Bryan Community provides an alternative education to youth 16-21 years of age by emphasizing community, personal character and critical thinking skills. Students attending Bryan meet the same local and state learning standards as other teens in the Lincoln Public Schools. Students at Bryan benefit from personalized instruction and smaller classroom settings. Our staff strive to build strong connections to each student to understand them and support their growth.
The Bryan Community focuses on creating a positive learning environment where each student is valued and learns new ways to be successful.
Bryan was an elementary school from 1956 until 1971 when it was closed due to a decreased student population. For nine years Bryan was used as a storage site in the school district. In 1980, it was reopened when Lincoln Learning Center was moved into the building at 1801 S 40th Street and became the district’s alternative high school under the names of “Bryan Extension Center” and “Bryan Community School.”
In July of 2011, Bryan moved to the newly remodeled Hawthorne Facility, formerly Hawthorne Elementary School. As part of the move, Bryan was renamed the “Bryan Community Focus Program at Hawthorne” to more clearly define the purpose of our program and retain the important connection with the Hawthorne community. We are proud of our newly remodeled facility and the partnership we have created with the Witherbee Neighborhood Association.
Bryan Community School was named for Nebraska political figure William Jennings Bryan. He was a Congressman from Nebraska, three-time presidential candidate (1896, 1900, and 1908), and later Secretary of State under President Woodrow Wilson. After leaving the Wilson Administration, Bryan devoted himself to advocacy of social reforms such as women’s suffrage and prohibition.
