DAKOTA CITY, Nebraska (KTIV) – On Tuesday morning, more than 250 children arrived excited for the new school year. For the school’s principal, it’s a new year and a new job.

“I’m excited to start my journey here. There’s a lot of optimism in our school district right now,” said Ben Schultz, principal of Dakota City Elementary. “We have new leadership and that has impacted all of the teachers and support staff throughout the district and even the students.”

Schultz came to Dakota City Elementary from Lewis & Clark Elementary.

The school introduces a new reading curriculum and also uses a new rule system.

“The entire district is implementing what we call a behavior matrix. It’s basically a common language for behavior expectations that we call ‘Card Pride,'” Schultz said.

This system also rewards children for exceeding those expectations. The teachers that students at Dakota City Elementary got to know last year are back in the classroom this year.

“Oh, it’s a great feeling. Last week I was with the teachers and they were excited and full of hope for the new year. And then when the kids came home with smiles on their faces, I knew that’s why we do what we do,” Schultz said.

While Dakota City Elementary has not hired any new teachers, 30 new teachers have joined the district this year.

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