LPS Superintendent announces retirement

Lincoln Public Schools will begin the search for a new superintendent following an announcement Friday morning that Paul Gausman is retiring from the role.

Gausman announced he plans to retire at the end of December.

He will retire from his superintendent duties on Dec. 27, and work with district leadership and the Board as a superintendent emeritus until the end of June 2025 to ease the transition to a new leader. During that time he will consult as needed on initiatives that are in progress.

“My time here as superintendent has brought about even stronger feelings of regard for the people who make LPS and the community of Lincoln so remarkable,” Gausman said in a press release. “It is, therefore, bittersweet that I announce today that I will retire from the LPS superintendency at the end of this calendar year and from LPS at the end of June 2025.”

The Lincoln Board of Education will vote on a transition plan as part of its consent agenda at an upcoming meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10.

Gausman joined Lincoln Public Schools in July 2022, after serving as the superintendent in Sioux City, Iowa since 2014. Prior to joining the Sioux City Community School District, Gausman also worked at West Central School District and Sioux Falls School District in South Dakota, Millard West High School in Omaha, Lincoln Northeast High School and at Wisner-Pilger Public Schools.

“On behalf of the Board, we would like to thank Dr. Gausman for his service to Lincoln Public Schools and wish him the very best in his future endeavors,” LPS Board of Education President Bob Rauner said in a press release. “Paul took over the leadership of LPS during a time when we as a district were recovering from a global pandemic. As our new data shows, our graduation rates have now recovered to and exceed our pre-pandemic graduation rates.”

LPS Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs Liz Standish will step in as interim superintendent starting Dec. 28 until the Board determines the next steps at its Jan. 14 regular meeting.

“I have determined that while 20 years in the public eye as a superintendent of schools has been vastly rewarding, it is time for me to explore other opportunities,” Gausman wrote.