Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Athletics Activities Overview topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
LPS reports rising participation, EverRise pilot for coaches
Summary
Lincoln Public Schools officials said overall student participation in athletics and activities is up, highlighted a three‑year EverRise pilot for coaches, and cited program gains including girls wrestling and Unified Sports; board members asked for disaggregated equity data and more detail on middle‑school capacity.
Dr. JJ Tocek, LPS director of athletics and activities, told the board the district’s athletics and activities programs are “education based,” with a focus on academic connection, equity and student well‑being. He described a three‑year pilot with EverRise to help coaches build relationships, structure communication and develop student skills across NSAA‑sponsored programs.
“To talk about the philosophy that we have, as always, when it comes to our athletics and activities programs, it is education based,” Dr. Tocek said. He said the pilot collects coach and student survey data to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
Tocek reported a 4‑year average participation increase of 16% across athletics and activities. He highlighted program‑level gains: girls wrestling participation rose 64% from the program’s 2022–23 start through the current year, and Unified Sports participation rose 40% over four years. He also said the 4‑year on‑time graduation rate for participating students in the class of 2025 was 99%.
Board members praised the work but pressed for more demographic detail. “I was wondering if you had any disaggregated data according to perhaps minority status or participation in free and reduced lunch,” a board member said; Tocek said program‑specific disaggregation is not immediately available but could be produced with district staff. He also said space and coach availability vary by school and noted recruiting and staffing coaches is a broader statewide challenge.
The presentation concluded with the district pointing attendees to a link with state qualifiers and results for the 2025–26 school year. No formal action or vote occurred; the board followed with questions about equity, facilities and program expansion.
