July 25th Monthly Update

Translations: Arabic | Karen | Russian | Spanish | Vietnamese

LPS families,

The beginning of the school year is almost here and we are excited to see all of our students and families again!

First week of school is approaching fast!

Just a reminder that the first day of school for students in grades kindergarten, sixth, and ninth will be Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. Students in grades 1-5, 7-8, and 10-12 will join them on Wednesday, Aug. 13 for their first day of school. Early Childhood students will start classes on Friday, Aug. 15. Fall Break will be Oct. 13 and 14. You can find the updated 2025-2026 calendar on our website.

IMPORTANT NOTE: On Saturday, July 26, from 8am-5pm, our internet provider Network Nebraska will be conducting required maintenance that will lead to intermittent outages to LPS online services. This includes the LPS website, Online Enrollment Verification, ParentVue, StudentVue, and Kindergarten Enrollment. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Singing students on risers with hands outstretched
Fifth graders form melodies and harmonies during the 2025 LPS Summer Choral Music Camp at Irving Middle School. Students from 15 elementary schools enjoyed making musical memories at the weeklong camp. They practiced choreography, learned various vocal techniques and made many new friends before performing in a public concert.

We will continue to share important district information and reminders via email with all of our families on the last Friday of each month throughout the year.

In This Message...

Information for All Families

2025-2026 Important Information Booklet

Each year Lincoln Public Schools provides all of our families the “Important Information Booklet”. This is a collection of essential and helpful guidelines, rules, procedures and tips for you and your students for the coming school year.

This booklet can be found on our website: http://lps.org/go/important. You can also access the page by using the search field at the top right of the LPS homepage (www.lps.org) and entering ‘Important’ as the search term.

Families will also find links to each school’s student handbooks as they are updated and common practices for elementary, middle and high schools. 

Please contact your child’s school if you wish to obtain a printed copy of the Important Information Booklet.

REMINDER: Complete the online enrollment verification

If you haven’t already, please verify your child’s information online through the parent portal, ParentVUE. This includes updating contact and emergency information, signing consent release forms, etc. We would appreciate you completing/updating the information before the first day of school. Note: this process is to be completed each year.

Please visit https://synergyvue.lps.org/ to access and log in to your ParentVUE account. Once you have logged in, select the Online Registration button in the upper right corner, and follow the prompts to update and verify your information. It is important that you complete this task as soon as possible. 

If you have previously used your ParentVUE account, but can’t remember your password, you can reset it online at https://synergyvue.lps.org/. If you have not yet activated your LPS ParentVUE account, please contact the main office of your child’s school for instructions and an activation key.  

If you have questions or need help with completing these steps, please contact your child’s school.

Sign up to receive text messages from your child’s school

In addition to receiving phone and email messages, you can sign up to receive notifications from your child’s school via text messaging when available.

What you need to do:

While verifying your child’s information through Online Registration in ParentVue, make sure your cell phone number is correctly listed and the Text Communication option is marked YES.

Free and Reduced Lunch applications for 2025-2026

Did you know LPS families can potentially save money by filling out the Free and Reduced Meal Application. This application must be completed each year in order for families to qualify for free or reduced school meals. We are encouraging families* to fill out the Free and Reduced meal application online as soon as possible. 

*Please note: If your family received notification in July that your student has been Directly  Certified for the 2025-2026 school year or you attend a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school then an application is not needed. CEP schools are: Culler, Dawes, Goodrich, Park, Lefler, Arnold, Belmont, Brownell, Campbell, Clinton, Elliott, Everett, Hartley, Huntington, Lakeview, McPhee, Meadow Lane, Norwood Park, Pershing, Prescott, Randolph, Riley, Saratoga, and West Lincoln.

This application must be completed each year in order for families to qualify for free or reduced school meals. Families who do not complete the application will be charged normal meal prices for any school meals their child eats.

You can go to our website to fill out this quick and easy online application. If you do not have access to the online application, you can go to your child’s school office and pick up a paper application.

