November 28th Monthly Update
Translations: Arabic | Karen | Russian | Spanish | Vietnamese
LPS families,
We share important district information and reminders via email with all of our families on the last Friday of each month throughout the school year.
Here is an index to help you navigate this month’s reminders:
In This Message...
Information for All Families
Community News - December edition
Each month LPS publishes Community News in an effort to help share family-friendly community events and activities from non-profit organizations. Check out the December edition of Community News online.
Are you a non-profit organization that wants to share your upcoming opportunities with LPS families?
Check out these advertising opportunities in our Community News! Your organization can reach 15,000 elementary-aged households in print through take home folders, and 25,000 Prek-12 households digitally district wide. Learn more on our website: https://home.lps.org/communications/community-news/.
Food resources for families
Below are school and community resources available to provide food assistance for those who need it.
Community Eligibility Provision Schools
There are 24 LPS schools who qualify to participate in the USDA’s Community Eligibility Provision program. This program provides FREE meals during school breakfast and lunch to every student. Those schools include: Arnold, Belmont, Brownell, Campbell, Clinton, Culler, Dawes, Elliott, Everett, Goodrich, Hartley, Huntington, Lakeview, Lefler, McPhee, Meadow Lane, Norwood Park, Park, Pershing, Prescott, Randolph, Riley, Saratoga and West Lincoln.
Free and Reduced School Meal Program
Families can apply for Free and Reduced school meals at any time, especially if there has been a recent life change or change in income. If approved, the student then qualifies for free and reduced meals through the school year. Families will need to complete a new application starting next school year. Once your student is approved for free and reduced meals, you can also qualify your family for scholarships and fee waivers for student activities at school.
You can pick up a paper application from your student’s school if unable to access the form online. Learn more about the Free and Reduced Meal program on our website.
*Please note: If your child attends 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.
LPS Emergency Pantry*
In response to the high need of students and their families experiencing hunger, the Food Bank, in cooperation with Leadership Lincoln and Lincoln Public Schools, opened the LPS Emergency Pantry.
Any LPS, private or homeschool student and their family can come to the pantry to receive food assistance. The amount of food families can have is based on family size.
The pantry is located at Bryan Community (300 S. 48th St.) and is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 3-5:30 p.m. when school is in session.
*You must have a school-aged student to visit the Emergency Pantry.
Community Food Resources
- List of community food distribution opportunities compiled by UNL Extension
- 2-1-1 Nebraska
- Food Bank of Lincoln website (and here is a pdf list of resources from the Food Bank)
- Little Free Pantries
- MyLNK is a website (https://mylnk.app) and a mobile app (for Apple and Android – search MyLNK) that has information about community resources. It can be downloaded in a wi-fi environment and then used when wi-fi is not available. The website provides translations in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Arabic.
- Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (SNAP)
Food Resources Map
The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department has released a Food Resources Map to help the community locate distribution sites and pantries. Go to lincoln.ne.gov/health and click on View The Map link.
Need transportation? Free bus vouchers may be available at Grace Chapel at 1345 S 16th Street, Ste 2 or by calling (402) 484-8555. You can also find reduced-priced bus passes and the best route to food resource locations at lincoln.ne.gov/startran or by using the RideLNK app.
New Synergy ParentVUE & StudentVUE apps
When using the ParentVUE or StudentVUE app on your phone, you may be asked to download the new app. Do not be alarmed! Instead of updating the old app, the company is rolling out a new version. Installing the new app is not a requirement at this time but will be at some point.
Illness are elevated in the community
Several illnesses are circulating currently: norovirus, colds and influenza.
How can you help prevent the spread?
Help us prevent spread by keeping your student home if they have vomiting or diarrhea, a fever or persistent cough. Consult your healthcare provider if your student is not improving.
Tips to Stay Healthy
- Wash your hands frequently
- Cover your cough or sneezes
- Clean and disinfect surfaces regularly
- Stay hydrated, drink water
- Get a good night sleep
- Eat a balanced nutritious diet
- Stay physically active
Keeping your student up-to-date on their immunizations can also help keep them healthy. Contact your healthcare provider if you have questions about your student’s vaccinations.
What’s going around?
Norovirus
Norovirus is a highly contagious virus. Norovirus causes inflammation in the stomach and intestines. This leads to: diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Norovirus can spread in many ways. Norovirus can spread to others by: having direct contact with an infected person, eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with Norovirus, touching objects that have Norovirus on them and then putting your fingers in your mouth.
Cold and Flu
A cold is a virus and generally a mild respiratory infection. Symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing, and a sore throat. The common cold is highly contagious and spreads through respiratory droplets or by touching contaminated surfaces. Symptoms usually resolve within a week.
Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms are fever, chills, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, and fatigue. The virus spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. Influenza seasons vary in intensity. The flu can be dangerous for the elderly, young children, and individuals with weakened immune systems. Vaccination remains a key preventive measure.
Winter 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 Middle and High School Families
Sign up for FREE internet access through student Chromebooks
LPS is partnering with ALLO to provide LPS middle and high school students FREE internet access through their student Chromebooks. To participate in the Smart Town program, students will need to sign up through the student portal.
Learn more about LPS Focus Programs in December
There is still time for students in grades 8–11 to join an LPS Focus Program for the upcoming school year.
The priority application deadline is approaching. Submit your application by Jan. 5, 2026.
Here are some next steps you can take to customize your high school experience:
- Attend an upcoming information session hosted by a specific focus program (see below).
- Complete our interest form to connect with the program’s administrator to get more details.
- Apply now for the next school year.
Below are additional opportunities to get more information from individual programs in December.
There is still time for students in grades 8–11 to join an LPS Focus Program for the upcoming school year.
The priority application deadline is approaching. Submit your application by Jan. 5, 2026.
Here are some next steps you can take to customize your high school experience:
- Attend an upcoming information session hosted by a specific focus program (see below).
- Complete our interest form to connect with the program’s administrator to get more details.
- Apply now for the next school year.
Below are additional opportunities to get more information from individual programs in December.
Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC)
Tuesday, December 12
- In-Person Info Night
- Open to all LPS students and families in eighth grade
- 6:00–8:00 p.m.
- Northeast High School, 2635 N. 63rd St.
Bryan College of Health Sciences
Tuesday, December 2
- In-Person Info Night
- Open to all LPS students and families in grades 8–11
- 6:30–8:00 p.m.
- Northwest High School, 4901 W. Holdrege St.
Science Focus
Thursday, December 4
- Virtual Info Night
- Open to all LPS students and families in grades 8–11
- 5–6 p.m.
- Contact Science Focus Program Administrator Lindsey Roy at lroy@lps.org for the Zoom link.
The Career Academy
Wednesday, Dec. 10
- Virtual Info Night
- Open to all LPS students and families in grades 10–11
- 5:30–6:30 p.m.
- Contact TCA Director Joshua Jones at jjones7@lps.org for the Zoom link.
Thursday, Dec. 11
- In-person Info Night
- Open to all LPS students and families in grades 10–11
- 5:30–6:30 p.m.
- The Career Academy Campus at Southeast Community College, 8800 O St.
Want to learn more?
- Visit our website to discover all our options.
- Complete our interest form to connect with a specific program.
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.
