June 27th Monthly Update

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LPS families,

We are busy preparing for next school year! Over the next couple of weeks you will receive back to school information from your schools in the mail. Also, be watching your email on July 14 for important information about the required online enrollment verification process.

Reminder about 2025-2026 Calendar Changes

In February, the Lincoln Board of Education adopted changes to the 2025-2026 student calendar. PLEASE NOTE: 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 now be Oct. 13 and 14. You can find the updated 2025-2026 calendar on our website.

Five students and a teacher walking along a path in the grass at the sunken gardens
LPS summer school students smile as they walk at Hamann Rose Garden for an activity in their Lifetime Sports class. Students have gained many civic, fitness and social benefits from walking to Lincoln landmarks such as the Nebraska State Capitol, Memorial Stadium, Sunken Gardens, Antelope Park and Hamann Rose Garden. The class illustrates how LPS is providing enriching opportunities for children in all seasons of the year.

In This Message...

Information for All Families

Support Staff Interview Days—June 6 and July 15

Looking for a career that makes a difference? We’ll be hosting a Summer Interview Day July 15 for new applicants only. Open positions include bus drivers, paraeducators, transportation paras, food service workers, food service manager trainees, head bakers, head cooks and custodians.

Part-time (at least 17.5 hours per week) and full-time employees qualify for competitive health insurance, pension, generous leave and other benefits. Learn more about our benefits.

Walk-ins are welcome, but we encourage you to complete a pre-event application to help speed things up. 

Tuesday, July 15
North Star High School — Library & Commons
2500 N 67th St. [map]
12:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Salary ranges for open positions:

  • Bus Drivers: $26.65 per hour with paid training to obtain a CDL.
  • Custodial: $19.53–$28.22 per hour
  • Nutrition Services: $16.37–$24.35 per hour
  • Paraeducators: $15.96–$19.82 per hour
  • Transportation Paras: $17.30 per hour

Free student meal locations for summer 2025

Thanks to the federally funded Summer Food Service Program, children aged 18 or younger get the nutrition they need to learn, play and grow during summer when they do not eat at school. 

Summer locations are listed on our website with dates and times, or Text FOOD or COMIDA to 304304 or call 211 or use an interactive map located at NoKidHungry.

USDA Summer EBT Program

This summer, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) will provide eligible school-age children with $120 in benefits to help keep them fed when school is out. These funds can be used to buy select food items during the summer period of May 16 through August 31. 

Please note: Students attending CEP school districts may not automatically qualify for Summer EBT benefits and may need to complete a Summer EBT application. If your household receives public assistance benefits such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Aid to Dependent Children (ADC), Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), or qualifying income-based Medicaid programs, you will not need to complete a Summer EBT application. 

If you think your children are eligible, you can apply for Summer EBT benefits online by August 20, 2025, to get benefits for this summer. If you have questions, contact 800-383-4278, option 5.  More information can be found on this website to see if your family is eligible.

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. 

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 next 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 now 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