Additional information about Free and Reduced meals is on our website. If you have any questions, please call (402)436-1747 or email us at freeandreduced@lps.org.

REMINDER: School physicals

It is time to schedule your students’ school physical for next school year! All students benefit from an annual wellness exam.

Families of kindergarten and seventh grade students for the 2025-2026 school year need to provide evidence of a physical examination completed by a physician, physician assistant, or an advance practice registered nurse to the school your child attends – or will attend. There are required immunizations needed for school that are given to kindergarteners and seventh grade students during their school physical.

All students must be current with all school required immunizations and provide proof to the school. There are many resources available and the school nurse can assist you if you have questions.

Support for Students and Families

At Lincoln Public Schools, we celebrate the fact we live and work in a diverse community and in our school district we value every member of this community. We promise to honor and educate each and every child, and to fulfill our mission in preparing ALL students for successful careers, lifelong learning, and civic engagement. We are all neighbors in Lincoln, Nebraska, and at Lincoln Public Schools ALL means ALL.

As part of our adopted strategic plan, we prioritized student wellbeing and outcomes. We understand there are many factors that can impact your student’s social and emotional wellbeing. Some of those influencers can happen at school, but many times there are situations occurring outside of school or reported in the media that can create stress and/or anxiety for your child – thus impacting their school day. We want to remind you of just some of the resources that will aid you in supporting your student.

While at school

If your child needs extra support, please know we are here to help. Contact your child’s school so we can connect them with a caring staff member. This includes our counselors, social workers, psychologists, bilingual liaisons, and student advocates (Youth Development Team). You can call your school’s office during the business day, or use the blue Contact Us button on the school’s website anytime to connect with these professionals.

In our community

You can also utilize any of these community resources:

We acknowledge that recent headlines may have an impact on our staff, students and families, and we need to be sensitive to the stress, uncertainty and anxiety some are experiencing. Every single day – but most especially in times of change and uncertainty – our children need reassurance and stability, and school is and must be a stable environment for them. We are proud of our staff and the work they do in collaboration with our families and community to provide this. 

Help your child succeed - Every Day Counts!

Did you know… the first two weeks of school are an important time when students establish routines and learning habits?

If students miss at least two days of school per month or more, it impacts not only their ability to gain important reading, math and relational skills, but it can be an early indicator of not graduating on time. Every Day Counts when it comes to your child being successful in school.

We value your partnership and know you also want your child to succeed. Let’s work together to ensure your student regularly attends school!

  • Routines: Establishing a routine of on-time daily attendance helps reduce stress at home, and supports  a habit of attendance that will help your child succeed.
  • Engagement:  Being in school helps students to get to know school staff and each other. Building relationships can motivate participation in learning.
  • Access to resources: Schools provide access to valuable resources such as meals, health supports and fun enrichment activities such as sports, clubs, music, and other afterschool programs.
  • Learning: Students who attend school regularly as early as elementary school do better academically and are more likely to graduate from high school on time.

How you can help:

  • Start now setting a regular bedtime and morning routine.
  • Lay out clothes and backpacks the night before.
  • Take steps to keep your child healthy and make sure they have the required immunizations.
  • Develop backup plans for getting to school if something comes up. Identify a family member, a neighbor, or another parent you can call for help in getting your child to school.
  • Try to schedule non-urgent related medical appointments and extended trips when school isn’t in session. You can find the 2025-2026 LPS Student Calendar here.
  • If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors and other parents for advice on how to make your child feel comfortable and excited about learning.
  • Work with the school to find opportunities for your child to get involved in a school activity or club to help build excitement in attending school. Approximately 98% of LPS students who participated in athletics and activities graduated high school on time.
  • Reach out to school staff if you need help eliminating barriers for your child to attend school regularly.

Together, we can help our students understand that Every Day Counts!

Athletic event attendance expectations for all students

We continue to encourage all students and families to support our high school student-participants during competitions. As we work to keep our student-participants, coaches and spectators safe at our contests, the following rules are in place for all students attending extra-curricular events at our high schools.

