GIPS Names Rachel Harper New Dodge Assistant Principal
GRAND ISLAND, (Neb.) — Grand Island Public Schools (GIPS) is pleased to announce Mrs. Rachel Harper will be joining the district as the Assistant Principal at Dodge Elementary in the 2026-27 school year.
Mrs. Harper brings six years of classroom and teacher leadership experience to the district from Gering Public Schools. For the last five years, she has served as a 5th Grade Teacher, a co-leader for Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) for her school, been a Professional Learning Community (PLC) lead, and provided instructional support for colleague educators. She carries a B.S. in English Education from Utah Valley University, a Masters in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Nebraska Kearney, and will be completing a Masters in Educational Administration from the University of Nebraska Lincoln this year.
Speaking to the new opportunity, Harper shared, “I am thrilled to be joining Grand Island Public Schools and stepping into the Assistant Principal role at Dodge Elementary. I can’t wait to work alongside the Dodge team to support students, staff, and families and keep building on the great things already happening there.”
This move comes on the heels of Mrs. Kelli Wemhoff, current Dodge Assistant Principal, set to serve as the Principal of Starr Elementary starting this Summer.
Mr. Matt Fisher, GIPS Superintendent endorsed the decision of bringing Harper to Dodge and to GIPS.
“We are excited to have Mrs. Harper joining our staff.” Fisher shared. “She has shown herself to be a strong instructional leader in her previous roles. We are confident that our students and staff at Dodge will benefit from the talents she brings.”
As Mrs. Harper looks to move into her new role early this summer; the district will be scheduling opportunities for staff, students, and families to connect with her before the 2026-27 school year. Grand Island Public Schools is excited to see Mrs. Harper join the efforts of empowering students and supporting staff at Dodge!