First round of LPS administrator changes announced for 2026-2027 school year

January 5, 2026

Every January, the first round of Lincoln Public Schools administrator changes are announced for the upcoming school year, including retirements. This will be the first of several announcements over the next several months as current LPS administrators may move into open positions. These changes for the 2026-2027 school year will take place on July 1, 2026.

Joseph Wright, Director of Security

LPS Director of Security Joseph Wright announced he will be retiring at the end of the school year. Wright has served as the director of security for 13 years. Under his leadership, the LPS Security and Safety team has focused on threat assessment and violence prevention, emergency management and collaborating with the Lincoln Police Department to manage the district's school resource officer program through the Safe and Successful Kids Interlocal Agreement. Prior to coming to LPS in 2013, Wright served as an officer with the Lincoln Police Department for 27 years and retired as captain before joining LPS.

Vicki Schulenberg, Assistant Director of Elementary Education

Vicki Schulenberg will be retiring as the assistant director of Elementary Education at the end of the school year. Schulenberg returned to LPS as assistant director in the spring of 2023 after retiring in 2022 from the LPS Human Resources supervisor for elementary personnel position. She was first hired in 1982 as a first-grade teacher at West Lincoln Elementary School. Schulenberg moved to Fredstrom Elementary School in 1983 – the school’s first year – where she taught first grade, second grade and kindergarten for five years. Schulenberg served as coordinator at Fredstrom for ten years before moving into the role of principal from 1999-2018.

Jeff Rust, Adams Elementary School Principal

Adams Elementary School Principal Jeff Rust has been named the next LPS Assistant Director of Elementary Education. Rust has served as the Adams principal since 2021. Prior to his time at Adams, he was the principal at Hartley Elementary from 2012-2021. Rust has also served as Saratoga Elementary assistant principal from 2006-2012, and coordinator before that. He taught at Belmont elementary from 2001-2005. Rust received both his bachelors and masters degrees from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. Rust will finish the school year at Adams before starting his new position on July 1.

Kelly Apel, Goodrich Middle School Principal

Kelly Apel announced after 19 years of serving Title 1 schools in Lincoln, she would be stepping away for a new opportunity at the end of the school year. Apel was named principal at Goodrich in 2023 after serving as Brownell Elementary principal from 2017-2023. Apel was the associate principal at Goodrich from 2011 until she was named the principal at Brownell in 2017. She has also worked at Clinton Elementary as associate principal, and Park Middle School as instructional coordinator and teacher.

Traci Boothe, Eastridge Elementary School Principal

Eastridge Elementary School Principal Traci Boothe will be retiring after 33 years in education. Boothe was named the principal at Eastridge in 2017. Prior to becoming principal, she served as the coordinator from 2013-2017. Boothe has worked in Special Education from 2009-2013, and taught at Clinton Elementary from 1993-2009.