New principal settling in at NBEby Nathan Arneal The new school year finds a new person at the helm of NBE.
He comes from a four-year stint as principal at Eisenhower Elementary in North Platte, but the LaChapelles wanted to get closer to Omaha where the families of both he and his wife Lindsey are located. He found his new home when he interviewed in North Bend. “When I came here, it felt like the right fit,” LaChapelle said. “I’m glad they felt the same way. The interview process was fantastic. I was comfortable.” He liked the idea that the whole staff – teachers, custodians, paras, everyone – was invited to submit interview questions. LaChapelle still has that list of questions. “I want to make sure I follow through on what I told them I would do in the interview,” he said. LaChapelle, 48, grew up in Omaha, graduating from Omaha Christian Academy High School in 1995. After a couple of years as a business administration major at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, he transferred to MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas. LaChapelle had taught fifth grade youth group at his church in Omaha, so that was the age group he was interested in. However, when his class visited an inner-city school in Kansas City, no one volunteered to go into the first grade classroom. He felt bad and said he’d go watch the first graders. Once he stepped inside and the classroom door closed behind him, his world changed. “The teacher was fantastic, had those kids going and learning,” LaChapelle said. “I fell in love with it right then and there, and I knew that was my calling.” He switched his major to elementary education and transferred back to the more-affordable UNO, where he earned his degree. Read the full story in the print or e-edition. <<Back to the front page |
Brad LaChapelle has been in North Bend since July and is now overseeing his first week of classes at North Bend Elementary. An Omaha native, he had previously served as a principal in North Platte.