Principal
By Dan Holden
Carole E. Niere
As principal of the Lieberman Learning Center, formerly called the University City Alternative School Program, I first want to say how proud I am to work with such a wonderful staff. I have been an administrator since 1999. Previous to that, I was a math teacher at University City High School starting in February of 1986. I started my work in education in 1975. I am proud of my current work with the students and staff of the LLC, and of all of my earlier work in the district. In 1994-95, I was the district’s Teacher of the Year, having been the first High School teacher ever selected. In 1998, I received Merit Recognition for my teaching and work in the district and in 2006, I was given a PACEsetter Award for my work in the district.
As for my educational background, I graduated from Lafayette High School in the Rockwood School District and then earned a B.S. degree in Education with a major in Physics and a minor in Mathematics from Southeast Missouri State University. I earned a M.Ed. in Secondary Administration from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. I have completed the Leadership Academy for Character Education and additionally earned Advanced Certification in Character Education. I have been, and continue to be, active in Girl Scouting and am currently a registered Girl Scout.
While I loved my years teaching students mathematics, my work with the staff and students of the LLC is very rewarding. I believe we offer a strong basic half-day academic program for third, fourth, and fifth-year high school students in a caring and nurturing environment. Most of the students at the LLC have some kind of issue(s) making successful learning in a regular 1,100 student high school difficult for them. However, because of their hard work, and the nurturing work of the staff at the LLC, most LLC students are able to achieve their goal of a high school diploma. Many parents and students over the years have said that if not for the LLC, many of them would not be high school graduates, which makes the work we do so important.
We have a theme that students at the LLC are STARs – Students Taking Academic Responsibility. It is our job to teach them how to do that. One of the nicest things about being the principal of the LLC is that I know how far it has come. Currently all of our Core subjects are taught by teachers certified in those areas and our textbooks have been chosen specifically for our students. Classes meet every day. The current staff has been together since 2005. We share a strong belief in our three basic rules of being kind, responsible and safe and are all committed to our Mission, Vision, and Belief statements stated below.
Lieberman Learning Center
Mission statement:
The commitment of the Lieberman Learning Center staff is to create a caring and nurturing learning community for high school students who could benefit from an alternative setting, so they become citizens capable of making responsible decisions and contributing to our democratic society.
Vision Statement
At the Lieberman Learning Center we provide a structured environment in which we:
- Facilitate independent and collaborative thinking, learning, problem solving and decision-making.
- Foster self-advocacy.
- Improve and expand literacy.
- Value and practice honesty, respect, compassion, and empathy.
- Encourage responsibility for thoughts and actions and acceptance of the consequences.
- Appreciate creativity and a sense of humor.
Belief Statement
We believe:
- Literacy is essential.
- Strong relationships foster tolerance of life’s difficulties while providing opportunities to teach.
- Success and achievement are supported by:
- High and clear expectations.
- Reflection.
- Awareness of strengths and building on them.
- Inquiry and questioning.
- Individual and collaborative thinking.
- A pleasant physical environment.
University City has provided some type of Alternative School Program for students since the 1970s. I am glad that our district continues to recognize the importance of doing so and truly believes that every child’s education is important and that I am allowed to be the principal of such a wonderful program.
