on our block in Oklahoma City! I experienced culture shock. Another life experience that I later realized, informed my professional life so deeply. While I did not attend LPS, most of my children did! I brought five of them to Elliott where they too learned critical lessons about community and diversity.

What path did you take after completing your formal education?
I graduated from Concordia University with an Art Minor and an endorsement in Early Childhood Education. I continued my education at UNL, earning a Masters in Urban Education, and then returned to Concordia, earning an Administrative Certificate. I worked on my advanced degrees while teaching at Elliott.

What do you enjoy most about the Lincoln community?
I really love the small town feel of Lincoln, with bigger city amenities.  I love how welcoming the Lincoln community is and how supported, especially people in need.

What is your favorite childhood book or a book that has influenced your life positively?
This is an easy one! I am a self proclaimed Seussologist and it is my opinion that the greatest literary creation has to be, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." The evolution of this story, the level of literary design. It's just brilliant and has so many lessons for us to learn.

Share a shout out to a teacher who impacted your life.
Mrs. Krieser taught English at Seward High School. She made me feel like a gifted writer and her words of encouragement really elevated my confidence as a writer and my joy in putting my thoughts on paper!

Do you know a LPS staff member we should feature for Staff Spotlight? Fill out this form to nominate them!

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