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District 97 Board of Education Appoints Ryan Gordon as Principal of Lincoln Elementary School

Photo: Ryan GordonDuring its regularly scheduled meeting on March 23, the District 97 Board of Education approved the reassignment of Ryan Gordon to the principal position at Lincoln Elementary School, effective July 1, 2021. Gordon has been serving as the school’s co-interim principal since the start of the 2020-21 school year.

“I want to congratulate Ryan on being named principal of Lincoln School,” District 97 Superintendent Carol Kelley said. “Throughout this unprecedented school year, she has proven herself to be an excellent leader who is student-focused, compassionate and empathetic. She has been able to act decisively and has built strong relationships with her school community by providing clear and consistent communication. She has also established a strong administrative team that is committed to achieving performance outcomes for all Lincoln students.”

The administration’s recommendation was based upon evaluation of Gordon’s leadership during the 2020-21 school year, as well as careful consideration of external candidate resumes and feedback received throughout the year from key stakeholders, including Lincoln staff.

“We have already seen the positive impacts of Ryan’s leadership in the Lincoln community,” Kelley said. “We are confident that she will continue to bring staff and families together to promote high academic achievement and ensure a positive learning environment for all of our students.”

Prior to taking on the role of co-interim principal at Lincoln, Gordon served as an assistant principal at Julian Middle School for two years. She previously taught for 11 years within Chicago Public Schools. She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and a master’s degree in educational administration from Concordia University.

Gordon said she is excited about the opportunity to take on the principal position, and is looking forward to working with her staff and leadership team to build upon the progress they have made this school year.

“Working at Lincoln this year has been an amazing experience,” Gordon said. “Leading through a pandemic has taught me so much, but my biggest takeaway is that with flexibility, transparency and community, we can do anything. I look forward to providing consistency to our Lincoln students, staff and families. Together, we will continue to be ‘Up at Lincoln!’"