Matzen named new principal at Southwest High School

Lincoln Public Schools announced Monday that John Matzen will be the next principal at Southwest High School effective immediately. Matzen will follow Mike Gillotti, who has accepted a position with the school district in Bettendorf, Iowa.

Matzen has served as associate principal at Southwest since 2018. Prior to that, he spent 13 years at Lincoln North Star High School, where he was a business teacher, instructional coordinator and associate principal.

Matzen earned his Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Doane College and his Certification in Business Education, Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“John’s energy and passion for Southwest make him a great fit for this new leadership role,” said Matt Larson, associate superintendent for instruction. “He has an ideal mix of teaching, administrative and leadership experience that will continue to serve the Southwest community well.”

Eric Weber, associate superintendent for human resources, added, “John brings a wealth of knowledge and experience within LPS, and this will be a great opportunity for continued growth at Southwest.”


Published: July 12, 2021, Updated: July 12, 2021