During the 2019-2020 school year, Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) hit a record for student enrollment. According to the Nebraska Department of Education, the number of attending students reached 42,297 students. The growth of the Lincoln community in neighborhoods across the city resulted in the development of new schools, including two high schools and an elementary school. 

On Feb. 8, 2021, The Lincoln Board of Education asked the Lincoln community to help them name the three new schools through Feb. 8-28. Anyone who happens to be interested in helping the school district with the naming can submit their suggestions on the LPS website. 

After the deadline passes, all the suggestions will be passed on to the Lincoln Board of Education, who will then decide what to name the new schools. The education board committee hopes to have the names for each school approved in the spring of this year. 

The two high schools and the elementary school are being built on a $290 million bond issue that was approved by the Lincoln community after a great amount of support was given.

 “LPS is committed to accommodating growth, investing in existing facilities and ensuring that facility investments are efficient and well maintained,” Lincoln Board of Education President Lanny Boswell said in a February 2020 speech after the bond was approved.

The new schools being built are: 

A high school located at NW 48th St. and W Holdrege St. The high school is expected to open in the fall of 2022 and will become the seventh LPS high school. Along with traditional classes and electives, the high school will contain a new Medical Science Focus Program in partnership with the Bryan College of Health Sciences. 

A high school located near 70th St. and Saltillo Rd. that will open in the fall of 2023. This high school will become the eighth LPS high school. 

An elementary school located near E 102nd St. and S Holdrege St. that will open in the fall of 2022. This new elementary school will become the 40th elementary school.

According to an open question answered by Lincoln Southeast High School (LSE) students, a few people had some suggestions. Some of the suggestions included names with cardinal directions, such as South and Northwest. Other answers included a special touch, for example, South Prairie, Golden Rod, and Southstar. 

The new high schools will be built for approximately 1,000 students, but expansion can be made to fit 2,000 students. Shared district competition fields are also planned to possibly be put in place at both schools. 

LPS officials are planning a webinar via Zoom to give more information about questions anyone may have regarding the new schools on Thursday, Feb. 18, at noon to 1 p.m.

The webinar can be accessed at the date and time above through Zoom: https://lps.zoom.us/j/91217253734. It will also be broadcasted live on the LPS Facebook page, and a recording will be made available on the LPS website, too.