The Board of Education announced a former LZHS assistant principal to replace retiring principal Kim Kolze next year.

            Kent Nightlinger, currently associate principal of operations at Rolling Meadows High School and former LZHS assistant principal of student services, was chosen from 40 candidates after the search for a new principal began last April.

            Nightlinger is moving into his twentieth year of teaching and being an administrator, and hopes to use his skills to provide the best opportunities possible for LZHS students.

            “I want to start my position by first getting to know my students, faculty members, and adults in the community and what they’re looking for in the high school,” Nightlinger said. “I also want to get a better feeling for what good things are going on at LZHS, and then I want to hear some opinions on how to improve upon the school.”          

            Nightlinger says he would like to talk to students and faculty because it has been nine years since he has worked at LZHS. He worked at LZHS from 2001 to 2004 as an assistant principal and says not much has changed from what he can see.

            “I’m confident that my experience as an administrator at LZHS will make the transition to principal very easy,” Nightlinger said. “I’ve been doing research on the Code of Conduct and talking to some administrators, and LZHS still seems like the great place it was when I left nine years ago.”     

            Nightlinger says he wants to provide students with more learning opportunities, as well as academic intervention methods. To do this, Nightlinger hopes to add more AP classes to LZHS’s spectrum of class choices.

            “High school is a time to prepare yourself for college and the outside world,” Nightlinger said. “We want to give every student an AP class experience and hopefully get some more participation in the AP classes.” 

            Challenging students, as well as making students feel comfortable at school, is important to Nightlinger. Currently Nightlinger is responsible for initiating a new technology program at RMHS, which includes a one-to-one student-to-device ratio, along with a Response to Intervention program.

            “Response to Intervention is getting kids motivated about their studies and how the faculty can intervene before a student starts slacking and getting too academically behind,” Nightlinger said. “Hopefully I can bring this program over to LZHS to benefit some of the students here.”

            New programs could be instated, if students or faculty express the need for the program, according to Nightlinger.

            Kim Kolze, principal, plans to leave LZHS  in good conditions for Nightlinger to begin work.

            “I want to spend my last couple of months here finished any projects or goals that I started in the building,” Kolze said. “That was our new principal can move forward in starting his new job.” 

            The new principal’s goal is to work hard, but still make LZHS a good time for the students learning and the faculty working in it.

            “All I want is for everyone at LZHS to be happy and enjoy the time they spend in high school,” Nightlinger said. “If the people in the building are happy, I will be happy.”