Lincoln Public Schools Wellness Program
Highlighting Staff Well-Being
Student wellness has been at the center of wellness efforts for the past 14 years; integrating staff wellness involvement where possible. LPS Wellness programs not only impact over 42,200 pre-K through 12 grade students, but the over 6,200 staff who work to serve them each day. Think of how many families that is within the community.
As of school year 24-25, LPS has had two staff wellness initiatives greatly increase resources for all benefits eligible staff. Through work with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska, the Educators Health Alliance (EHA) has expanded their statewide wellness program entitled Elevate. This provides some additional incentives for staff who complete some activities around their health including three challenges, a health risk assessment and annual physician visit.
Even more exciting, Lincoln Public Schools was offered a two-year pilot of the Vitality program for all benefits eligible staff and their spouses covered by the BCBS medical or dental plan. This comprehensive program is very personalized to each individual’s health risk assessment and interest areas; with significant resources tied to those topics. One example is goal setting, where a participant may choose from a wide variety of smart goals with time frames, from daily flossing to taking blood pressure or cholesterol lowering medications and more.
Vitality allows LPS to add custom activities that support the wellness initiatives already established in LPS culture, such as the annual Backpack Walk or community activities such as the Lincoln Marathon or Cornhusker State Games participation. Throughout the year, staff and their spouses may level up their status through medal status from bronze to platinum and gain both points and bucks that are redeemable for electronic gift cards and/or health related merchandise.
LPS Wellness continues to work hard to keep student and staff wellness aligned and integrated as much as possible. Student themes for the year include 1) Fall: Train your brain for positivity 2) Winter: What you give energy will grow, focus on connections 3) Spring: Adventure and Explore with nutrition. These all align with similar themes for staff wellness within the EHA Wellness challenges.
LPS Wellness programs encourages growth through devoting energy to kindness, connections, and positivity rather than focusing on what is negative. LPS Wellness programs also work to build community through collaborations with others, including Partnerships for a Healthy Lincoln and many other local partners. For more information about LPS Wellness Programs, contact Michelle Welch at mwelch@lps.org.
