Jack Stenger

Memory Lane: After five fond years building memories at North Atlanta, Lincoln Woods moves forward to his upcoming district-wide position.

With cheerful greetings come bittersweet goodbyes. Lincoln Woods, after serving for five years, has departed from North Atlanta High School and is headed downtown for a significant role change. Once known as the ninth-grade Assistant Principal, Woods has been promoted to Atlanta Public Schools (APS) Director of Student Discipline. After years of service in the building, he has built numerous bonds with colleagues and students alike. While many are sad to see him go, the Warriors are thrilled to see a former administrator receive this new opportunity to expand his positive impact to all of APS.

Compared to his previous role, serving as the director of student discipline calls for additional responsibilities. At North Atlanta, Woods handled discipline for the entire freshman grade and assisted with other grade levels as well. Today, he plays a role in managing discipline on a district-wide level by preventing students from making bad choices and suffering consequences. Through promoting restorative practices and social-emotional learning, Woods plans to minimize the number of suspensions across the board. “We don’t have bad students.  We have individuals who make bad choices,” he said. “It’s now my job to help implement policies that prevent these consequences.”

In reflective moments during the days before leaving, Woods said he was reminiscent of the years he spent at North Atlanta.  Beyond his administrative duties at North and his extensive oversight of classroom instruction, Woods also played a major role in supervising extracurricular activities and was a common sideline and courtside fixture at Warrior sports events. Those attending games at Henderson Stadium in Midtown during the fall frequently spotted Woods cheering on the Dubs’s football athletes. Both in the hallways and at events, a trove of positive memories was developed. “While it’s exciting to have this new opportunity, I don’t look forward to leaving this family I’ve grown to love and get along with,” said Woods.

Woods’ administrative duties had him supervising several academic departments, including the English Language Arts department where he oversaw instructional practices. Woods said he’s grateful to have been a part of a team that achieved years of strong standardized test scores. Those who worked with him said he was the ultimate servant-leader. “Mr. Woods always had a positive presence,” said Literature teacher and English Department chair Erica Hiers. “He constantly checked in and encouraged us to be the best versions of ourselves.”

After five years, Woods will be remembered as an influential administrator and a building leader – one who was always passionate about positive student life and strong teacher development. His legacy will be felt in the building for years to come.