Elementary and middle school expectations

  • LPS elementary and middle school students are required to attend LPS high school athletic/activity events with adult family members and/or a paying responsible adult and must remain under their supervision during the event.
  • LPS elementary and middle school students are expected to follow the directions of event staff and the public address announcer. Any students unable to follow directions will be asked to leave. 
  • Students will not be allowed to re-enter the event without pay. Passes only allow one entry per event.
  • School rules apply at all LPS athletic/activity events. Violations to the Rights and Responsibilities of Students may result in disciplinary action for students.
  • LPS elementary and middle school students must remain seated in designated areas during events. 
  • LPS elementary and middle school students are not allowed to loiter or run around in concourses, concessions and/or restroom areas. 
  • No outside food is allowed to be brought into LPS high school athletic/activity venues; however, a wide range of delicious concessions are available at most events. Food and drink must be consumed in the seating area of the venues.
  • LPS elementary and middle school students are expected to leave with family members and/or a paying responsible adult immediately following the conclusion of an event, or if students are asked to leave early.

High School Students

  • Students are expected to identify themselves when asked to do so by any school official. At any time outside the school day, students shall be required to show Lincoln Public Schools student identification upon request of a staff member or as required by building rules while on school grounds or at school activities. 
  • Students may sit in their school’s assigned student section. If students are attending an event hosted at or by another school, students need to sit in general seating and will not be allowed to sit in the assigned student section.
  • LPS high school students are expected to leave on their own or with family members and/or a paying responsible adult immediately following the conclusion of an event, or if students are asked to leave early.  At the conclusion of the event, students may wait for their ride outside the contest venue.
  • Students will not be allowed to re-enter the event without pay. Passes only allow one entry per event.

Information for Elementary School Families

Register NOW for kindergarten - Don’t miss important information

Do you have a child – or do you know of a child – that will start kindergarten this year? It is important that you register them as soon as possible. 

Parents of children turning five years of age on or before July 31, 2025 can go to lps.org and click on the red “Enroll Your Student” button. Here you will also find all the information necessary for registering, the required documents needed and answers to frequently asked questions.

Parents who do not have access to the online registration, or wish to register their child in person, should contact their attendance area elementary school as soon as possible. Questions about kindergarten registration should also be directed to the child’s attendance area school. 

Go to our website for more information.

Now accepting LPS preschool applications for 2025-2026

LPS is still accepting preschool applications for the 2025-2026 school year! 

Application materials are available on our website and also available in our Early Childhood Department Office, located at 300 S. 48th Street (enter door #2) between the hours of 8:00  a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

LPS preschool is for children who reside in the Lincoln Public School boundaries and are at least 3 years of age on or before July 31, and are not yet kindergarten age eligible (are age 5 on or before July 31, 2025).  

Our inclusive preschool classrooms are located at 31 LPS buildings across the district and serve three-to-five year olds.  

Applications along with the required materials may be submitted by:

  • Emailing earlychildhood@lps.org
  • In person Monday-Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at 300 South 48th Street

By mail:
Department of Early Childhood
300 South 48th Street
Lincoln, NE 68510

Information for Middle and High School Families

Jobs and Extended Learning Opportunities (JELO)

Is your child looking for a job or other extended learning opportunity? Students can use their Chromebook or LPS Student Portal account to check out our electronic bulletin board by going to lps.org and typing in the keyword “JELO”. (Students must be logged in to their LPS Student Portal to view the board.) 

Students in grades 6-12 will find information about a wide variety of opportunities available. This includes activities, camps, jobs and internships. We update the board every Wednesday afternoon.

Are you a business or organization wanting to share your opportunities with LPS students?

If so, please enter the information about your program/opportunity here:  www.bit.ly/stujobslps.

Once you submit the information on the form, we will review it to ensure that it fits with our Board policies and regulations before we post it to the electronic bulletin board. Once an opportunity is posted, students in all middle and high schools are easily able to access the information. Please note: anyone outside of the LPS network or without LPS Portal access will not be able to access the eBulletin board.