Rave reviews for new Lincoln principal

Danette Goulet

NEWPORT BEACH - After losing two principals in as many years, students

at Lincoln Elementary School will now have a leader who has already

devoted seven years to the school’s success.

Barbara Rothman-Haddock has taught in the Newport-Mesa Unified School

District for 33 years and has been a kindergarten teacher at Lincoln

since its doors opened seven years ago.

She was asked to step in as interim principal when Rosemary Munoz, the

principal of less than a year, first took a leave of absence and then

later resigned to care for her ailing husband.

Now, to the delight of parents, teachers, staff and students, she has

been appointed the new principal of Lincoln.

“It’s great,” said Jean Donnelly, who has been active at Lincoln for

all seven years that her three children have been attended the school.

“That’s just what most of the parents were hoping for. We didn’t need

more change. It’s been a very tumultuous year.”

Since founding principal Bruce Crockard left the school that had

earned National Blue Ribbon status under his guidance, things have been

on shaky ground at Lincoln, Donnelly said.

After years of Crockard’s successful reign as principal, many were

left feeling like they had no direction, Rothman-Haddockexplained.

“It was a combination of things,” she said. “The Blue Ribbon was the

culmination of years of work and to lose the principal who brought us to

that left a void. We needed a chance to pull things back together and

that’s why you need someone with a history in the district -- to pull

things back together.”

Rothman-Haddock said that’s what she has started with a series of

intense meetings with teachers.

“We needed a new direction. The meetings that I held with teachers

were to regain that vision,” Rothman-Haddock said. “It was time to go

back and brainstorm where Lincoln needs to be in the next five years.”

The one new addition that will come with the upcoming school year, she

said, is a discipline program. In the new Star program, teachers will

have children role-play situations to teach them right and wrong.

Students will also be rewarded for good behavior.

Another new addition will be a monthly flag deck, at which students

will be recognized for various achievements, including good behavior

under the new Star Program.

Her style and enthusiasm have teachers and parents feeling at home

again at Lincoln.

“I’m really thrilled -- she’ll make a great principal,” said Judy

Hilbert, who has taught at Lincoln for four years and has known

Rothman-Haddock for even longer. “I think they made a very good choice.

She works well with teachers and parents and is very child-oriented.”

Her style, Hilbert continued, is to look at a child developmentally,

which means she gauges where a child is academically, not where they

should be, and from there makes them the best student they can be.

“I’m just really pleased for her,” Hilbert said. “I think she’s going

to do an excellent job. She knows the climate of the school and I think

that will help her.”